Europe is amazing, and as Dave rightly noted, part of the charm, and the contrast to here is the locations - the environments in which the music is experienced, played and consumed is, in my opinion better. I played in Milan and Zurich this year and the venues were fabulas, one of which was a resurant where the food and beer was free all day, on a great marble floor which filled up with young punters who just enjoyed the groove.
Also Hamburg last year was another level - every set included reams of music that was so new and diverse - disco/boogie mixed with hard 60's soul.
Henning Boogaloo posted up a play list from his time in Manchester last year - thats a good place to hear the Big European Records if you can't make it to every big venue on the continent