Live Review : Europe @ The Lowry, Salford on October 22nd 2023

Well, this is all very civilised. To celebrate their 40th anniversary of being a band, Europe have taken up residence in the ornate surroundings of the Lyric Theatre within the Lowry complex. Plush seats, a very un-rock & roll interval, and a two hours and 40-minute set, that's not bad for a band that most people would consider to be a one-hit-wonder. I would consider myself rather a Europe devotee, having fallen in love with the band in 1988 when my Scandinavian grandmother inexplicably bought me a copy of “Out of this World”.

Gig ReviewAuthor : Stewart Lucas23 October 2023The LowryEurope, The Lowry, Salford, 2023, Live Review, Stewart Lucas, Johann WierzbickiComment

Live Review : Whitesnake + Journey + Europe @ AO Arena, Manchester on May 18th 2022

Tonight, the AO arena has become one vast Karaoke booth. With no material to promote, all three acts unashamedly head down the “greatest hits” path. This is a case of raiders of the back catalogue, and even the most fair-weather planet rock listener finds at least one track in each set they miraculously know all the words to. Europe are first out the traps and whilst they are all now in their late fifties, they have the playful air of five teenagers playing rock n’ roll for the sheer love of the music.

Year in Review by Paul Flett

Our life, like the universe, is largely made up of dark matter punctuated by the occasional bright spot. As we stare into the unnatural canvas of brake lights and computer screens, sat in our prescribed clothing trying to remain within prescribed behaviours, is it any wonder how close our demons lurk beneath this veneer? Something as simple as the organised vibration of air particles is enough to lure the beasts from all of us, unleashed and unburdened, a second state of you, fist in the air. Screaming “It has to start somewhere It has to start sometime, what better place than here, what better time than now? All hell can't stop us now”.

Live Review : Europe + King King @ The Academy, in Manchester on September 14th 2018

The red Audi screeches to a stop outside my door. I jump in, Johann is drumming the steering wheel. He is super excited and roars up the road. Manchester can’t come soon enough. I’d already been warned that Europe are a first love. Still integrity and all that. No one is fast enough and Manchester’s myriad of perma-road works aren’t helping. Doors open at 7:00pm so a 7:30 kick off isn’t unlikely and there is the usual gauntlet of getting in to run. The Academy has a large pool of staff so we don’t get recognised as press quite so quickly. There is also the matter of the little jaunt between parking and entry. All aforementioned problems evaporate, a smooth entry and we are at the bar. King King are due to start at 8:00pm. This is the start of Europe’s European tour.

Gig ReviewAuthor : Paul Flett16 September 2018The AcademyEurope, Tour The Earth, King King, Academy, Manchester, UK Tour, 2018Comment