Report: Roxette in Prague alias the comeback that does make sense, that's for sure!

Music world is keen-set for Roxette, a lot of stuff including few numbers prove that. More than 300.000 copies of the Charm School album have been sold so far (led also the Czech chart for one week) and over 220.000 people have seen twenty-six concerts of the current tour in Russia, Eastern Europe, South America and South Africa. Most of the shows were sold out, the biggest euphoria traditionally joined the South American leg of the tour, where is a musical term Roxette as large as in the first half of 90's.

Photogallery from Prague's show

What's the reason for all this humbug? With no doubt it's also the unexpectedness. A few years ago even the most naïve fan wouldn't imagine next existence of the band. In 2002, Marie Fredriksson was diagnosed with a brain tumor in 2002, the doctors gave her five percent chance of survival...

Thus the main question was - does Roxette's comeback fall into the category of the meaningless returns or, conversely, belong to a group of those that makes sense? Yesterday's concert gave the perfect answer.

Roxette and Prague - 2 hearts, 2 loves

Roxette have been already in a good relationship with Golden City - two concerts in 1995, another show six years later... The band started their third concert in Prague shortly after nine with Dressed for Success - a good opener that quenches the last signs nervousness of the audience. Followed by first and at the same time last song played from Crash! Boom! Bang! album - Sleeping In My Car. This smash hit suffered from the fact it came at the beginning of the concert. If it came in the second half, it would undoubtedly make a bigger din. Czech audience is not in vain known for a slower acceleration; on the other hand, it has more impressive finish line.

report in Czech: Roxette v Praze - 22 hitů a navrch Škoda lásky

As for the setlist, Roxette bet on a well-tried model with a minimum changes since the beginning of the tour. Per Gessle and Marie Fredriksson have enough songs to make up three full sets - but they want to give the audience just the best. In a hockey terms - four lines and just enough. Swedish duo added two extrastrikers...

The biggest worry before the show indeed the whole tour, have pointed to the Marie Fredriksson's shape.  Recent fifty-three years old singer drove them all in the seventh song Perfect Day away. In this ballad she proved that even after a severe illness she returned in a big style and what's more, with a great voice. It's important to mention that the return wasn't so idyllic. Even during the concert series Night of the Proms Marie Fredriksson was uncertain. However, the thirty-third concert of the tour demonstrated she found the ground beneath her feet. Above in the heights her voice was that well-known one from the past.

Prague show offered three kinds of moments - blur, nice and extraordinary. There are just few songs in the first category, mostly the new ones. While the pilot She's Got Nothing On (But The Radio) keeps the famous goal attack, Only When I Dream and Way Out miss it. As well Silver Blue ballad from Tourism is in the context of so impressive show rather blinded stand.

Roxette - Extraordinary with American big four

To the class of the extraordinary belonged the American's "big four" - The Look, Listen To Your Heart, It Must Have Been Love and Joyride. Last-mentioned offered a unique intro - the metal version of Škoda lásky.

And the concert highlight? The above-mentioned hit song The Look that stands the tribunes up.

There are a lot of bands, which can't avoid the idea they should end up on top with a "big name". Before beginning a new chapter the candidates for this post were also Roxette. False. Arguments? The potential of the old material that is not just a flat retro as well as the ability to do the new hits that will not reach the success of the past ones, but still belong to above-average.

For interest:

Roxette Official Facebook: Oh yeah! Everybody's crying with joy!!! Super-fab-fantastic gig tonight in Prague. More than 18.000 extraordinary people in the O2 Arena helped us with another beautiful Prague gig!!!!! We love it here and feel most welcome. Hope we can come back before long!!!! LOVE!!!! P&M & Co

Roxette in München - Night Of The Proms 12. 12. 2009 (exclusive photogallery)

Per Gessle in London - 4. 5. 2009 (phorogallery)

Per Gessle in Prague - 23. 4. 2009 (photogallery)