Roxette rock the Ticketpro Dome
JOHANNESBURG – For me, seeing a Roxette concert in Johannesburg has been a long time coming. I was 9 years old when the Crash! Boom! Bang! tour stopped at Ellis Park Stadium, and for obvious reasons I was not allowed to go.
Years passed, things happened (moving halfway across the world being one of them) and I found myself seeing this amazing band for the first time at that unforgettable Party Crasher concert in Amsterdam, May 2009 – something that I never thought possible after 2002…
Of course we all know the story from there… One never ending tour, followed by another (this) never ending tour. Yes, I’ve seen them play all over the place but there was something that just had to be done. I had to experience them at home… Where it all began. So…. Here goes….
The dome filled up to the sound of Per’s pretty fine mix tape. Fans had been outside in the bar area having a “dop” as we like to call it well before the concert started. Everyone looked happy, and as the lights dimmed the cheering began. So many fans had travelled a long way to come and see this show – Germany, Norway, Finland, Russia, Australia, UK (and those are just the faces I recognized) as well as the thousands of loyal South African fans who packed out this venue.
Considering the band had just had a rather long break, they were in fine form. Lyrically, only a couple of mishaps, musically wonderful. The band seemed very happy to be back on stage together again and although the crowd was a little subdued at first, the party really kicked off when How Do You Do! made an appearance. People got up onto their feet (it was an all seated concert) and the atmosphere went to another level. It Must Have Been Love had the crowd singing their hearts out and “Watercolours in the Rain”/”Paint” were met with huge cheers. What more to say other than it was an excellent start to this next leg of the 30th Anniversary tour, and I can’t wait to see more.
Set list:
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)
The Heart Shaped Sea
Watercolours in the Rain/Paint
Fading Like a Flower
How Do You Do!
It Must Have Been Love
Dressed for Success
Dangerous (followed by band intro)
Joyride
Listen to Your Heart
The Look
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February 1st, 2016
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This article was posted here on TDR in these categories:
*Good Reporter article, TDR:Live, TDR:Roxette.
