Diamond Head – Europe, Oxford 02 Academy, 22nd February


I've looked forward to this one for a long time. With support Diamond Head a great double bill was expected and we weren't let down.
To a sizeable crowd Diamond Head started with an oldie but goldie with It's Electric .A NWOBHM classic with vocalist Nick Tart giving his all. A good voice and great stage presence and with Abbz on second geetar giving Brian Tatler (the only original member) the chance to show us why Metallica's Lars Ulrich followed the band around the UK nearly 30 years ago. Classic stuff.
What followed was a good mix of old and new. We had from the 2005 cd Alimony, Give It To Me and and the excellent Mine All Mine. But for us oldies we got Sucking My Love ,Heat Of The Night and lastly Am I Evil? It will be interesting where they go from here. A new cd is needed soon, but the wife will be kept happy in the meantime as she got a Diamond Head drumstick.


Now unlike our Northern correspondent NH, I have been a fan of Europe since 1984's Wings Of Tomorrow cd and was lucky enough to see them on both the Final Countdown and Out Of This World tours. Sadly John Norum (geetar) had left by then but since the reunion of 2004 I have had the enormous pleasure to see the original band back together twice and after last years stunning cd Last Look At Eden and the Relentless Garage show in November how had the 3 months since then seen the new music grow into the set.
With a setlist like this how could they  go wrong?

Last Look At Eden
Love Is Not The Enemy
Superstitious
Gonna Get Ready
Scream Of Anger
Let The Good Times Rock
No Stone Unturned
Oxford Town
Open Your Heart
Carrie
Optimus/Seventh Sign
New Love In Town
Start From The Dark
Cherokee
Rock The Night
Encores The Beast
The Final Countdown
From the opening seconds Joey Tempest (vox) treated the small club like it was a stadium playing to the gallery and his voice was in excellent shape. Jon Norum really is a geetar god. His solos are all so melodic and tell a story every time. To see him so close was a joy. The rhythm section of Jon Leven (bass), Ian Haugland (drums) and Mic Michaeli (keys) all are so solid giving the 2 main men the front of stage.
As you can see from the setlist we had a new song; Oxford Town .Made up on the spot with Joey and Mic taking over as Jon's bass rig had gone down. We then got a stunning Open Your Heart again acoustic with Joey in top form. Then onto Carrie played half acoustic and then electric with a bit longer acoustic then usual as the rig was still down. John Norum was goofing around pretending to fall asleep an top of his amp due to the 10 minute bass rig collapse. Like the consummate pros they are, it was all done so well and the acoustic set was fab. Top marks to the sound man for a crystal clear but loud mix and great light show too.
The whole set was a highlight and the usual pandemonium broke out for The Final Countdown. Fab!
They have said the will return and lets hope they continue their journey back to the top of the melodic rock tree where they rightfully belong.
ME 12/10.

( all photos (c) Ian Harvey )

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