We had seen Joe Lynn Turner a few years ago at an excellent show that stayed in our memory in the best possible way. So, the announcement of his new live show in Athens was greeted with enthusiasm by all the old-school rockers, fans of Turner, Rainbow and Deep Purple, Yngwie Malmsteen, etc., who all gathered at Gagarin 205 on September 27. Myth of Rock was there and brings you the report!
by Dimitris Zacharopoulos
photos by Iro Kalligeri (@irokalligeriphotography)
On my way to Gagarin 205, I wasn’t sure how many people to expect. Turner certainly has a lot of supporters in Greece, but at a time with so many concerts and quite a few financial difficulties, you never really know in advance whether people will turn up for a particular show. In any case, when I arrived at the venue, quite a few people were waiting to get in, and eventually, just before the show started, Gagarin 205 was almost full!
Turner had a support band, the Greek Birds of Vale. I had seen the band before as part of the Heavy Psych Sounds Festival Greece, and I have to admit that I liked them. They play a mix of hard/heavy rock, southern rock and heavy blues, with guitars going wild, massive riffs and a frontman who has both the voice and the stage presence to give it his all. Well, this time Birds of Vale were even better. They were tight, solid and their sound was very powerful. As it turned out, the Greek band grabbed the opportunity with both hands and presented us with their very interesting songs, winning new fans and leaving plenty of promise for the future. Since they are also set to play a number of shows abroad in the near future, we wish them all the best – although I’m pretty sure they’ll do just fine!
Birds of Vale warmed us up nicely and, just before 10 p.m., we were ready to welcome the great headliner. Joe Lynn Turner didn’t keep us waiting for long! The legendary performer stormed onto the stage with his touring band and got us fired up with Rainbow’s “Death Alley Driver”! The American singer appeared in Greece for the first time without his trademark wig and looked completely liberated. He was in an incredible mood, gave us his all, sang flawlessly with that classic, beloved voice of his, and kept talking to us throughout the show, telling stories, making jokes and sharing positive messages. He was better than any other time we had seen him!!!
And what about the setlist? Absolutely brilliant! He didn’t play any songs from his solo career, focusing exclusively on songs from his days with Rainbow, Deep Purple and Yngwie Malmsteen. He also performed Deep Purple’s “Perfect Strangers” and “Highway Star”, before closing with “Long Live Rock ’n’ Roll” (Rainbow), which included “Black Night” and “Lazy” in a sort of medley.
The musicians backing him up, all members of Swedish heavy metal band Dynazty, were also amazing, incredibly skilled and full of feeling! The sound was fantastic, with all the instruments coming through loud and clear. Everything was in place for Turner to absolutely tear it up! You can imagine that Gagarin 205 was on fire for an hour and a half, with Joe Lynn Turner and all of us having an absolute blast!
After the medley, Joe Lynn Turner and his musicians said goodbye to the crowd in a celebratory atmosphere. Band and fans were equally overwhelmed as we experienced a true hard rock/metal celebration. With his performance and overall presence, Turner silenced the doubters and showed many people what he is still capable of. Never write him off – he is at the top of his game!!
