Mannheim! Mannheim left 
me a bit irritated, but certainly amazed. I was irritated because I (once more) realized that the perception of a concert can be totally different. While I thought that the Man
nheim show was much better than the concert in Dresden, not everyone agreed on that. Most of the fans I talked to shared my opinion: Marie’s voice was outstanding, the band had their energy back after a well-deserved day off and most important: The audience was much more affectionate than in Dresden. But then there were a few who disagreed. So all you ever get in our reviews is, of course, a personal opinion.
The SAP Arena, though, wasn’t sold out, many seats were empty. Well – to everyone who decided not to go in the end: You missed a great show, th
e 45th on this tour. The best way to check if the show was good or not is, though, to talk to or listen to the no-die-hards leaving the venue. Yesterday I picked up words like “Es war so hammergeil” which can be translated as “This was so fucking awesome”. Other people were singing “The Look” while they made their way to their car with several hundred other spectators. The love and affection already showed during the show and once people start cheering, that band cannot stop to rock. It’s not the die-hards who make the show a success – it’s all the people in the back. Once Marie and Per got them they never let go. I witnessed this in Cologne, Hamburg certainly Berlin and now in Mannheim. “How do you do” is the one song that can turn a show in Germany – it never did in Dresden, but it did in Mannheim and the roof almost went off. It doesn’t matter that not everything goes right. Per missed his part in Joyride, Marie cursed a bit about some lyrics she had forgotten and the “99 Luftbal
lons” intro to Joyride didn’t really make the people go crazy – but in the end this is a live band and this is what makes them so special. The sound was terrific – this band sounds damn tight and if we not already had gotten a live CD I would have begged for one at this very point. Yes, maybe, Roxette never sounded better live than between 2012 and 2015.
So, this show was definitely a success – and again I think my point is proved that there’s no better way to end the show than with “The Look”.
It’s hard to write review after review – this has been my fifth show of ten in total and I wonder what more is to come. I hope there are some more surprises hidden (Per’s white clothes, Almost Unreal *hint*).
MANNHEIM UPDATE! Thanx everyone for yet another hotblooded evening in Germany. We had a wonderful time just like we had in 2011! Day off tomorrow, then the mighty Stuttgart: The XXX-trek continues, folks! /P.
Articles and photos
Mannheimer Morgen (article), Mannheimer Morgen (gallery)
Regioactive
Mannheim24
Cityguide Rhein-Neckar
Setlist
Sleeping In My Car
The Big L.
Stars
Spending My Time
Crash! Boom! Bang!
Crush On You
She’s Got Nothing On (But The Radio)
The Heart Shaped Sea
Watercolours In The Rain / Paint
Fading Like A Flower
How Do You Do!
It Must Have Been Love
Dressed For Success
Dangerous
Joyride (intro: 99 Luftballons)
Extra:
Listen To Your Heart
The Look