Marie Fredriksson and Per Gessle performing at the Sydney Entertainment Centre on 17 February 2012.
Roxette have topped the charts three times down under in Australia and with a portfolio of massive hits including It Must Have Been Love, Joyride, Listen To Your Heart, How Do You Do, Sleeping In My Car, Dressed For Success and The Look, this is fully expected to be one of the best live music events of 2012. Last night they drew strong numbers at the Sydney Entertainment Centre, and tonight they did it once again. Promoter Live Nation had taken a chance of bringing the Swedish group out here after two other Australian promoters knocking them back. By all accounts Live Nation's punt has paid back dividends, both to the fans, the group, and to the bottom line. Scandanavian pop acts have an illustrious chart history here. Fellow Swede's ABBA could vouch for that. Entertainment industry experts have gone on record that its the Australia's 30 to 40 year old audience remembering the powerful and emotional songs that they heard in their youth that explains the strong drawing pull. It was back in 1995, not long after their commercial high spot, they didn't perform to so many people. Charm School is their first album in ten years and its built upon the foundation that made them great. The band is the platform for vocalist Marie Fredriksson and songwriter and guitarist Per Gessle. The appreciative crowd lapped up Dressed For Success, Joy Ride and The Look. 'It Must Have Been Love' was a definite karaoke moment to say the least. They combine really catchy numbers, solid voices, charisma, fashion sense and strong drawing power. The band is expected to continue to draw strong audience numbers while touring Australia. Tracks 1. Dressed For Success 2. Sleeping In My Car 3. The Big L 4. Wish I Could Fly 5. Stars 6. She's Got Nothing On But... 7. Perfect Day 8. Things Will Never Be The Same 9. Opportunity Nox 10.7Twenty7 11. Fading Like A Flower 12. Crash! Boom! Bang! 13. How Do You Do? 14. Dangerous 15. Joyride 16. Watercolours In The Rain 17. Spending My Time 18. The Look 19. Listen To Your Heart 20. Church Of Your Heart 1927 Opens The Show... 1927 were a perfect band to open things up for Roxette. The are an Aussie pop/rock band formed in Melbourne in 1987 with James Barton on drums, Bill Frost on bass guitar, his brother Garry Frost on guitar and keyboards, and Erik Weideman on vocals, guitar and keyboards. They were extremely popular in the late 1980s and early 1990s with their major hit songs "If I Could", "Compulsory Hero" and "That's When I Think of You" and their multi-platinum #1 album ...ish. Some of the crowd was so into 1927, it would be reasonable to suggest that for some fans 1927 were the stars, supported by Roxette. Whatever the case, it was an awesome double act. Tracks 1. Fright Of Your Life 2. To Love Me 3. Don't Forget Me 4. You'll Never Know 5. Tell Me A Story 6. Hero 7. If I Could 8. That's When Websites Roxette www.roxette.se 1927 www.1927.net.au Sydney Entertainment Centre www.sydentcent.com.au Live Nation www.livenation.com.au Eva Rinaldi Photography Flickr www.flickr.com/evarinaldiphotography Eva Rinaldi Photography www.evarinaldi.com Music News Australia www.musicnewsaustralia.com