Tour

Per on tour – En vacker kväll poll #1

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Per’s summer solo tour is around the corner. We know that it’s going to be a special evening and Per plans to play songs from all his catalogue, when Per announced the tour, he said: “I thought of playing songs that I wrote that meant a lot to me. From Roxette, Gyllene Tider and solo.” And this means there is a very extensive catalogue to choose from. So we thought it may be fun to start a series of polls and tell Per which songs are special to us and we would love to hear during the tour.

The big question was, how to put the polls together? So after some thinking we decided the polls will look like this: solo albums, Gyllene Tider, demos & other, Roxette and last but not least the new album.

  1. Per Gessle
  2. Scener
  3. The World According to Gessle
  4. Mazarin
  5. Son of a Plumber
  6. En händig man
  7. Party Crasher
  8. Gyllene Tider (incl. Pers Garage)
  9. Roxette (normal album songs only)
  10. Demos and other songs (that are not included in the above)
  11. The new album when we have it in our hands

Some of them will be huge polls but we will manage!

The target is to choose the songs you would like to hear live and we will present the results to Per hopefully soon enough for him to maybe include at least the top top favourite 🙂 (of course, we also wish that he plays at least 2,5 hours, why not 3, there is enough material for a one-day-concert…).

Looking forward to your input and of course the tour. And have lots of fun while voting for the songs and listening to the albums for the xxx-th time.

Thanks in advance for participating.

Here goes the first poll: Per Gessle – Released in 1983. Choose up to 3 songs from this album.

[yop_poll id=”21″]

This one will run until 22nd of January 2017.

Goodbye 2016, welcome 2017

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2016 was a sad year for music fans, many “big ones” left us, artists like David Bowie, Leonard Cohen or Prince that influenced Marie and Per in a way or another.

It hasn’t been a perfect year for the Rox-world either. Roxette officially started in 1986 with the release of Neverending Love and they were celebrating these 30 years together with an amazing tour that had started in 2014 and took them all around the globe – once again and for the second time since Marie’s came back on stage (with Roxette) in 2009. They were about to embark on the last leg of the tour and meet the audience in Europe once again when the bad news came: touring if over for Roxette. News that we all somehow expected one way or another, but it hurt when it eventually happened.

And I won’t deny it, I think I still haven’t gotten over it and finally understood that there is no more Roxette live anymore. There will be Per performing Roxette songs, as it was already in 2009, but it will simply not be the same. It’s nothing against Per, I loved the 2009 shows and I will surely love the upcoming tour. It’s just not the same without Marie. Roxette are two great friends making magic together and there is nothing that can replace that.

But not everything were bad news. And since I like to concentrate on the positive, here is a summary of what happened in 2016 (hope I didn’t forget any highlight) and what we can expect in 2017 (that we already know of):

  • Roxette visited South Africa early 2016 and gave five concerts there, including two sold out ones and new plectrums that you can find on the PLECtionary.
  • The RoXXXette on the road tour photo book was released in June. It even came with a special edition for Roxers, limited to 300 copies, numbered, signed by Per – all packed in a nice box. We are collecting pictures of all of them here, so if yours is still not featured, send it in!
  • Roxette released an amazing new album in June: Good Karma. Three singles have been released so far off this album. Roxette also recorded a very nice video for the first single “It Just Happens” and asked fans to participate to make the “Why Don’t You Bring Me Flowers” video, probably inspired by Jakub and Dawid who recorded a funny fan video for “Some Other Summer”.
  • Per launched a new record label, Space Station 12, together with Marie Dimberg.
  • We also interviewed Per a couple of times, regarding Good Karma and SS12.
  • Marie’s book was published in German with an additional chapter for this version where she tells she is fine and working on the issues with her leg. We wish her all the best!!
  • Following the announcement we gathered thank-you messages for Marie. Kirsten also organised a surprise for Marie’s birthday, with the participation of tons of fans it was possible to send her bunches of roses. Marie responded with this video on her Facebook page <3.
  • In the background many things have happened to the website, we have had some hiccups with the server but nothing that couldn’t be solved. I had to postpone the project to redesign/update the website due to an accident but … let’s see what 2017 will bring 🙂

2017 so far…

  • More or less out of the blue but somehow expected, Per announced a new album and tour for 2017. The album is planned for Spring, the tour will be (for now?) in Sweden and will start on July 6th in Helsingborg, check the tour dates here
  • A DVD-box containing Roxette live recordings will be released this year. In connection to this, fans got busy and creative already on January 2nd as you can see on this article.

Sounds exciting huh? As always, thanks for reading and participating! See you on the road latest in summer.

 

 

 

 

 

Roxette XXX Tour – Cape Town, South Africa (Grand Arena Grand West) – February 8 – #66

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After yesterday’s sold out success in Cape Town, Roxette did another show in the city tonight. The difference in the set up was that now there was no standing area with golden circle possibility, but there were seats at the place where yesterday everyone was jumping and dancing without any disturbing chairs around. We hoped the crowd wouldn’t be distracted by the seats and do their best at the second Cape Town gig as well. Well, let’s say the energy ratio wasn’t equal on and off the stage. How can you sit still during How Do You Do!? Seats and security team are to blame again. With Joyride everyone was allowed to stand up and go closer to the stage and then the party was on, but the clapping and sing-alongs at least were loud and constant during the whole concert.

roxette_in_cape_town_2nd_night_pic_by_Marie_Sidorova
Pic by Marie Sidorova

In Cape Town one could see what a difference seats can make. One night party, one night relax. Not on stage though. The Rox gang was full of energy even if there was no day off after last night’s show. Marie was in top form, shining all night, rocking the audience with all the power in her voice. Per did his adorable circles, fab guitar fights with Chris and his trademark left leg stomping.

Mr. G after the show:

XXX GIG #68 CAPE TOWN DAY TWO. Oh yeah! Wonderful evening and a crowd that got going like nothing else after How Do You Do! Thanx everyone for making this South African tour a splendid memory for all of us. We love to perform here and hope to come back. You know that! Cheers! /P.
PS. Vids tomorrow.

With this the South African tour leg came to an end. 5 great concerts of which 2 were sold out. Not bad, huh? Next stop is Stars of Sounds festival in Murten, Switzerland on 3rd June. Or maybe not. Who knows how many dates will still be added to the 2016 European leg. Our May is completely empty, you know…

Articles and photos

Instagram: 1; 2; 3; 4; 5; 6; 7; 8; 9; 10; 11; 12; 13; 14; 15; 16; 17;

Videos
Instavids:
The Big L.
How Do You Do! teaser
How Do You Do!: 1; 2;
The Look
The bow and waving goodbye

Setlist

roxette_in_cape_town_2nd_night_pic_by_Johan_Breytenbach
Pic by Johan Breytenbach

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)
Watercolours In The Rain / Paint
The Heart Shaped Sea
Fading Like A Flower
How Do You Do!
It Must Have Been Love
Dressed For Success
Dangerous
Joyride (intro: Suikerbossie)

Extra
Listen To Your Heart
The Look

Roxette XXX Tour – Cape Town, South Africa (Grand Arena Grand West) – February 7 – #65

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Cape Town. The city that was lucky enough one world tour earlier to welcome the band with 3 sold out shows in 2011 and a year later yet another gig was organized there. The first Cape Town show during the XXX tour got sold out already in October 2015, so an extra date had to be added as the last concert of the South African tour leg.

The venue had a standing area with a cozy golden circle, so after seeing what effect no seats had in Port Elizabeth, we expected at least the standing part of the crowd to party. And they did, already during the opening song! Then other uptempo songs made those who had tickets for the seated area stand up too and join the joyride. The sound of the arena wasn’t the best, it was too low at some parts of the venue. The crowd was loud and the sing-alongs turned out to be fantastic. People loved to hear the greatest Rox hits.

Marie’s performance was full of passion, Per’s energy was undescribable, the band was rocking, so all in all, Roxette put on yet another ass-kicking show.

Per after the Cape Town party:

XXX GIG #67 CAPE TOWN. Voila! Very nice indeed. Super crowd and a still going strong band having a field day at the Grand Arena in CT. Thanx everyone for showing up and making this yet another sold out + unbelievable Sunday evening for this humble band. Gig #2 in CT tomorrow. Cheers, P.

Roxette stays in the city for a Monday gig (8th February). The show will happen at the same venue.

 

Articles and photos

Instagram: 1; 2; 3; 4; 5; 6; 7; 8; 9; 10; 11; 12; 13; 14; 15; 16; 17; 18; 19;
Big Concerts (Desmond Louw’s photos): 1; 2; 3; 4;
Channel24 – Nardus Engelbrecht photos

Videos
Instavids:
Sleeping In My Car
Spending My Time
How Do You Do!: 1; 2;
It Must Have Been Love
Listen To Your Heart

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)
Watercolours In The Rain / Paint
The Heart Shaped Sea
Fading Like A Flower
How Do You Do!
It Must Have Been Love
Dressed For Success
Dangerous
Joyride (intro: Suikerbossie)

Extra
Listen To Your Heart
The Look

 

Roxette XXX Tour – Port Elizabeth, South Africa (Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium) – February 5 – #64

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Port Elizabeth fans had to wait 21 years to see Roxette live again. It was an open air gig and the weather was predicted to be very windy, but it’s usual in PE, so even the stadium admins posted before the show ”come rain or shine the concert will go on”. There was nothing to worry about.

People brought their blankets and while waiting for the show to start they were sitting on the grass in the sun eating and drinking. By the time Watershed hit the stage it was already dark and it got colder.

Being cold, it was surprising that Marie didn’t have the heaters set up in front of her. She was wearing a warmer jacket, so hopefully, she wasn’t freezing that much. At least you wouldn’t tell by her performance, which was nothing else but brilliant again. Per’s wind blown hair was rocking just as much as he himself was. The band was on a high as well.

The crowd was far much better than at the last 2 shows. Blame it on the fact that there were no seats at all! Woohoo! People of course knew all the lyrics and were singing along during the whole concert. They were clapping hard and also swaying their hips and jumping frequently. Such a crowd gives even more energy to the band and they appreciate it.

Per’s long comment after the superb show:

XXX GIG #66 PORT ELIZABETH. Wow! Outdoors! A standing crowd, no chairs in sight! And soooooo many people (10.000? I don’t know…)! We haven’t played P.E. for 21 years and get a reception like this! What can we say? WOW!
Super enthusiastic crowd and a band in fine form made this something very special to remember! Thanx everyone for showing up and making us feel like the biggest band in the world! Once again! Love! /P.

Next stop is Cape Town on Sunday (7th February). The show is so sold out that another date had to be added for the day after at the same venue.

 

Articles and photos

Instagram: 1; 2; 3; 4; 5; 6; 7; 8; 9; 10; 11;
Mark Andrews photos

Videos

It Must Have Been Love crowd sing-along

Instavids:
Dressed For Success
Dangerous
Joyride: 1; 2;
Listen To Your Heart

Setlist

roxette_in_port_elizabeth
Pic by Tiina Pitkänen

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)
Watercolours In The Rain / Paint
The Heart Shaped Sea
Fading Like A Flower
How Do You Do!
It Must Have Been Love
Dressed For Success
Dangerous
Joyride (intro: Suikerbossie)

Extra
Listen To Your Heart
The Look