EUROPE
La Cigale - Paris, France
January 20, 2010

Europe was coming back to Paris, in support of their new album, Last Look At Eden.

This time they played at La Cigale, which is a place I don’t go very often.
Few hard rock concerts are held there, the only time I’ve been there before was for Status Quo.

La Cigale is a very nice theatre, with balconies and richly decorated, like Le Nouveau Casino, where I've seen Status Quo, Heaven & Hell and Whitesnake.

The show was not sold out, but I guess very few tickets were not sold, as the place seemed completely packed.

Europe doesn’t play that often in Paris. Last time it was in 2007. But in 2009 they played a successful show at the Hellfest, a festival near Nantes.

As you know, Europe had a successful past during the 80's, but they always claimed that if they reunited it was to look forward into the future.

They're right, and so, this was no surprise when they started with the title-tack of their new album.

First thing to note is that Europe the band is alive and doing well.
Joey Tempest’s voice is still clear yet powerful, and Jon Norum’s guitar playing is still delicate and virtuous.

It even seems like those folks have found the formula for eternal youth.
Seriously, take a look to Mic Michaeli on keyboards, he looks younger than in the 80’s!

There was all kind of folks in the audience: big old fans, new fans, curious people... and of course some tourists who only wanted to hear The Final Countdown!
They kept talking loud during the whole show, and get mad at every mosher and headbanger that touched them.
The kind of people I hate being next to during a show, so I went away, to the front row, where fans were standing!

Anyway, back to the performance.

The setlist didn’t include my favourite tune, which is Seven Doors Hotel.
But... no reason to complain anyway! Europe played a very nice acoustic version of Prisoners In Paradise, an unexpected Scream of Anger, recent songs like New Love in Town, plus the classics like Rock The Night or Cherokee!
All this made me forget Seven Doors Hotel… or almost!

All the musicians did a great interpretation work, regarding the rhythm, the solos, the vocals end the choruses.

There was even room for a reggae improvisation, Superstitious suddenly turned into No Woman No Cry after the solo!

Joey Tempest tried to say some words in French, and of course this got a warm welcome from the girls out there.

The end of the concert was apocalyptical, with Cherokee, Rock The Night and The Final Countdown altogether.

Oh yes. I think that at the end of the evening, everyone inside La Cigale agreed on one thing: Europe is an amazing live band!

We assisted to a very high quality concert

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Setlist Europe – La Cigale, Paris, France – January 20, 2010

01. Last Look At Eden
02. Love is Not The Enemy
03. Superstitious
04. Gonna Get Ready
05. Scream of Anger
06. No Stone Unturned
07. Prisoners in Paradise
08. Open Your Heart
09. Stormwind
10. Optimus (John Norum cover)
11. Seventh Sign
12. New Love in Town
13. Start From The Dark
14. Cherokee
16. Rock The Night
––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––
17. The Beast
18. The Final Countdown

Europe Links:

Europe Line-up: