A DVD-R copy stepped in our headquarters. No cover, just some printed A4 sheet info. Hmmm...if it wasn't for EUROPE I don't know if this review would be uploaded. Plus, if it wasn't for the specific DVD, the same story goes. 20 years after the release of the multi-platinum The Final Countdown album, a historic era 'pressed' on video comes up in this deluxe release. And - to the disbelievers - what an irony; 2006 (and onwards) finds EUROPE re-birthed and - having already released to fresh albums after their reunion - on the loose again. Even if their 21st century direction is not my cup of tea, no one can deny the spanking new air blowing in the band's ranks.
Such releases, years after the original 'thing', can also offer for (self?) criticism. Sweden's EUROPE gained titanic success with The Final Countdown, the most important markets worldwide open their gates for them and - even if not lasting much long ahead - their name was written with silver letters in the Hard 'n' Heavy Book pages (whoever denies the metal dimension of till-then EUROPE can easily listen - again - to the band's first two albums). Smashed by the unique success of the same-titled tune worldwide (the LP - however - featured much better tunes, in my poor opinion), this DVD release presents a whole 1986 show in Sweden plus some bonus goodies we will refer to in the next paragraph. To this one, obvious is the great mood the band's in. Diabolic instrumentation, very good sound and a whole of warm enough audience sum it up to a tracklist that - for Scandinavian Hard Rock fans - looks ideal.
Of course, the setlist consists of tracks from the band's three first albums - the John Norum era, meaning - and at the crystal sound of Wings Of Tomorrow, On The Loose, Stormwind and Rock The Night we can confirm why a) this band was treated with such disapproval back then, b) The Final Countdown single topped many countries' charts, c) post-Norum EUROPE's sound weakened enough, gaining further success in America but raising enough concern in the ranks of core fans.
Bonus goodies include a 2006 visit of the band at Switzerland's Power Play Studios (where The Final Countdown album was originally recorded), an interview with the band heading to a good 'inlook' of what happened to EUROPE's fame back in the 80s and enough of other interesting stuff. All in all, a 'touching' release The Final Countdown Tour 1986: Live in Sweden (20th Anniversary Edition) may be. Looking back at these years with much of nostalgia, EUROPE proved to be something more that only what the Media ordered. And this DVD release ensures the above-mentioned aspect.