Yes it's time once more to go and see one of the least cool and most derided bands of the last 30 years. That said, they somehow seem to have managed to build a large and loyal following that allows them to sell out good size venues the world over sticking two fingers up at both the music press and industry along the way. Yes, EUROPE are back in town on the Balls and Banners tour that will last them up until they go into the studio in October to record their next album. Tonight's show will also eventually become their latest Live DVD.
So first on are VOODOO JOHNSON from Birmingham, one of those bands who have been trying to persuade me to go and see them since I added them on Myspace a couple of years ago. Well, having managed to get the support slot for the UK leg of the Balls and Banners tour I finally get to see them.
They were bass-heavy throughout the set sounding like all the tunes had been written on the bass and thumping at us like a cross between Kyuss/Queens of The Stone Age but with a new singer who actually reminded me of Reef's Gary Stringer. Feel Karma had a real good bass rumble going on as the two guitarists fought to make themselves stand out a bit, while the singer did a good job of working the crowd and sounding extremely happy to be playing for sold out crowds every night. For the next while at least.
Sin! was the only song of the set to have a guitar solo in it that stood out above the bass and new song Black Skies Mist (co-writen with Brian Tatler of Diamond Head who filled the same support slot last year) sounded like it had the potential to break out for them. It was also good to hear Seven Years close the set as it was the song that sold me on them on Myspace in the first place. Not a bad set at all, but it is missing two or three songs to really burrow their way into my head. It was also a slight mistake for the albums to have sold out at the merch table leaving only EPs for sale. Not great when you've just come offstage.
Soon enough it was time for the sold out, packed to the rafters crowd to welcome Europe on. They kicked off with Last Look At Eden and sounded just as tight and crunchy as last year, even though this was only the third night of the tour. That led into The Beast, featuring has the first real solo from John Norum, the only band member whose hair looked dyed black. In quick succession followed the first hit of the night: a great version of Rock The Night that also had the first proper sing along part. I say proper but most of the fans sing along to every word of every song. It also allowed Joey to get all over the stage working the crowd up nicely.
They then played Scream Of Anger, a song the crowd always love and I have to say is one of their songs I really like too. It was followed by No Stone Unturned and then it was Ballad time and the guys just by us got out their lighters for Carrie. It was good to see real lighters out for a change rather than the sea of Cameras and mobile phones recording every move the band make.
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They paid a nice tribute to Gary Moore when Joey left the stage and allowed John Norum to play a great version of The Loner. It is often when they do cover versions that I realise just what a great bunch of musicians they are. Joey then came back out for Seventh Sign and then introduced New Love In Town by explaining that he wrote it three years ago in a London Hospital just after his son was born Aaahhh!!
That was followed by one of their message songs, Love Is Not The Enemy and let's face it, it shouldn't be. They then dug More Than Meets The Eye out of the back catalogue before the one truly bizarre moment of the set. As that song ended, on crackled the voice from Monty Python that says "Now For something completely different" at which point everyone apart from the drummer Ian Haugland left the stage and the William Tell overture came over the PA while Ian played a drum solo along to the recording. While many of us in the audience were either smiling or laughing, we also all sang (or is it hummed?) along to it, a very strange interlude that they pulled off pretty well.
It led seamleesly into Always The Pretenders which of course nicely sums up where they are in the music bizz; a band that still sell healthily and are yet normally written off as a bad joke, only they are having the last laugh as the mighty lead off track from the first comeback album Start From The Dark demonstrates nicely. It's a great tune and it always sounds great live. They finally closed the set with a no-nonsense version of Superstitous.
As expected the place went mad for an encore and they came out and Joey introduced the only new song of the set that they are testing before going in the studio in October. Doghouse, a song about upsetting your partner, sounded like it still had some work to be done on it, but it was OK and then they finished the show with the song they always finish with - Yup, The Final Countdown - of course the place went mental.
Go and see the Balls And Banners tour when it pulls into your town soon. You might be pleasantly surprised at how good Europe actually are.
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