There were two support acts before Europe's set, with the three UK shows benefitting from an extra band. Supporting Europe throughout the tour, though, are Canada's The Damn Truth - I band I had heard of but knew nothing about. Given that they seem to play here quite regularly, and often seem associated with the up-and-coming UK rock scene in terms of touring partners, I had wrongly assumed that they were another UK band - so it was good to learn that they were from Canada. They only had half an hour to play with, but I came away having enjoyed myself. I did not know what to expect, but the band using Jefferson Airplane's White Rabbit as an intro tape was something of a clue - at least early on. There was certainly a retro vibe to the band's look and sound, especially considering how some of the members were dressed, and vocally frontwoman Lee-La Baum had a hint of Grace Slick about her - but overall the band's music was poppier and more upbeat, with a bit of a late 1960s/early 1970s stomp. They did not do anything hugely original, but the songwriting was tight and Baum was a captivating presence on stage vocally - with a few pretty hooky choruses thrown in. Musically, the band were tight but there was little flair. It was clear that the band were aiming for a poppy and accessible sound without too much fluff, although Tom Schemer (guitar/vocals) did include a few solos. These were generally short but full of melody - and some of his guitar leads were similar, adding weight behind Baum's powerful vocals. Elsewhere, gritty but not especially tough riffing did most of the heavy lifting - whilst some prominent bass lines were also quite a big part of the band's sound. There were shades of a psychedelic approach to throw back to that Jefferson Airplane reference, but these were largely kept to being within the band's core pop sheen. Half an hour flew by, though, and I will certainly need to give The Damn Truth a bit more attention going forward.
Around half an hour later, during which time I picked up a new Europe shirt to replace a 2018 one that has long been retired, the Scottish rockers Gun took to the stage - and for the next 45 minutes the five-piece did a good job of getting the crowd warmed up. I had not seen Gun since 2019, when I saw them, again in Wolverhampton, on a three-band bill with FM and the Dan Reed Network. At one point, I seemed to be running into Gun pretty regularly. I have never gone to any show specifically to see them, but I think that Friday night was my fifth time seeing them. I have never loved Gun, but I grew to like them to an extent during that period. I likely had not listened to any of their songs since 2019, though, and with a new album out since then which filled around half of the band's set I clearly have some catching up to do. That being said, I enjoyed Gun again on Friday. I have always struggled a bit with how to classify them. They seem to hang around the UK hard rock scene - but they do not look nor sound like a true hard rock act. Some of their material has a bit of a Britpop feel, although their early work realistically predated that scene - whilst there is, at times, an indie edge, too. Despite this mix of sounds, Gun have their fans - and they had some chart successes during the late 1980s and early 1990s. They are not a big act these days, but they still deliver live - and I enjoyed most of the newer songs played, which were actually a bit heavier than Gun typically are, as well as hearing some of the old favourites again after so long. Songs like Better Days are always fun to hear - and one of the new songs saw frontman Dante Gizzi whip up quite a bit of a sing-a-long. The atmosphere was excellent during Europe's set later, but there was still quite a bit of love in the room for Gun - especially as their set progressed and they pulled out some better-known cuts. Their cover of Word Up! always goes down well live, and the closing double whammy of Shame on You and Steal Your Fire had quite a few singing along. I am not sure that I will ever be a true Gun fan, but it had been seven years since I had last seen them live - and I came away from their set feeling pretty positive. Four songs from 2024's Hombres were played which, as mentioned before, largely impressed, and it felt that there was a bit more of a snarling guitar approach from Giuliano Gizzi (guitar/vocals) during those numbers, too. I feel like I should probably catch up with Gun off the back of Friday's show - as there was certainly a lot to like.
Following another half an hour or so, the lights in the venue went down for a final time - and Europe took to the stage, launching into the barrelling riff of latest single Scandinavian Eyes. It was clear from the opening number that the show was going to be something special. Firstly, it was clear that the band were just really up for the show, but also as the sound was crystal clear. In terms of a live sound mix, it may have been the best I had heard the band sound. Sometimes the keyboards can be a bit low in the mix, but Mic Michaeli's (keyboards/vocals) playing really cut through - be it his rumbling organ additions to the newer songs or synth stabs during the older cuts. With The Final Countdown album played in full during the second half of the show, the first half was largely made up of newer material. The three singles from the new album all featured, alongside some other newer favourites and some older tracks. Scandinavian Eyes proved to be a great opening number due to its fast-paced riff, but much of the first part of the set was majestic and mid-paced. The hard rock stomp of Walk the Earth followed, before the first look to the past then came with the sing-a-long chorus of Superstitious. Given the nature of the show, there was a risk of quite a few casuals being in the crowd - which would have limited the atmosphere early on. This did not seem to be the case, however, with the vibe being great from the off. Plenty seemed to know the new songs, with One on One and its big John Levén (bass guitar/vocals) intro coming next - whilst the symphonic Last Look at Eden and the Deep Purple-esque War of Kings again showcased that the band's recent past is full of great anthems. Frontman Joey Tempest was on great form vocally. He did not talk to the crowd all that much, as there was a lot of music to cram in, but he sounded as good as ever - whilst John Norum (guitar/vocals) did not play like someone who is currently recovering from a hand injury. An early highlight for me was the ballad Prisoners in Paradise - an older cut I had not seen the band do live before. Much of it was performed by just Tempest and Michaeli, but the rest of the band joined in towards the end to give the final chorus some more power. The Cult of Ignorance from the new album was also a treat, with its huge synth melody lines, and it was the last newer song played before the band transitioned into The Final Countdown. The title track was saved to the end of the set, perhaps unsurprisingly, so the album was actually kicked off by the title track's B-side On Broken Wings. The band have been playing the song live quite a bit in recent years and it acted as a nice transition between the first half of the set and the second. Clearly, then, it was time for the other two big hits from the album. It was played in sequence from Rock the Night onwards, so that song and Carrie got any casuals which may have snuck in off their feet. The former was as powerful as ever with its anthemic chorus, but it was good to hear some of the lesser-played numbers from the album again after 10 years. Danger on the Track has always been a favourite with its weighty organ backing - and the band included many members of their road crew during the song with some antics on stage. There is not really a weak song on the album, with Time Has Come the one that comes closest in my opinion, but Cherokee is always a winner - with Ian Haugland's (drums/vocals) big intro and the synth stabs from Michaeli. The pacier hard rock of On the Loose was another favourite for me, but by this point the night was coming to a close. The slightly more mournful Love Chaser brought the main album running order to a close, but of course there was still one track left - with The Final Countdown the anthem of the night for many, with everyone singing along. The song never seems to get old and, even though I prefer a lot of other songs by Europe, there is no denying it is a true live staple. The setlist was:
Scandinavian Eyes
Walk the Earth
Superstitious
One on One
Prelude
Last Look at Eden
War of Kings
Prisoners in Paradise
The Cult of Ignorance
On Broken Wings
Rock the Night
Carrie
Danger on the Track
Ninja
Cherokee
Time Has Come
Heart of Stone
On the Loose
Love Chaser
The Final Countdown
Europe always deliver live but, having not seen them for four years, Friday's show seemed extra special. The excellent live sound mix helped, and there were five songs in the set which I had not see the band do live before. Europe are still well loved here in the UK for a reason, and each time they come back they pack venues out and impress people with the depth of their catalogue. I am yet to fully digest the new album, but expect of review of it here in due course, so that is what I will be doing now over the coming months - and I hope that it is not another four years before I see the band live again.
