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Okidok, here we go again, and off we go to the second round since their reunion two years ago, and of course with a new longplayer in the back. To be honest, I'm still not sure, what the goal of Mr. Tempest and Mr. Norum is in the end. The 'Final Countdown' just celebrated it's 21st birthday. And if you screen the statistics of the band with a critical eye, then this track was and still is the one and only real hit worldwide, Europe ever had. Whereby the pronouncation lies on 'worldwide', just to get it straight. Yeas of course , there are songs like 'Carrie' and 'Rock The Night' etc. But those tracks never ever reached the level of the one and only hymn. And Today?! What did Europe promised themselves with this second spring? Or did their solo carriers run so terribly wrong, that they thought, before it's too late, we better give the band another try. At least what's up to guitarist John Norum, he couldn't say so as he always did well internationally. Of course you never should miss a chance and try out everything. But we shouldn't forget the fact, that times have changed as well, and things do run in a different direction, then it did 20 years ago. It's a fact, that the first piece 'Start From The Dark' after their reunion in 2004 as well as the new CD 'Secret Society' went down the drain internationally, if we believe the worldwide commercial hitlists, which doesn't mean, that those two records ain't great albums. Exspecially the new one shows some pretty interesting new perspectives of the band.
Europe
2006, this is still Joey Tempest (Voc.), John Norum (Git) John
Leven (Bass), Mic Michaeli (Keyb.) and Ian Haughland (Drums). And what's
up to live stints, they have gonne for another countdown, not the last
one, but also not a march of triumph. Last time, two years ago, Europe
played a bigger venue than this time. It's a nice location as well
and much more intimate. Well crowded but not sold out with aprox. 800
spectators. Most of all it's Munich's scene who have shown up, some of
them you don't get to see the rest of the 12 months.
Shoot off is the quarter to nine without support act. No, this has nothing to do with arrogance and the attitidude: we don't need this. - Let's put it this way, the lonely wolf has howled alone on the last tour, and he does it on the current tour as well. To be honest, this band really doesn't need a support act. Yep, the come, play and win a 100%. Two new tracks are opening the set - Love Is Not The Enemy’ und ‚Always The Pretenders’, followed by 'Supersticious', and yes there we go and the fire is burning. It is an almost perfect intermezzo of the Swedes, though some voices say, the sound could be even more voluminous. But probably sound engeniiers have got a different ear as we normal people have. So what? We definately enjoy all those tunes and we sing along with ‚Carrie’, ‚Girl from Lebanon’, ‚Rock The Night’. ‚Faith’ and ‚Cheroke’.
The
past has caught up with us, at least for two hours. And how could it be
differently - the very final song is dominated by 'The Final Countdown'.
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