Swedish rock legends Europe recently rolled into Belfast’s iconic Ulster Hall, co-headlining with the formidable Black Star Riders, fronted by Belfast’s own Ricky Warwick. Playing to a packed house, the crowd was treated to a blistering night of guitar-fuelled rock in one of the city’s most historic venues.
Belfast marked the second night of Europe’s European tour, coming hot on the heels of their tenth studio album, War of Kings. Europe’s status as classic rock royalty was cemented early in their career during a period of explosive global success in the 1980s, spearheaded by the era-defining album and single The Final Countdown.
Following a hiatus between 1992 and 2003, the band reunited and entered a successful period of reinvention, reaffirming their reputation as one of the premier purveyors of blues-tinged, hard-edged classic rock.
Guitarist John Norum, who previously spent time with Dokken alongside Jeff Pilson—offered a particularly special moment for the Belfast audience. Norum played a striking white Fender Stratocaster steeped in history, honouring the memory of Belfast guitar hero Gary Moore, who had performed on the same Ulster Hall stage 31 years earlier.
Europe & Black Star Riders
In 2005, ahead of the release of Secret Society, Europe frontman Joey Tempest contributed to The First Album I Ever Bought, a feature I compiled for a music magazine. A true gentleman, Tempest accompanied his contribution with a pre-release copy of the album and signed postcards.
“It was probably the live album Made in Japan by Deep Purple. I was amazed how well all the band members played their instruments. I think it came out in 1973, but I got it a few years later. We used to play this record at parties and start planning how we could also become a successful touring rock band.”
Appropriately, Tempest has described War of Kings as the album Europe always wanted to make drawing inspiration from the likes of Led Zeppelin, Deep Purple, and Black Sabbath.
Black Star Riders
Fronted by Ricky Warwick, Black Star Riders are touring in support of their latest album, The Killer Instinct, following their critically acclaimed 2013 debut All Hell Breaks Loose. Born in Newtownards, County Down, Warwick is best known for his work with The Almighty and Thin Lizzy. The band’s lineup further strengthens those roots, featuring former Thin Lizzy members Scott Gorham and Damon Johnson, the latter also known for his time with Alice Cooper.
It was a remarkable night at the Ulster Hall. Nearly 30 years after the release of The Final Countdown, Europe proved that their music remains as powerful and relevant today as it was at the height of their success.
Links:
The Rock Interviews: Jeff Pilson, Paul Gilbert and Ricky Phillips
The First Album I bought
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