Stockholm

Joyride – the Roxette musical is coming to Stockholm

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After having sold out at Malmö Opera, Joyride – The Musical is finally coming to Stockholm.

The hit musical, which premieres at China Teatern on 11th September, is this time co-produced by Per Gessle himself, while the music now has a more intimate band feel in the original Roxette style.

Per says:

I have really been completely knocked out by the response to Joyride – The Musical in Malmö. Sold out for more than six months and an absolutely fantastic atmosphere inside the theatre. Now it’s time for a brand new production in Stockholm at the lovely China Teatern. It will be magical.

Listen To Your Heart, It Must Have Been Love, The Look, Dangerous, Dressed for Success… Everyone has a relationship to the classics that made Roxette a multi-million-selling global phenomenon in the late ’80s and early ’90s.

These songs also form the basis for the equally energetic, grand and inventive performance Joyride – The Musical, which will have its Stockholm premiere at the China Theatre on 11th September.

The musical, based on the successful English author Jane Fallon’s relationship comedy Got You Back, is handled in Stockholm by partly new creators and in a different production than in Malmö where it had its world premiere and was a great success. Among other things, adjustments are being made to both the script and translation, the latter by Calle Norlén. The choreography is by Jennie Widegren (Bounce) and Miles Hoare. In addition, Per Gessle himself is now stepping in as co-producer.

Organizer and musical director Joakim Hallin says:

It is exciting to see how well Roxette’s pop songs fit into the telling of this rather dramatic story. We have fewer musicians than in Malmö and that means we will work very dynamically with a tight Roxette band sound, but without losing the majesty of songs like “Listen To Your Heart” and “It Must Have Been Love”.

Joyride – The Musical serves both as a nostalgia trip for the part of the audience that grew up with these songs and an introduction to Roxette’s music for a new generation that is curious about one of Sweden’s greatest music export successes ever. Inspired by Roxette’s iconic music videos and a consistently ’90s aesthetic, the acclaimed star director Guy Unsworth, co-director Johanna Hybinette and award-winning set designer David Woodhead are building a completely unique world for this love triangle drama that takes place in London. The plot revolves around Stephanie and Katie, who both have a relationship with Joe, whose double life the women eventually get fed up with – with various complications and intrigues as a result.

The ensemble consists of Lucas Krüger (Joe), Emilie Evbäck (Katie), Jessica Marberger (Stephanie), Anton Lundqvist (Gary), Pia Ternström (Natasha) and Hanna Hedlund (Meredith).

Per says:

It’s fantastic to follow this journey. There are so many incredible people involved from all sides. A gigantic amount of talent is gathered around the same goal. For me, it’s mostly been about daring to let go of control over the material a little and trust those who can do this. It’s a whole new chapter for me.

SOME OF THE ENSEMBLE ABOUT ROXETTE

Hanna Hedlund: I was 13 when “Listen To Your Heart” came out. Right in puberty, so for me that song is associated with great love and great heartache. That song was as big as all the emotions you felt.

Emmie Asplund: I remember when I was 6-7 years old, I snuck into my older sister’s room and borrowed the CD “Joyride” – I loved it. Since then, Marie Fredriksson has been an inspiration, with her fantastic voice and cool image.

Jessica Marberger: Roxette is a soundtrack to so many people’s, and generations’, lives. Of course, for Per Gessle’s unique ability to compose melodious pop songs.

Olle Roberg: Even though “Fading Like A Flower” was released in the early ’90s, the bombastic drums and electric guitars of the ’80s still live on in this song. The verse in minor leads so well into the chorus’ major, the choruses are snappy and there’s a key rise – what more could you ask for?

Linda Holmgren: Really good music is immortal. Good music and good lyrics are touching and last to be played over and over again for years and also to be rearranged and performed in new contexts – and Roxette’s music has shown that it is just that.

Marcus Elander: For me, their music or many of their songs are timeless, which is very unique and cool.

Kitty Chan Schlyter: Strong melodies are energetic anthems. You can’t defend yourself and have to sing along or sway along. Then Marie’s voice was the crowning glory and made the song catalogue something out of the ordinary.

Lucas Krüger: A song that has recently become a favorite is “Queen Of Rain”. It has both sensitivity and power, and a unique sound that touches. I’m really looking forward to singing it!

Oliver Gramenius: I think some music has a kind of nerve at its core, a nerve that is not about trends or genres. It’s just there and it will touch people throughout time. Roxette has that nerve.

Emilie Evbäck: They are so incredibly good at capturing a specific feeling with each song that I think everyone can relate to. And then they were always one hundred percent themselves without following trends too much, which I think is a key to being timeless.

Ulrika Ånäs: Roxette was played a lot during my childhood. I had many moments in front of the mirror when I mimed to Marie’s amazing voice.

Hampus Engstrand: The songs stick in your head right away. Very catchy.

Olivia Kungsman: My parents listened to Roxette when I was little so I recognize a lot of their music from my childhood.

Alexandra Fors: I remember when I was a kid watching the movie Pretty Woman and hearing “It Must Have Been Love” and thinking it was so cool that a Swedish band had made it!

Pia Ternström: The music is both timeless and emotional, has strong hooks and a distinct and recognizable, raw Roxette sound. I think that a good cocktail of their enormous global impact, the power of nostalgia, catchy melodies and the eternally relevant themes of love, longing and passion means that both old and new generations continue to listen to Roxette. It’s impossible not to sing along.

The show is produced by 2Entertain, Vicky Nöjesproduktion, Elevator Entertainment and Live Nation. The show will be played at China Teatern in Stockholm between 11th September and 20th December 2025. Tickets will be released on Showtic on 31st March.

Photos by Christoffer Bendixen

The Roxette musical moves to Stockholm

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Joyride – The Musical will be staged in Stockholm this fall. After that, Per Gessle hopes for an international venture. The idea of the musical is to spread like a carpet over the planet, he says and smiles.

The musical premiered last fall in Malmö. Roxette’s classic songs as a backdrop for a romantic comedy were a success.

This fall the musical will move to Stockholm. On September 11th it will premiere at the historic China Theatre. But that’s just the beginning, hopes Per Gessle, who aims for Joyride to be staged abroad.

That’s my vision. Roxette was so big, so there is a capacity to get there.

Planet Earth next

Gessle is tight-lipped about the concrete plans.

We can’t talk about that now, but let’s say that planet Earth is the next step.

It will be a slightly different Joyride that comes to Stockholm compared to the Malmö version. Several new members of the ensemble will be added and Calle Norlén has, among other things, done a new script adaptation. But Jessica Marberger continues in the lead role as Stephanie.

She says:

I’m looking forward to doing this in Stockholm and to coming to the China Teatern. I love being able to stand there and tell this story.

The plot of Joyride is based on the English author Jane Fallon’s book Got You Back and is a love triangle drama about stylist Stephanie who discovers that her husband Joe has another woman.

And then you think it can only be “Thanks and goodbye, I don’t want to live with you, we don’t give a damn about this”. But it won’t really be like that. There will be a little more exciting things, Jessica Marberger says and laughs.

“New” Roxette

It’s now been just over five years since Marie Fredriksson passed away, and Per Gessle has just restarted Roxette. He has recently returned from a tour in South Africa and Australia with Lena Philipsson as the new singer in the band.

Per says:

It is a challenge for all of us to embark on a project like this. But it has gone really well. On a scale of 10, it would be an 11. It has been truly magical.

Several gigs are expected this summer in Sweden and the rest of Europe. Will there be a continuation?

That is not the idea right now, anyway. Now we are going to do a big summer tour and then we will see. We will have to decide in the next few weeks what will happen.

Facts: “Joyride – The Musical”

The Stockholm production will premiere on 11th September at China Teatern.

Cast: Jessica Marberger, Lucas Krüger, Emilie Evbäck, Anton Lundqvist, Pia Ternström and Hanna Hedlund.

Article by Mikael Forsell / TT

Photos by Magnus Lejhall / TT

Marie Fredriksson’s 2014 live concert at Cirkus, Stockholm to be released on double LP

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In 2014, Marie Fredriksson embarked on her final tour, performing her own Swedish songs. This record features her major hits such as Sparvöga, Ett hus vid havet, Den bästa dagen, Ännu doftar kärlek, Tro, among others, along with some then-newly written songs like Ett bord i solen. Marie herself explained to the audience that she wrote this song after receiving her cancer diagnosis. The tour travelled across the country, and the stop at Cirkus in Stockholm on 8th April was recorded. Now, the entire 18-track concert is available on this double vinyl, a direct capture of that unforgettable evening at the legendary Cirkus in Stockholm. It’s intimate, authentic, and filled with an overwhelming sense of giving everything to her audience.

This year marks ten years since the concert took place and five years since Marie passed away. This release is dedicated to remembering and honouring one of our greatest female artists of all time, Marie Fredriksson.

The record is a beautiful 180-gram double vinyl in a gatefold edition, with a total run of 1,000 copies. Release date of Live från Cirkus (2LP) is 6th December. Pre-order at Bengans!

Tracklist

Side A

  1. Så stilla så långsamt
  2. Kom vila hos mig
  3. Bara för en dag
  4. Det regnar igen
  5. Sista sommarens vals

Side B

  1. Ber bara en gång
  2. Sparvöga
  3. Ett hus vid havet
  4. Ett bord i solen
  5. Så skimrande var aldrig havet

Side C

  1. Ännu doftar kärlek
  2. Så länge det lyser mittemot
  3. Om du såg mig nu
  4. Efter stormen

Side D

  1. Den sjunde vågen
  2. Mellan sommar och höst
  3. Den bästa dagen
  4. Tro

Gyllene Tider – Hux Flux – Stockholm – 28th July 2023 – #12

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After one day off, Gyllene Tider visited Stockholm. The band had a real soundcheck in the afternoon where they tested Flickorna på TV2, Vandrar i ett sommarregn and Sommartider.

The doors opened at 17:30, Uno Svenningsson came on stage at 19:30 and GT started at 20:55. The biggest difference vs. other gigs on tour regarding the stage was that this time the sidedrops were changed to screens. In the front, a guy filmed the audience and the band for the screens, but also there were cameras for this reason in the back. The Hux Flux sign above the stage was well visible in the front rows as well.

In the crowd we saw Clarence and Staffan Öfwerman, as well as Lasse Lindbom. Anders Roos placed his cameras all over the stage and Fredrik Etoall was also taking photos this time. He used a plastic glass as a filter, so it will be exciting to see the end result of his shots.

The security team was quite active during the whole night and it was rather because of some troublemakers in the middle of the audience. The ambulance also had to intervene, because someone fainted in the crowd.

Chrissie didn’t show up in Stockholm and Billy also decided to stay away.

Before Tuffa tider, PG said the ukulele is the world’s sexiest instrument and in winter you can bump into Micke Syd on Costa del Sol while he is playing Här kommer alla känslorna on ukulele. Micke said it works very fine with old Spanish ladies and dogs. Haha. The cables had to be rearranged by Micke N-S after Per moved around a bit with the ukulele. When the song was over, PG gave the ukulele back to MNS holding it in his hands behind his own back.

During the first part of the band presentation, Micke Syd went off stage. He put on the T-shirt with the collage of him and his wife, Helena printed on it. So lovely! When Micke introduced Mr. G, he said Per is the one with the greatest ball-sense in the band, Strandvägen’s Maradona. Haha.

Before Min tjej och jag, Micke said his ex-wife is here and he has his wife on his T-shirt. He would dedicate the song to them and to their kids.

The songs that worked best with the audience last night were Puls, Kung av sand and När vi två blir en.

Next stop is Rättvik, Dalhalla on Saturday.

Setlist

1. Gyllene Tider igen
2. Juni, juli, augusti
3. Det hjärta som brinner
4. Skicka ett vykort, älskling
5. Gammal kärlek rostar aldrig
6. Flickorna på TV2
7. Vandrar i ett sommarregn
8. (Hon vill ha) Puls
9. En sten vid en sjö i en skog
10. Flickan i en Cole Porter-sång
11. Tuffa tider

Band presentation

12. Min tjej och jag
13. Kung av sand
14. Ljudet av ett annat hjärta
15. Ska vi älska, så ska vi älska till Buddy Holly
16. (Kom så ska vi) Leva livet / (Dansar inte lika bra som) Sjömän / Tylö Sun medley

Encore 1

17. Det är över nu
18. Gå & fiska!

Encore 2

19. När vi två blir en
20. Sommartider
21. När alla vännerna gått hem

 

 

 

 

 

 

All photos in the article by Patrícia Peres

Per after the show:

Thx for a truly amazing Stockholm experience!!! Had a blast tonight!! Love to you all!

Ännu doftar kärlek – tribute concerts to Marie Fredriksson in Stockholm

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You might remember that Malmö Live Konserthus organized a tribute concert to Marie Fredriksson during the theme year ”100 women, 100 years” in Malmö in March, 2022. Conductor Christoffer Nobin came up with the idea back then and now he arranges the concert in Stockholm as well. You can buy your tickets for the 3 concerts at Berwaldhallen on 19th, 20th and 21st October 2023 HERE!

Ännu doftar kärlek, the concert will contain songs from Marie’s solo career, as well as Roxette hits. Just like in 2022, Helena Josefsson, Amanda Bergman and Emil Svanängen (Loney Dear) will join Christoffer Nobin to perform the songs together with the Swedish Radio Symphony Orchestra.

Christoffer Nobin says:

Her songs and lyrics have been able to describe what I myself have not been able to describe, and her voice has aroused an ecstasy and admiration that only few others can achieve. This world artist, at the same time a mysterious rock star and down-to-earth Scanian girl, has reached hearts all over the world with her unique singing voice and genuine expression.

Photo is from the 2022 press release.