Crocodile Rock Cafe Review
My last Europe show for this American tour. I was debating whether I should go or not since this would be my 5th show in less than a week. I was afraid the guys would thought I was a stalker. But I was definitely wrong. Crocodile in Allentown seemed like a nice place, but I didn't have a nice feeling about it when I looked at the people. I was kinda sad to begin with because I got there a little late and also I really missed the people I was watching all the shows with. You know who you are. The show tonight was an all age show. So many families showed up, unlike Philly, Sayerville and some of the other ones, where so many rockers showed up. Many of the people didn't seem like Europe fans. After going in the first opening band opened up pretty quick but OH MY GOD how horrible!!!!!! Dudes no lie I have never seen or heard a band that bad. I think I would choose Backstreet Boys over this band. H O R R I B L E. I guess Crocodile will let anyone open at their club. Second opening band was alright, kinda Screamo Metal. I was looking forward to seeing Garlic tho. Because after seeing them the past three shows I started to like them. Eh o well. Anyways Europe came on around 10:00 pm. This is the first show I went to where I couldn't get to front row. I showed up a minute too late. So I ended up on the second row and a tall Michael Bolton looking dude(for real I thought it was him) was infront of me and the whole show and I couldn't take good pictures. The band entered the stage. But this time it was not like the other shows, there wasn't a warm, ground shaking welcome. During the first song Faith Joey pointed at this guy right behind me and did a "NO NO" with his fingers. I looked back and this dude was video taping. The secuirity came up and took his tape. But it was returned to him after the last show. I guess the guy is lucky Europe didn't confescate his video camera like some of the other bands.The show went on like any other show. But they did cut the Seven Doors Hotel. After a few songs Joey Tempest pointed at me. Yes indeed he did. He said "Hey I have seen you before. You have been following me around." I told him "I love you guys" and I think I also said "You guys rock"!!!!! or at least I think that's what I said. All I remember is what Joey said to me. I was too nervous to remember what I said, all I remember is what he said. During Wake up Call Joey made a little change in lyric. Instead of saying "Scared Senseless" he sand "Scared Shitless" and right after that he looked at Norum who was laughing and Joey did an Oh Well expression with his face. Another cool thing happened to me this show is that, John Leven smiled at me as we made eye contact several times as he did all the past shows. But this show he did something I never seen him do. He pointed at me. My girlfriend loves John Leven and she freaked and I was about to go in a comma. This pumped me up so much that I forgot that I was not in the front row. Concert went on and it was time for Carrie. It came on and the crowd wasn't loud at ALL. I could actually hear myself singing this time where in the other shows I couldn't hear myself no matter how loud I got. Horrible reaction from the crowd. Towards the end of first set something pretty bad happened. Last night at Sayerville show they were giving out FREE GREAT WHITE tickets. I didn't want to go and some guy asked is it because of the fire? I was like hell yea. But tonight a speaker right behind Mic caught on fire. At first it seemed like it was the smoke machine because a smoke machine was used by the opening band and besides the fire couldn't be seen. But soon one of the crew member ran down there and dragged the speaker across the stage while it was flame engulfed. That was a bit scary, imagine if they didn't see the fire right away. Kinda ironic after my conversation with the other guy last night. While the mess was being cleaned up the guys were doing Rock The Night and they extended that song big time due to the little fire incident. Joey of course said "We are rocking to hard tonight that we are started fire." But while the band took that break between the first set and the second set the crowd screamed a lot. That's the thing with Europe, no matter who is watching the show, you know Europe will have them pumped up by end of the show. During The Final Countdown Joey put the Microphone right infront of this woman and she just waved "No". What the heck I mean lady I understand you are shy but Joey Tempest put Microphone infront of your mouth YOU SING!!!!!!! YOU SING LOUD!!!!!!!!!!!!! Only the Lord knows what the matter with her was. Whew. Then Joey did the same to this lady right infront of me a little towards the right and this one wasn't singing either. So I kinda pushed and shoved(not violently tho) and managed to get on the Microphone and sing. I felt bad about pushing a little bit but dude if you are not going to sing when Joey put the Microphone on your mouth MOVE!!!!! My girlfriend told me the other band members just laughed when they saw me doing that. Now I am not a little girl or anything but dude during The Final Countdown it was hard not to cry. I had this pain in my throat. But I managed to hold it back(til I got home anyways j/k). I mean you could be Gene Simmons of KISS, it would still make you cry. There was this Japanese girl who came all the way from Japan was there. I seen her in Philly and Sayerville. After the show I went to say bye to her and she started crying so hard. Who could blame her. As the band was saying their good nights, Ian threw his stick but I missed it some other dude grabbed it. But John Leven threw his towel toward my girlfriend's face. No lie but my little one moved out of the way and some other chick snapped it. Maybe he threw it intentionally since I told him a few nights back my girlfriend is in love with him? Who knows? Maybe maybe not. But the point is she MOVED!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I don't really know what was wrong with her but man I coulda had his towel on my "HALL OF EUROPE" This past week I have been to 5 shows. I have never done this with any other band. All the shows went as I would hope it would go but only better. And now I cann't beleive it was over. The shows I waited for over 19 years to go to is over. I got to see my favorite band, my heros and not only that I got to meet them, I also got the chance to talk to them, have them sign my stuff and take pictures with them. And to top all of that off the guys recognized me at the shows. One of my goals in my life have been accomplished, which was just meeting the band. If you are a die hard Europe fan and going to their future shows. SCREAM OUT OF YOUR LUNGS. Make the guys feel welcome. They play their hearts out EVERY NIGHT, whether it be infront of 10000 people of 80 people. So please make sure you show them that you are having the time of your life. I know the guys KNOW by now that at least one fan was having the BEST TIME OF HIS LIFE. Show them how much you appreciate them and love their music. I know I did my part. I banged my head every single show the whole show nonstop. I sang along with Joey every word he sang every show on top of my lungs. I think the band enjoyed watching us fans have a good time as we watched them while they were trying to show us a good time. Also made a fan out of my girlfriend even though she only been to two shows. Can you imagine if she went to all five? I will end with the following. Even though the whole tour was GREAT, the show tonight was extra emotional. It wasn't emotional because I wouldn't get to see them tomorrow, next week or next month. But it was emotional because they really left a tattoo of memories in my heart. The interactions I had with Joey and Leven during the shows are things I will never forget. And I thank them very much for it. Meeting the guys backstage, Ian, Mic, Joey, Leven, Norum were all so good to us, the guys were down to earth. Thank you Europe for this great American tour in 2005. You guys put smiles on so many faces here in America. The memories about the shows in my mind will become blurry in time but the pictures I took will always remind me and refresh my memories about what I was part of April 30th to May 6th 2005. I was part of the greatest band ever EUROPE. Ok now I am going to go put ice on my neck and have herbal tea to get my voice back. Enjoy your Europe show. More reviews to come next tour and GOD BLESS EUROPE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! PLEASE don't forget that you have the most die hard fans here in USA. So Come back soon.
Click HERE for the pictures.
Email: europepage@hotmail.com
