Roxette in Retrograde | Music Review

Joyride (Roxette song)
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Prepare for a JOYRIDE…

Tuck you self in.

It’s gonna be a rollercoaster timewarp blasting out all those “i love” tunes…

On the count of three. 1….2…..3!

Credits: These normally come at the end of the feature, but since when do we do anything conventional??? Isn’t it about time for the rebel to come out in a biker jacket with big hair and plenty of attitude. Well almost time. First thing first the opening act. Those Wedding DJS. Yup. Those fun loving, bobbing bobcats, sure know how to pump up a crowd. Kudos to the Wedding Djs for sprinkling sing-a-long nostalgia ahead of the main attraction. Most people who opted to stay away from “doof-doof” ending up biting their tongues as they swayed in to the beat. Trust them to show the crowd how to really party….

Then shebang-bang there she was.

Styling up the renograde look, dressed for success (20:04pm Swedish Time*) and singing a tune to match. ROXETTE was back…

Their game was pop, their mission to conquer the world. With 33 chart-busting singles and total record sales exceeding 75 million, it’s seems safe to say “mission accomplished”. Except for one thing. It ain’t over yet. Biding their time during Marie Fredriksson’s recovery after her brain tumor operation in 2002, the band has gradually staged a comeback that will climax with a new album and a World Tour in 2011

Flashback to the days of school uniforms, I recall the excited chatter of starry eyed, crushed up, girls going on about ROXETTE coming to SA. I can’t remember what happened but all I know was that back then it never happened. Sigh!

#FastFoward>>> 2011. Tuesday 10th May | Location>>> GrandWest Arena

25 years after the the official crowning of ROXETTE, and here they are standing in front of me in a haze of purple lights. Having grown up with them on stereo-sounds and now you could actually poke them** … or that annoyingly drunk guy in front of me who was looking for a fight with some grandpa.*** Without getting too chedderish and cheesy let’s just say the night was the kinda JOYRIDE you get addicted too.

No doubt 3 SOLDOUT Cape Town shows speak for themselves!!!

Far beyond the wild bobcats and lime wigs, I found myself in the back of the class with all the twinkle toes.

We were belting out all the lyrics to a band that has shaped a big part of my life. Taking low quality pics from my mobile phone while the Ipad in front of me kept stealing the next to perfect shots, I couldn’t help being mad.

Alas. It wasn’t about the pretty pictures. It was about the music. And that music just happened to be enveloped in a picturesque lighting show. The kind framing the mood of every sound  like a plush red curtain would to a theatre. Ok. OK. So it was about pretty pictures then.

And Dance-athon Sing-a-longs and a dolup of great videography in picture frames! I must say #BigConcerts – you’re picking up the tempo!!! (so I won’t even mention the glitches this time around).

Final words from ROXETTE:

“…upergig tonite in Cape Town. Superb crowd, curious band, sparkling cool new necklace on Chris, we’re all very happy. Cheers, P&M…”

Awww, thanks Marie and Per. We loved it too !!! Stop by any time – and I hope CT gets a special feature inyour latest music video…. that’s currently got you all a-buzz. And thanks for all those favourite tunes. You guys rocked Grandwest!

*** Starry Eyed PostIt Notes ***

(in case you were wondering)

* trust a Swede to start on time. None of the SA time Thank you very much!

** Well, maybe if the other 8000 people moved out the way and security turned a blind eye….maybe…. hmmmm.

*** let’s just leave it at etiquette….

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