NO RETURN?
SORRY NO PHOTO !
The place is a long way from (ordinary?) people, and it's called Vallset in the east of Norway. Saturday August 3rd was the date that Return was pushed back on stage after they said goodbye nearly 2 years earlier. Who said they would never come back? Well, that was the band members themselves saying that. Well, this was a one-time appearance (this year) to please the loyal fans.
In difference to the "Best Of..." tour, this time they would play more of the rocking stuff along with the many hit-ballads. They opened with a medley of "The Day After"/"To The Top" followed by another medley of rockin' songs including the unknown "More More More" (I would've loved to see they performed that song in its entire). The audience seemed to have alot of fun. And with about 1200-1500 people taking their friends and families to watch Return one more time, I must say that it's fantastic.
Then the ballads came in a row with a rocker inbetween. Hits like "The Loner", Can You Forgive Me", "Take This Heart" and "Take This Heart" was only a few of them. The fans sang along and enjoyed the show as best as they could. And while the performance of the band was great, it was nothing else to expect from Norway's most loved AOR band.
The night never seemed to have an end as they played on and on and on... And after "Bye Bye Johnny" the show took a twist by playing a few covers; "Here I Go Again" (Whitesnake), "Back In Black" (AC/DC) and "Suicide" (Thin Lizzy). When they started to play "Sing Me A Song" they had played for nearly 2 hours, so I thought this song would end the night. I was right, but not dissappointed. Thinking back, I only missed one song, "United In A Scream". But 2 hours of a band that supposed to not go on stage together again pleased me.
When will the next time be when Return are back on stage? Well, if they don't get together again full time, this can be a once (or twice) a year happening.
Per Erik Jansen