EUROPE – Live At Sweden Rock 30th Anniversary Show 2CD (2013)

*

On 7th June 2013, EUROPE took the stage in their home country Sweden for a very special occasion: celebrating 30 years of Rock music. Joey Tempest & Co. celebrated this event together with 30,000 people at the famous Sweden Rock Festival, all have been taped and now it’s being released on various formats as “Live At Sweden Rock : 30th Anniversary Show”.
Europe performed a total 28 songs, of course including numbers from their most recent albums like Last Look At Eden and Bag Of Bones.

But what makes this live album so special and different from a ‘greatest hits live’ it’s the fact Europe selected their personal favourite moments from their earlier years, some of them performed live for the very first time in 25 years.
We have from the very first album “In The Future To Come”, “Seven Doors Hotel” and “Paradize Bay”, from the second, “Scream Of Anger” & Wings Of Tomorrow”, and more.
Of course there’s also the well known, awesome rockers that enhances the partying such as “Superstitious”, where John Norum shines with his lead guitar playing matching the efforts of the studio version recorded by Kee Marcello, “Rock The Night”, “Let The Good Times Rock”, all time classic “The Final Countdown”, the emotive “Prisoners In Paradise” and the unforgettable power ballad, possibly the bands’ finest ever, “Carrie”.

The most recent songs rocks too; “Always The Pretenders”, the atmospherically enhanced rocker “No Stone Unturned” and the bluesy manifold of “Firebox”. “New Love In Town” and “Start From The Dark” are quite hot as well, but as the record shows, Europe concentrated their efforts on their early days, and I am grateful for that.
In the middle of the concert, “Drink And A Smile” and “Open Your Heart” nicely balance the album as are performed in a stripped, acoustic way.

Finally, there are the pair of covers. I was somewhat stunned that in this kind of anniversary such an icon would perform covers songs. On the other hand, it shows humbleness and a fine tribute to one’s influences.
Paying a tribute to UFO, with “Lights Out”, Europe featured Michael Schenker that demonstrated his guitaring mastery, taking on the entire lead guitar flares. The song appeared so natural for Europe to perform.
Second, there was the old Thin Lizzy out-of-jail hymn “Jailbreak”, performed with no other than Lizzy’s Scott Gorham exchanging solos with John Norum, another excellent pick that spiced up the originals.

“Live At Sweden Rock : 30th Anniversary Show” is not just another ‘live record’. It’s a special treat spanning the entire career of this terrific band, and they sound joyful, bombastic and hot.
Surely that Joey Tempest isn’t the same young vocalist that serviced these magical tunes back in the day, yet his mid-high register still deliver the goods, and as a whole, Europe let the good times roll and Tempest in particular shared their memorandum with a staggering ability and a lot of heart.
“Live At Sweden Rock : 30th Anniversary Show” is the definitive Europe live experience.
Very Recommended.

Disc 1 :

1. Intro / Riches To Rags
2. Firebox
3. Not Supposed To Sing The Blues
4. Scream Of Anger
5. Superstitious
6. No Stone Unturned
7. New Love In Town
8. In The Future To Come
9. Paradize Bay
10. Girl From Lebanon
11. Prisoners In Paradise
12. Always The Pretenders
13. Drink And A Smile
14. Open Your Heart
15. Love Is Not The Enemy
16. Sign Of The Times

Disc 2 :

1. Start From The Dark
2. Wings Of Tomorrow
3. Carrie
4. Jailbreak (featuring Scott Gorham)
5. Seven Doors Hotel
6. Drum Solo
7. The Beast
8. Let The Good Times Rock
9. Lights Out (featuring Michael Schenker)
10. Rock The Night
11. Last Look At Eden
12. The Final Countdown

Joey Tempest (vocals)
John Norum (guitar)
Mic Michaeli (keyboards)
John Leven (bass)
Ian Haugland (drums)

BUY IT !
www.amazon.com/30th-Anniversary-Live-Europe/dp/B00ERH12RC
.