Jens Peterson, Aftonbladet’s journalist, did an extensive report from the Warsaw concert on 19th June this year. He has also interviewed Per Gessle about his plans around the current World Tour and attitude to social media websites like Facebook or Twitter. Here are the most interesting quotes:
Response from fans is huge. The films are viewed by between 70,000 and 100,000 people. We get 500-600 new friends on Facebook every day.
[Band and crew have wondered whether there is a risk to put out too much on Facebook, but] this fear I can give a shit about. If you like Roxette, you get information every day. And it’s fun to do it. I wonder what it would’ve been like if this was when I was growing up. When I loved David Bowie over everything else – just imagine I would have gotten so much information. Or Lennon.
Yes, I do [Facebook & Twitter] almost exclusively on computer. I have an iPhone at home. In Sweden, I use my iPhone and I surf on the net on the way from the airport. I spend quite a lot of time on computer every day.
[Being active in social media] is really unlike me, because I’m not super technical and not much interested in the web. I’m not interested in the media itself. But one must applaud YouTube.
It’s so easy [to film everything with an iPhone]. I film a lot and choose the best clips. There may be two or twenty movies a day.
I do not think so [I use Facebook and Twitter more than traditional media], but I’m doing as little press as possible. I have seen how journalists in the Czech Republic and Spain built articles they write on the facts from our Facebook page.
The successes of the first half of the tour means that Roxette will be travelling with a larger stage and more equipment. We need to improve it a bit for the autumn tour.
Source: Aftonbladet
YES !!!!! I knew it… while the tour is getting bigger, the show should do likewise. More special effects please… like the huge heart for “The Big L.” during the 91 join the joyride tour or the big baloons for “Joyride” or the incredible lightshow for “Crush on you”… during the 2001 European tour. I can’t wait for the autumn shows…. 🙂
Birger, I would not expect THAT much. I suppose it’s more of doing these shows their own – at the moment they usually hire companies to produces stages on every concert and do the lights. Now they would like to be more on their own.
An own stage design with sort of animated background would be fab. And video screens on every gig.
I can`t wait to see them again. In an other forum per was said that they will adopt the set list and song Speak To Me , Queen of rain, crash Boom bang will be played too. You maight remeber as I said they will be doing an video and will also realiese Speak To me as an normal single. Now it will come true and this nice song will be played all around- also live! When also the stage, screens, effects and maybe the music equipment with an 2nd Drummer of even Jonas Isaccson will come also 2 the autum tour then it will be heaven on earth and Roxette will make the next important step back for an wider public. We love them already but may be newjoungsters will discover that fine music too. Listening to the hit lists of today is an mission inpossible -at least for me..
You think they will add members to the band? Didn’t here anything about that. And I think those songs might be played, it’s no promise. Don’t be disappointed if not every sweet possibility gets real! 😉
I thought alredy in spring that it would make sence to ma speak to me as an strong single in the fall tour. They are shooting also an video for it so they will do something big with that song. all memers like it . Otherwise the whole thing would not make sence and would be an waste of money. I belive it is correct timed for the dark winter time for lonly souls..they need amunition to let the album stay alive and this song could be it. Look “way out” was nowhere as an single…absolutely not existend in the charts. I don`t know if they will add new band members but it could be this is just an guess. But on the last 2 tours they had an fantastic beat with 2 drumm sets. but the show will bing up more elements -here I´m guite sure.
Looks like Per is looking for inspiration from the past via old tour videos… 🙂