Where to start, where to start? Oh my God! I think last night’s concert just made it to my Top3 best Roxette concerts ever. The energy on and off the stage, the communication with the crowd, the sound, the whole thing was just so magical and special! Marie and Per, as well as the band saw there were many international hardcore fans at the concert and somehow it felt like it gave them even more power. Marie was shining, smiling all the time and having sometimes funny, sometimes flirting facial expressions, pointing at fans and showing she was happy to see them. Her voice was in – you guessed it – top shape. It might sound like a cliché though, but she really was in top form and the lyrics worked very well with her last night. Per was also in a fantastic mood, he was smiling from ear to ear during the whole gig and as usual, he just couldn’t stop stomping and bouncing all around the stage and we could see a gig again, where he licked the guitar picks quite often. We know from the plec interview it’s because it sticks more to the finger. The band was also having much fun and they entertained and involved us even more. Even if the setlist includes more slower songs vs. 2011-2012, there are still enough party hits in there.
Waiting for hours in front of the venue in the very cold weather was fun for those die hard Roxers who decided to spend some time together already before the concert. Towards the end of the waiting time we started singing just random non-Rox-related songs, then we were getting there and started singing songs from Roxette. Local people were arriving and they didn’t really want to join our singing, but we told them they will have to do this inside, so they’d better practice with us. Some of them felt like it was cool, some others remained rather silent. The security team was cooperative and nice to us. They just let us run inside the venue and all fans who were waiting so long outside to get to the front row could manage it. The international front row, besides Estonian fans consisted of Roxers from Argentina, Austria, Denmark, Germany, Finland, Hungary, Italy, Poland, Russia, Sweden, Switzerland, the UK. Maybe there were more countries represented, but I can’t remember more now.
At last, I got to hear Per’s mix tape (he prepared for this tour) inside an arena. We already started getting into party mood. The support act was from Finland (I think). They played rock ‘n’ roll, the frontman said. All songs with the theme of summer. The guy said it was their first time during the Roxette tour to perform, so I think they will be the support act for the rest of the tour this year. It seems we get to hear them 3 more times this way.
After the gear of the support act was removed from the stage, the crew used a vacuum cleaner to clean the carpet where Marie was standing – barefoot, of course. I didn’t get to see Per’s jacket live on my first concert during this tour, but maybe it’s better it had a rest last night again. The intro was just a real adrenalin kick while Roxette got on stage, before they started playing Sleeping In My Car. It’s a great opening song, the jumping could already start at the very beginning. The Big L. kept our mood on a high and Stars was also one of the best songs live at this gig. After Stars, Per asked us if we were having a good time. We all screamed, of course we were. Then he said they would be playing loads of their Roxette favourites and shouted: ”Let’s all join in!” And we did so when they started playing Spending My Time. The crowd sounded good when Per and Marie stopped and we sang the song further. Crash! Boom! Bang! was the same version they played on the 2011-2012 tour. It means Per was singing the first verse with a slight change in the lyrics and then Marie took the song over. A highlight on the setlist is Real Sugar for me. At least one song off Room Service album was much desired since long. Maybe it sounded better during the 2001 tour, but it immediately got us into party mood again. It was fun when Per introduced the song and he started joking with Magnus that Room Service is his fave Rox album of all time. Then Magnus corrected it’s Joyride. No, Look Sharp!, no, Joyride, no, Tourism! Then he sticked to Joyride being his fave album. The next ass-kicking song was She’s Got Nothing On (But The Radio). Per changed to his George Harrison guitar, licked the guitar pick and started off. Then it was time to slow down a bit. The Heart Shaped Sea sounds wonderful live! I like that at this song, the whole band is in the front and even Magnus is changing his bass guitar to an acoustic one. Only Pelle is missing, who sits at his drumset, joining in when it’s needed. After that came Perfect Day, so Per left the stage and while he did so, he tried to throw the plec he had in his hand to the crowd, but somehow it landed almost on Marie. Even Marie was laughing at it. Only Christoffer, Clarence, the magician of keyboards and Marie is on stage. Marie introduces Perfect Day like a very old song and that she hopes we remember it. How could we not remember this masterpiece? How she delivers it is just phenomenal and usually gets many fans into tears. Tonight there was a small change in the setlist. After Perfect Day, Roxette performed Fading Like a Flower instead of Watercolours In The Rain. Before they started playing FLAF, Marie told the crowd we were fantastic and she thanked for that. Actally, she told the audience several times how fantastic we were. How Do You Do! still rocks live and you can party on through 7Twenty7. Per realized at this song that he was running out of guitar picks, only 2-3 left on the mic stand. This time it was again Mike Lindström instead of Micke N-S who took care of Per’s gear. He was a bit late changing the plec holders. He just has to get used to the fact that Per is throwing more plecs than how many he can pick off the stand. By the way, there were no new plecs at this show. Per used plectrums from 2012. After 727 it was time for some Hollywood bonanza. One must love how Marie and Per are starting off with It Must Have Been Love. Per steps next to Marie, touches her shoulder, they look into each other’s eyes and Marie starts singing. Then of course, when they stop singing and want to hear the crowd if they know the lyrics. Still a great feeling. Dressed For Success will be remembered from this show forever. The music started, Marie sang her yeah x 3, but something was wrong. Per stopped playing immediately and brought his guitar to Mike Lindström. Yeah, shit happens, but until everything got solved, Magnus entertained us with a short stand up comedy show. Check part of the mess in THIS video. 😉 Per’s ”Ready? Steady?” and the crowd’s ”Go!” was too cool. Then Per said when he realized he could play his guitar in the right key ”That’s it!” I tell you, for hardcore fans it was awesome to experience such a hoolabaloo. It was really entertaining. Dangerous went fine, then the band got introduced and Christoffer did his magic. The Estonian part of the crowd was loud with their reaction to it. We started blowing our balloons and let them fly after the magic word in Joyride was sung. Dea came close to Marie, helped her going off stage and the whole band disappeared. We were clapping our hands, shouting and asked them to come back. We just wanted more! I almost thought I will miss hearing Watercolours In The Rain since it was not performed when it was on the earlier concerts, but seeing the stage being set up for that for the start of the extras, I was happy I won’t miss it hearing live. Dea and Marie came on stage and delivered the song beautifully. Actually, as the first song of the extras it fitted much better, I think. Then suddenly, a thought crossed my mind that maybe they would leave out something else then, but no, they played all songs that were left to be performed. After WITR came Listen To Your Heart. Marie’s voice was so powerful! The Look kicked ass, the crowd joined in with the nanananas, the band was on a high. Then sadly, it was time to say goodbye. Per said they hope to see us very soon again. Oh, he will! Some of us shouted, yeah, on Tuesday! Queen of Rain sounded indeed like a perfect lullaby. Fantastic to hear it live again! The show ended with the usual bow, then Marie and Per waving to the crowd, walking towards backstage, turning towards us again and waving goodbye. The crowd was melting! Pure awesomeness it was!
At some point, I’m not sure before which song, PG asked Marie how she felt. It felt like he asked her because he knew we’ve been worrying about Marie so much and he wanted us to hear it from Marie herself that she feels so good. And she did. You could see it every second that she enjoyed the show to the full.
Åsa was not present, but we were happy to see Micke to film some short videos, which now you can already see on Roxette Official. Marie played with the iPhone camera and showed some cool facial expressions when Micke was filming her. Loved it!
After this amazing gig, Per & Co says:
TALLIN UPDATE: Superb gig in Tallinn! Thanx everyone for showing up and making this such a glorious event!!! Some technical hoolabaloos yes…. but everyone had a great time on and off stage. One to remember for sure!!!!! Glad everyone enjoyed the evening, we certainly did! Lots of love from all of us! /P&CO
PS. And hey!!!! So cool to see so many familiar faces in the front row! Welcome back!
Explaining the hoolabaloo under the same post:
We aborted DFS due to the fact that I got my guitar with a capo in the wrong place so I couldn’t play DFS in the right key. Shit happens. No big deal. We all love when a band have to re-start a song!! We’re all humans! Except Pelle. /P.
Next gig is on Tuesday (25th November) in Kaunas. See you there!
Articles and photos
publik.delfi.ee
flytiger.livejournal.com
ohtuleht.ee
elu24.postimees.ee
Videos
Sleeping In My Car
Fading Like A Flower
The Heart Shaped Sea
Christoffer’s intro before Joyride
Watercolours In The Rain
Video report before the concert including a short interview with Per
Setlist
Sleeping In My Car
The Big L.
Stars
Spending My Time
Crash! Boom! Bang!
Real Sugar
She’s Got Nothing On (But The Radio)
The Heart Shaped Sea
Perfect Day
Fading Like A Flower
How Do You Do!
7Twenty7
It Must Have Been Love
Dressed For Success
Dangerous
Joyride
Extra:
Watercolours In The Rain
Listen To Your Heart
The Look
Queen of Rain
