EUROPE Announces 'Balls 'N' Banners' U.K. Tour

Following last night's triumphant performance at the iTunes festival at the London Roundhouse, Swedish rockers EUROPE have announced that they will embark on the "Balls 'N' Banners" U.K. tour in February.

EUROPE vocalist Joey Tempest believes that it is the strength of the band's last album that is responsible for their current success.

"You can't make this stuff up," says Tempest. "Our latest CD, 'Last Look At Eden', has really turned things around for us.

"We're going to bring something very special when we return to the U.K. in February 2011.

"We're having the time of our lives right now and the audience will experience a EUROPE camp that's ON FIRE!"

"Balls 'N' Banners" U.K. tour 2011:

Feb. 17 - Glasgow, UK - O2 ABC
Feb. 18 - Birmingham, UK - O2 Academy
Feb. 19 - London, UK - O2 Shepherds Bush Empire
Feb. 21 - Oxford, UK - O2 Academy
Feb. 22 - Bournemouth, UK - O2 Academy
Feb. 23 - Bristol, UK - O2 Academy
Feb. 25 - Manchester, UK - Academy 2
Feb. 26 - Leeds, UK - O2 Academy
Feb. 27 - Newcastle, UK - O2 Academy

Tickets for all U.K. dates go on sale at 9 a.m. on Friday, July 3, the same day that the band will play the Sonisphere festival at Knebworth, England.

"Last Look At Eden" was certified gold in the band's home country for sales in excess of 20,000 copies.

Note: The International Federation of the Phonographic Industry (IFPI) in Sweden has revised the sales requirements for albums to reach gold status in the country twice in the last eight years — from the pre-2002 level of 40,000 to the current 20,000.

"Last Look At Eden" entered the German Media Control chart at position No. 31. It also topped the Swedish chart in its first week of release.

"Last Look At Eden" was released in Germany on September 18, 2009 via earMUSIC/Edel Germany GmbH. The CD was issued in the U.K. on September 14. 2009.

From the epic title track to the melodic ballad "New Love in Town", this album is on another level, less extreme than previous offering, 2006's "Secret Society", and with matured sound, "Last Look at Eden" is a mix of all the elements that have made EUROPE famous the world over.

Commented singer Joey Tempest: "This time we're taking a new direction with our songs, and we're exploring different styles. There is a definite classic rock vibe on several tracks on this album — a tip of the hat to groovin', funkin' '70s rock songs, with a modern twist."

He added: "We've got a couple of great ballads, plus some thundering rock tracks that will put you flat on your ass! We've taken the best bits from our recent albums and taken it to a new level 'Last Look at Eden' is more of a EUROPE album than 'Secret Society' or 'Start From The Dark'. We had to make those albums in order to do this."