C’MONNNN! Grab your hairspray, dust off the leather jacket your mam still moans about, and warm up that iconic synth riff because EUROPE are bringing The Final Countdown back to the UK for a full-blown anniversary celebration — four decades after the song that launched a thousand pub jukebox wars first conquered the world. Tidy! 🏴
🎤 WHAT’S OCCURRING?
For the 40th anniversary of their classic 1986 album, Europe are hitting the road for a proper UK victory lap — and the big news is this:
⭐ THE FINAL COUNTDOWN WILL BE PERFORMED IN FULL — START TO FINISH! ⭐
Yeah, mun. The whole album. Every synth line. Every soaring chorus. Every ‘80s moment your inner glam-metal gremlin has been waiting to relive.
From the mega-hit “The Final Countdown” to fan favourites like “Rock the Night”, “Carrie”, and “Cherokee”, this tour is shaping up to be one giant nostalgia-fuelled singalong. Expect pyro, expect high kicks, expect Joey Tempest’s mic-stand-swinging wizardry. The man still moves like he’s got a wind machine following him around Tesco.
📅 UK TOUR DATES (TBA)
Venues and dates are dropping any minute — and when they do, they’re gonna vanish faster than your phone signal on The Mountain at Steelhouse. We’ll update the full list on The Riff Report as soon as they’re announced. Keep your eyes peeled like a bag of Maris Pipers.
🥁 WHY THIS TOUR MATTERS
Because some albums don’t just age well — they go full immortality mode.
The Final Countdown didn’t just define Europe’s career; it shaped an entire decade. Stadiums, sports arenas, weddings, gaming streams… that synth riff has invaded every corner of Western civilisation. Only in Wales, mun.
This 40th anniversary show is your chance to see the album exactly as it was meant to be — loud, proud, ridiculous, emotional, and utterly lush.
🤘 SHOULD YOU GO?
If you don’t, I’ll be tamping.
This is one of those “tell your kids you were there” gigs.
The ‘80s aren’t coming back… but Europe are giving us the closest thing.
Get ready for high drama, neon lights, shredding solos, and that countdown moment…
10… 9… 8… 7… (you’re singing it already aren’t you?)
Michael is the founder, editor, and chief riff wrangler behind The Riff Report, an independent Welsh rock and metal publication built by fans, for fans. With a lifelong passion for loud guitars, unforgettable live shows, and the incredible community that surrounds rock and metal, he created The Riff Report to celebrate everything that makes the scene special—from legendary headline acts and grassroots venues to rising bands that deserve to be heard.
A familiar face at festivals across the UK, Michael spends much of the year covering events including Download Festival, Bloodstock Open Air, Steelhouse Festival, Firevolt, Plumpton Revival, and many more. Whether he’s battling the Welsh weather on a mountainside, surviving a weekend in a muddy campsite, or squeezed against the front barrier with thousands of fellow fans, he’s always searching for the next great story to share.
As editor of The Riff Report, Michael writes festival guides, breaking news, album reviews, gig reviews, interviews, opinion pieces, nostalgia features, and behind-the-scenes stories from across the rock and metal world. His writing combines honest opinions, humour, and a genuine love for live music, bringing readers closer to the bands, festivals, venues, and people that keep the scene alive.
Michael is particularly passionate about supporting independent artists, local venues, charities, and the wider UK rock and metal community. He believes every band deserves a chance to be discovered and every festival has a story worth telling. Through The Riff Report, he aims to shine a spotlight on both the biggest names in rock and the future stars waiting to break through.
When he’s not writing or interviewing artists, you’ll probably find him exploring festival campsites, photographing live shows, chatting with fellow fans over a pint, or planning the next road trip in search of more riffs, bigger crowds, and unforgettable moments.
Above all, Michael believes rock and metal are about more than music—they’re about community, friendship, and creating memories that last a lifetime. That’s exactly what The Riff Report exists to celebrate.
Proudly Welsh. Proudly Loud. Always chasing the next great riff. 🤘
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