SQWAD, Europe, et Kurt Gainsbarre

For many, at this point in time, Europe’s ‘The Final Countdown’ will inspire images of GOB from Arrested Development and his flamboyant introduction to his magic show; the truth is, though, that that song has a far wider significance in rock history, having topped the charts in twenty five countries back in 1986. The band themselves, though, would surely take offence at accusations of being one-hit wonders; they’ve had three platinum records, and continue to be a major commercial force in their native Sweden. After an eleven year lay-off between 1992 and 2003 - the split was amicable - they continue to record and tour today. Time hasn’t slowed them down, either, with their live shows continuing to be high-octane, relentlessly energetic affairs; frontman Joey Tempest is irrepressible, acting as a conduit for the crowd’s energy whilst the rest of the band perform in front of a veritable mountain of Marshall amps. They’ve toured the UK regularly since the reunion, with their most recent jaunt just this last April, a co-headlining affair with Foreigner that had them running through the classics as well as a slew of material from 2012’s Bag of Bones LP. With a significant fanbase the world over, don’t expect Europe to vanish any time soon; not unless they step inside GOB’s Aztec Tomb, anyway.