Last day of the month - addicted to games...

Howdy!

I know that in my previous post, I promised you a part two. I still want to write it, but I just haven't come around to sit and type. But I will post it, eventually...

I have been quite busy. Either with work or with friends and/or gaming. I am a terrible gamer, to be honest. I can start some game, play a while, get stuck and never get back to it. I know it is not good to give up. But my skills have always been lacking, keeping me back from really finishing many games that I've started. Although I am now playing the new Guitar Hero game, Warriors of Rock. And I am very determent to finish it, even if only in "easy" mode. I love to play games like Guitar Hero and Rock Band. I also love some other games as well. I currently play the last GH (Guitar Hero) game, so the Warriors of Rock. At times I also plat the Aerosmith and Metallica versions or the World Band version. *All can be found through the GH site I just linked* With RB (Rock Band) I have The Beatles, AC/DC, Green Day and the LEGO editions. I am currently waiting for the deliverance of GH Van Halen and GH 5. So MUCH songs to play. Together or alone... We have two guitars, the World Tour drum kit and a microphone.
Recently I started playing Heavy Rain after I bought it for Joyce (well, if we have it, I might as well play it myself as well). I played a bit and then I wanted to reply a part. The game informed me that I might have to replay some other stuff as well, due to changed game play. But now I Googled some of the trophies that can be earned with this game. My newly played parts should entitle me to at least 1 or 2 more trophies and I did not get them BUT I do have to play everything again... Starting to think I should just start over all together. Because maybe then the trophies will be reset and I have a chance to earn them. Sigh... It's kinda frustration because I just did some parts of the game and I thought I did good and now I have to remember what I did when I play it again. Ah well... Keeps me from feeling bored...

I am really eager to receive my CD and LP copies of "Charm School", the new album of Roxette I mentioned in an earlier post. There have been released many snippets and now the album has leaked onto the WWW and is available in several torrent sites. I so want to hold the vinyl and feel happy. Who would have thought that Roxette would ever record a new album, let alone go on tour?!? Marie made a great recovery than we could only wish for. And now Roxette is back! Please check out the snippets (just Google and you will find them) and buy the album! It will be released on February 11th. And I believe they now also have a date set for the UK somewhere in April. iTunes will, no doubt, be offering the songs as well. What I have heard so far, it is WICKED!

Charm School, February 11th!
Reserve your copy now!

It's past 2 am and I wanted to go to bed like well, half an hour ago or so... Thanks for checking in and I will do my best to write more posts than I did last year. Of course, my lack of posting in 2010 has it's own reasons which I have mentioned... But I am working on it, on myself, and I will give all I can!

Thank you Per Gessle!!!

She’s got nothing on (but the radio)

What she got she got to give it to somebody
What she got she got to give it to someone
It’s not a case of growin’ up or lots of money
It’s just the fundamental twist of the sun

What she got she got to let somebody find it (- “Really?”)
What she got is not for her to keep alone (- “Oh!”)
Nobody’s got a clue if there is such a reason (- “Yea?”)
Why she wanna play it o-on her own

She’s got nothing on but the radio
She’s a passion play
And like the break of day
She takes my breath away

What she got she got to give to some contender
What she got is just like gold dust on a shelf
And no one’s got a clue what’s on her brave agenda
Why she wanna keep it keep it to herself

She’s got nothing on but the radio
It’s a passion play
And like the break of day
She takes my breath away

Who did the painting on my wall?
Who left a poem down the hall?
Oh I don’t understand at all, he-he-hey

© gessle / jimmy fun music / august 2009

New single out January 7th 2011!
Taken from the forthcoming album "Charm School".

Some info written by Per on 22-12-2010 atwww.roxette.se:

Is Santa Claus an Eskimo masochist? The q is relevant since it’s sooooo cold in Sweden right now we poor Swedes can hardly breathe. All guitars are out of tune, thank God for the blankets we found in a closet at the Tits & Ass Studio the other day.

Anyway, we just want to wish you all a very Merry Christmas. 2010 has certainly been a fab year for us. We managed to finish the Charm School-album. I finally got my favorite pasta-dish right. Marie learned how to ski. I cracked the Top 10 on the go-kart track. Marie found her Trash & Vaudeville-pants from 1989 at the dry-cleaners. We did seven super shows in Europe. And there is more to come next year you know that. Plenty.

The new single will officially hit Planet Earth January 7 but knowing you guys you’re probably already tired of it by then... Charm School begins Feb 10.

So... thanks for all your support, we need that from time to time. Yea, we do appreciate your unconditional love now and forever (sounds like a song…).

See y’all somewhere around the globe next year. We promise to do our best to bring a smile to your faces. Have a great X and a most charming new year. Don’t drink and drive.

Love from Per & Marie

SCHADE Radio WDR2!

This is an e-mail I just wrote to the WDR2 (German) radio show (wdr2@wdr.de):

Dear sir, madame,

As a great Roxette fan I was delighted to hear that you’d be airing 3 of their NOTP songs. But did the commentator do any research AT ALL before saying these things about Marie Fredriksson?

OF COURSE she hasn’t recovered completely. She had a brain tumor and this is all there is for her. The doctors gave her a chance of 5% to survive it. So all in all, she’s 95% better than the doctors had given her!

OF COURSE she isn’t jumping around on stage like she used to. Her right eye only has a 5-10% vision due to the tumor and surgery. She can’t see in 3D like “normal” people with good eyesight can. THAT’s ONE of the reasons the stage had a BIG white star: so Marie could see it when the lights were going from dark to light and back again. Ever tried to tape off one of your eyes and get on a stage…?

OF COURSE she doesn’t sound like she used to. She survived this tumor but she also has passed the age of 50… She is born on May 30^th 1958, so 51 years young. As we age, your voice ages with you. But seeing that she had to learn how to write, read and speak again after the tumor surgery, I would say she did a fantastic job.

All in all: that reporter has hurt many of the Roxette fans who have stayed loyal to Per, Marie and their band while Marie was going though these hard times of recovery.

So I think it would be fair to say that she deserves FAR MORE credit than the commentator gave her.

It’s a shame he didn’t do his homework before placing his negative comments on a woman who has beaten the chances of surviving a tumor and he himself would have gotten more praise if only he had given it to the one who deserves it for 100%: Marie Fredriksson!

Thanks for the songs, next time, leave the dumb commentator out please…

With regards,

Cynthia de Ruiter

The Netherlands

I guess this says enough… If you have heard it (or after reading this) and you’d like to tell them that this is NOT done for all the fans AND Marie, EMAIL them! If they get many, many e-mails from all Magic Friends, we could make a difference for Marie… For Roxette!

Spread the word, flood the WDR2 email inbox!

Cause it all begins again where it ends… And we’re all MAGIC FRIENDS!

Merry X-mas to all!

More NOTP Oberhausen vids

Jonas Isacsson with Alan Parsons, outtake of "Eye in the sky".
Wonderful solo by mister Isacsson!


The Katona Twins with a lovely medley of well known songs. See if you recognize them all!


Roxette with their third world wide number 1 hit: Joyride!

If you like my video's, check out my YouTube. Don't hesitate to comment ;-)

Have a nice day everyone!

A night at the proms in Oberhausen

Yes we went to our third NOTP gig. Unfortunately, we couldn't have a meet and greet in the end (still crying deep inside about that) because all VIP stars were transported in one big bus and the driver didn't want to stop (message from Jonas on FaceBook). So that was really the only disappointment of the whole evening.

Marie went wrong with the lyrics during the second verse of "It must have been love" (she's been known to do that at times, even before the brain tumor that almost took her life). But the audience didn't care and just sang ahead so Marie could get in with us again. What a woman for not giving in! Many "outsiders" do not know that the chances Marie were given when diagnosed with the tumor were only a mere 5%. But she's a real fighter and kept hanging on for her loved ones (husband, daughter and son) and maybe even for her fans. But she's back, looking oh so fragile and vulnerable... The trouble now is, that due to the tumor, she's lost 90 to 95% of her eyesight in her right eye (please correct me if I'm wrong). That is why she's so shaky on stage: wit the darkness and flashing lights, it's hard for her to focus and see it all in "3-D". I once almost lost all my eyesight in one eye and I remember how difficult it all was back then. So that makes me even more proud to be a big fan of Marie for over half a lifetime (my lifetime that is).

One video, filmed by Joyce, is on YouTube now. Check it out!

Meeting Roxette

Original video feeds shot by Per Gessle (1st one) and by Christopher Lundquist (other 3). It’s footage from our meeting with the band members from the Swedish group: Roxette! Even though it was very, very windy and getting quite cold, Marie, Pelle and Clarence got out of the van for us! THANKS!!!

Thank you all for making this a NIGHT to REMEMBER!

 

Once again, thanks for this wonderful event, for a splendid meeting and for the signing of my cat... (CAP!) ;-)

A Night at the Proms

With ROXETTE :)

WOW what a night. Sitting at a crabby seat at the front row, barely being able to see Per and Marie perform "Wish I could fly" during the first part of the evening. But with the second part, we just stood and walked nearer to the stage (as did MANY others) and there was nothing security could do about it, except for keeping their walking route free of fans. WOW what a night! Marie was performing SO much better than she did a week before, 07-11 in Antwerp (Belgium). Per used the walkway, Marie sang a part of the famous Beatles "Hey Jude" during the Look. They extended some more and it was just fantastic to be there!
After the show, since we were parked far, far away and there was a traffic jam to get off the parking, we decided we should check where Roxette's van would depart from. With some small talk to some security guys, we were told we found the right spot to wait :)
There were only 5 of us, Eva, Joyce, myself and two German girls. Then, we saw the van and Marie was sitting in front. They came, slowly passed us by and drove on... I could not run but with Eva in the lead, the others quickly followed. The van stopped and was put in reverse! We were pumped with Roxette adrenaline and we were so high we felt we could fly... When the van came backwards, Eva had to jump aside... :)
The PA (personal assistant) opened the front door, which almost went with the wind! Marie came out to meet and greet with us for a while and we could take a picture with her. She was soooo sweet!!! When I told her that I thought her show was way better than the one last week, she rubbed my hand (since I was shaking hers to thank her) and asked if I really meant it. And yeah, she was feeling a bit better and was glad we noticed. After some hugs with Marie, she quickly went into the van (before the wind would take her far and away).
But they all gave out signatures, all but Chris who was too busy shooting YouTube viddeo's for Per and he also made some pictures of us (wonder if he could send them to me haha). So maybe we'll be on the wwwgyllenetidercom YouTube channel soon :) You never know... I'll keep checking it though, since I was standing right before Chris because I was asking Per if he had any spare guitar pics ;)
Oh I really got my new shot of Roxette drug again and I now realize HOW MUCH I missed it all these years... I am not able to attend any more shows (money and work wise). Sobs.... But I will go to Rotterdam with Joyce and meet up with Eva on Tuesday :) Let's relive the night to remember at the Proms...

WOW!

Thanks for a wonderful evening.
Thanks to: Per Gessle, Marie Fredriksson, Jonas Isacsson, Pelle Alsing, Clarence Öfwerman & Christopher Lundquist, A.K.A ROXETTE!

How Sony PS3 messed up…

… 2 of the best songs in the world…

I was happy to read about Sony’s PlayStation 3 SingStar update would include the “Roxette Ballad Pack”. We downloaded it through Sony’s Playstation SingStar store and immediately started it after the installation was done.

What a bummer though… In 2 out of 5 songs, Sony made an error in the lyrics.

This is during the song that became famous because of the “Pretty Woman” movie with Julia Roberts and Richard Gere: “It must have been love”. Unfortunately, Marie doesn’t sing “a stare of silence” and ever since the song was written in 1988/1989 (with the original name: It must have been love (Christmas for the broken hearted)), there was always the line “there’s air of silence”. So that was the first bummer.

Then we played “Spending my time” (original from the 1991 “Joyride” album). And in the end, I found error number two. Now this error, many people were already wondering for ages what Marie really sang, since this line is NOT in the original lyrics which are featured in the Joyride CD cover. Some people thought Per was a very naughty writer and some didn’t have a clue. It’s about the following line.

A bit blurry picture, I admit, but you can see the line “it pains me being without you honey”. Because of the speculations (one very PG with: I masturbate without you honey), some fans did ask Per when they finally had the chance what Marie did sing. The answer: “the bed’s too big without you honey”. So that was/is mistake number two. All in all, I did enjoy the songs a lot and I’ll keep trying for that PERfect score…  And of course, I am still eagerly waiting for an announcement of “Guitar Hero Roxette”. If only… If ever…

I already informed Per of these errors through his Twitter account: @PartyCrasher. He Twitted back that he wasn’t aware of these mistakes/errors. Hope he can make Sony change/edit their Rox ballad package errors…

I do hope Sony will correct these errors and will allow everyone who got the package including the faulty lines to download the right lines for free. Seeing we already paid for it…

That’s it for now. I’ll go and use my Wii fit again. It’s been too long and I could use the exercise. Yeah, that’s right. I have both the Wii and the PS3 (and also a PS2 and PSP and George’s got a DS).

TTFN,
Cynni xxx

Make every whisper turn into a scream…

…I wish I could fly… © Roxette

Today was another long day at work, from 7:30 till 17 (again!). Work went kind OK though, but the hours seemed to go way to slow. Around 15:30, I felt really hot and dizzy and not a bit nauseated. And because of this, I started to get a headache as well. But I held on till 17 and then quickly went home. I ate some dry bread (roasted) with bouillon and now I am here, posting.

I’d like to thank all my dear friends who have been supporting me the last few days! Thanks everyone, it really helps to know I got you to fall back on to when the going gets though.

I am a bit too tired to write a whole, long post. And I don’t have a lot of interesting stuff to tell. Only that, if Joyce succeeds this Friday morning in getting the tickets, she and Steph and I will see Rammstein live in Arnhem, on December 6th. I am really hoping she can log in in time to get 3 tickets. I just want seats though, no boots against my head! Haha!

Some good news though, before I go ahead and post this blog already: I will pack my suitcase in a few minutes…

Much love and many hugs, will keep you updated!
TTFN, Cynni xxx

Here it comes...

...here comes the promised video! Enjoy!

The © is owned by Roxette, EMI Music & MTV Unplugged.

If we changed it back again…

Things will never be the same

This is an un-official video, but the editing is just SO good that I wanted to share it with you on my blog.

First I’d like to thank my dear blog readers (& commenter's) on their sweet comments. I am still feeling unsure about what to do. And the silly thing is, that I really expected someone to comment like: you are insane if you are not going on vacation… But they is just the opposite off it all. And that makes me wonder… Even more than I already was wondering.I really do wish to go and I think I really deserve it (and yeah, I’ve paid for it already as well) but on the other hand, I am scared that my mood will f*ck up the holiday spirit for George and Joyce. I am afraid that because of my low self esteem lately, I will feel bad and because of that ruin there well earned days of sun, sea and delicious drinks. I am still in doubt and it feels weird. Even though I really wish to go, I also am afraid to go and mess things up. I know I am repeating myself but it is the thing that keeps my thoughts occupied these days, hours and minutes. I wish to have fun and relax and enjoy myself. I wish to feel better about myself again.

But the thing is: today I had my last physic therapy and I already told my boss (and wrote a note) in May. And soon I will have a day off before my vacation will start, to arrange everything and all. And today, he planned me the whole day and that extra day was planned in as well. I am not sure if he did it on purpose or not, but it did make me feel bad again. Like he’s teasing me, testing me how far I am willing to undergo and take it. As stated before, if he wants me off, he has to fire me… This is just one thing that makes me feel oh so insecure about myself. Makes me wonder if the work I do is appreciated and worthy. I know I do not earn as much as Joyce and I will never be able to earn as much as George. And I was used to the idea of him making more money and all, but the idea that someone 7 years younger with lesser experience earns the same (or even more) as I do now… It also adds to the wondering on how worthy I am. Seeing in the end of this month, I will work at my current location for 8 years already. And I know I have been absent for several whiles, but when I felt up to it, I always went to work. I even worked half days till about a week before my last surgery. And still I am told that I cost the company a lot of money… Other people would have called in sick 100% a long time before I have and I did my best. And I was also told that the last few weeks before that surgery, I was working “less fast” than was wanted. Yeah well, working on “tramadol” (painkillers) is still hard work, even if you don’t feel your pains and aches 100%… When I got that comment, I really had to hold back my tears, seeing I gave all I could when I could and still it clearly wasn’t enough.

So all that together, and with an extra added bad night’s rest (due to discomfort/muscle aches and nightmares) and a really low self image to begin with… Really made me feel like I did not matter. Like I just have to live to work and not work to be able to live. And when I had some time off from work, I would often spend it helping out George or Joyce (or both) with house chores. So no rest for my body as well. But if I would not help them, I would feel like I let them do all the hard work and I really want to do my part as well.

So now I am still in doubt about many things. Even though I have to admit I was really happy and excited when Steve opened up his prezzie during the voice chat with us and some dear other friends.

FINALLY I am able to post these pictures on my blog!!!

This surely made me very happy, but it also felt surreal. I am not sure if I can explain it, but I knew it would make Steve a very happy birthday boy *winks* and still I wished I would have been able to see his surprised expressions when he would pick the shirt out of the box and find out that it’s signed… And it was quite hard NOT to mention this “signing event” on my blog or board, because if he would real it anywhere, it would definitely spoil the surprise. Ah well, I am totally *yay* that it arrived safely and will now be framed as well *smiles*.

Usually, my working hours on Tuesday used to be from 8 till 17. Recently, as in the last 3 weeks, my boss has called me every Monday afternoon (at work or at home) to tell me that I have to start at 7:30.. *yay*… As said, I usually did not mind to work, but with all the real appreciation that has been shown, I really have to drag myself out of bed…

And now I am becoming so tired that I make errors in every 5 words I try to write, so I will upload this post and then get ready for a painful massage and then to go to bed.

TTFN,
Cynni

Going down, down, down…

Even though I have had the privilege of doing many fun things lately, and you have read about it here, please do keep in mind that I am catching up from over a year of not being able to do those things.

Lately I still have been feeling like I’m on a one way train, going down, down, down…

I know I am not alone, but at times I do feel like it anyway. Or I feel like I want to be alone, or left alone even. Just want to rethink stuff that’s been happening in my life lately. Stuff that I could not avoid and had to go through and deal with. Stuff I could not turn my back to, even if I begged for it, and stuff that always had a painful side to it. I guess my friends and blog-readers kinda know what “stuff” I am and/or can be referring to. To others, maybe new to this blog, I would advise to sit back and just check out the previous posts I have made.

But lately work is shitty. I had a deal with my boss about building up hours to get me and my body adjusted to it. And also that if I was planned to work a whole day, but it would be possible to leave a bit earlier, that I would be the one to go. But well, instead of going from half days work to 3/4 days and then full days, he just put me in for full days within a week of making this “deal” about building up my hours. And, as I wrote about before, at times I have to work because “…” (a reason) and then there are always others that are allowed to go home, even though I am still around. And last Friday, he planned me for half a day. The roster said that after my appointment with the health inspector, I had the afternoon off. So, guess what…?! YEAH! I had to get back!!!! And not for a few hours, nope, for the whole rest of the day!!!
And during the talk with that health doc, who was 30 minutes late!!!, I got the feeling he already mailed the letter he wanted to write about this appointment. Seeing he did not listen to any of my complaints and/or body troubles. When I told him that I felt like I was living to work instead of working to have a life, he said that “if I could work all these hours, I was declared 100% OK to work full days again”. That was after I told him about my ankles and back aches, my headaches and the fact that it was all too much! That I even worked around 8,5 hours a day, 4 of the 5 days a week. And all he mentioned then was “that he would advise my boss not to let me work more than 40 hours, like my contract said I had to work”. Yeah, that will help.
So when I went back to work after that conversation, well, him babbling and not listening to anything I said, I was pissed and mad and I have been feeling down and depressed ever since. Even people at work think he’s playing me so I will quit working there. But nope, that isn’t happening. I want my full benefits when I quit work and the only way to get those, is to be fired. So well… I will do my best for the customers, seeing they do deserve it (well most of then anyway). But furthermore, I am taking things easy. Why should I feel like I am dead when I get home from work, only to work my @$$ off again next day and feel shitty again when coming home??? It’s a circle I do not want to stay in, that’s for sure.

And I’ve just had it with about anything. I am not even excited or looking forward to that planned vacation and I really meant it when I wrote earlier that I would not mind to stay home alone with Chance. I just feel like I need “me-time”. Time to spend alone, being able to think things over, think my life over.

I will send this “update” to my blog soon and then head over to the couch downstairs and hopefully be able to watch some telly or a DVD.

Take care everyone!
TTFN, Cynni xxx

Per Gessle’s Party Crasher - part 2

FINALLY!!!

Here it is everyone! The long awaited second part of my report on Per Gessle’s “Party Crasher” gig in Amsterdam, May 6th 2009.

Opportunity Nox - audio dubbed extract

This is the video I promised you in my first part of the post. The extraction of “Opportunity Nox”, with the new audio, provided by DutchTaper.

After this song, Per went on with one of his new solo songs: “Doesn’t make sense”.

Doesn't make sense - audio dubbed whole song

Per & Christopher jamming at the end of the song.

i got my honey bunny
she’s wearin’ me out
she’s so good to me
oooh makes me wanna shout
i try to figure it out
night after night
what she sees in me
what i’m doin’ all right
ooh ooh ooh wee
there’s nowhere else i’d rather be
but it doesn’t make sense to me

After “Doesn’t make sense” Per went back to the old Roxing time with “Church of your heart”.

You pack your bag
you take control
you're moving into my heart and into my soul
Get out of my way!
get out of my sight!
I won't be walking on thin ice
to get through the night
Hey, where's your work?
what's your game?
I know your business but I don't know your name...
Hold on tight
you know she a little bit dangerous
she's got what it takes to make ends meet
the eyes of a lover that hit like heat
you know she's a little bit dangerous

Then Per kept on playing Roxette songs, continuing with "Joyride". The crowd was getting more excited with every Roxette song, because everyone knew that the lovely Mrs. Fredriksson would soon join him on stage. And every Roxette song was a new possibility for him to announce us that she’d be coming up.

But first: c’mon on join the Joyride everybody!!!

Joyride - audiodubbed - whole song

And it all begins where it ends
and she's all mine my magic friend.
She says: Hello you fool I love you
C'mon join the joyride
Join the joyride
She's a flower I can paint her
she's a child of the sun
we're part of this together
could never turn around and run

After “Joyride” we went back to Mister Gessle’s solo work: “C’mon”. To be followed up with “Are you an old hippie, Sir?” from his “Son of a Plumber” album.

Since Per had thrown one of his plectrums my/our way and that German @#$%$#@ had taken it (with help of the unknowing security dude), I “made a plan”. I took out an envelope and wrote a message to Per on it. I gave Joyce the camera after filming “Joyride”, so I could hold up the envelope and she could make some pictures with my camera (her batteries were almost empty).

And I saw Helena reading it while she was singing during “C’mon”. After that song, she went in the direction of Pelle Alsing’s drumkit, placed her tambourine and grabbed something. Then she came up front and threw 2 Party Crasher plectrums into the audience, once directly in my cap!!! I was sooooo freaking happy!!! So I turned the envelope and added another message.

I held it up during “Are you an old hippie, Sir?”. And Helena read that message as well, giving my a HUGE smile and a double thumbs up! She really made my evening even better than it already was! AGAIN: Thank you Helena!!!

And then, Per announced that he had brought a good friend along for this evening. Of course, all of us went totally and immensely INSANE with joy! Since, whom other could that good friend be, other than our Marie Fredriksson??? And YES! There she was! Ow what an evening to NEVER forget again! After all these years and Marie’s battle against cancer, there she was again. She appeared very fragile and it was very emotional. Per had some tears on his cheeks, as did many in the audience and on the balcony… And with all those camera’s up in the air, Per joked “hope you didn’t forget to bring your camera”.

They kicked off with “It must have been love”.

Per & Marie, together again! - audiodubbed - whole song.

At one point, Marie made a mistake with the lyrics. I did not know if it was due to that being a high and powerful vocal part, so she might not be able to achieve that yet… Or if it was due to all the emotions. Marie has changed lyrics during gigs before… But if it is not due to the emotional part of the song, then I guess the long and strong vocals were just too much for her at the time… I guess you might be able to hear it when you watch the video. I really must admit that I loved the part where Helena and Marie “na na na-ed” together. Their voices sound really good together, or so I think.

After this quite emotional song, Per and Marie decided to kick in with a more powerful song: “The Look”. Per asked the audience”: “do you want another one"?” and when we went wild, Christopher already kicked in with his guitar intro but… Per and Marie were still enjoying a short chat. So he quit, looked up at Per who told him to “go ahead”, and Christopher kicked in again. During the song, many people pointed at Marie when singing that “she’s got the look”… Which was always like that, as far as I can remember. But this evening, it felt like it had a deeper meaning to it all.

Marie's still got "The Look" - audiodubbed - whole song

She's got the look
she's got the look
what in the world can make a brown-eyed girl turn blue
when everything I'll ever do
I'll do for you and I go
la la la la la
she's got the look
Fire in the ice
naked to the t-bone
is a lover's disguise
banging on the head drum
shaking like a mad bull
she's got the look
Swaying to the band
moving like a hammer
she's a miracle man
loving is the ocean
kissing is the wet sand
she's got the look
And she goes: na na na na na na na na

We were definitely the MOST lucky people in the world at that moment, standing in front of Per and Marie, together on stage again after 7 years... So special, they really gave us a night to remember forever!

This really was just amazing… And it was sad to see Marie leave the stage, but my old Roxette heart was pounding and beating heavily again. I am really happy that Marie had enough strength and will to survive all she’s been through and come back like this! Amazing!!! I keep repeating myself with calling this all amazing. But I guess that true Roxers know this feeling all to well. Especially the ones who were present.

After “The Look” Marie thanked us all, telling us “you were amazing, like always” before giving us her goodbye.

We were all standing full of emotions when Marie, Per and the rest of the band left the stage and instead of yelling "Gessle" like we did before, the old "Roxette" chanting was alive again! Just listening to the audio tracks of this evening still gives me geese bumps over and over... And Thank you, DutchTaper Joost, for that! I guess I just can't thank you enough for your recording.

Then the band came back, leaving an exhausted Marie behind in the dressing room (I guess). They were back for the last part of the evening, 4 more songs to go. After Per & Marie’s performance, I did not film anymore, only took some pictures. But there are a few videos of the songs if you search for them on YouTube™. You already know the titles from my “part one” of my gig report or just read on in this post.

First they sang the beautiful ballad “Hey Mr DJ”, a song in which Helena has a lead vocal.

it could happen to anyone
anyone, to anyone
wakin’ up around the corner of a dream
gaze with one eye
yearn to fly
an endless high
a butterfly
realize it’s hardly how it seems
hey mr dj won’t you play another love song
no more talkin’ if you please
hey mr dj won’t you play another love song
for my baby and me

After this song, Per got back to the 80's sound, with a cover of "I'm not your steppin' stone". This song is from one of his old time favorite, from when he started to collect records.

I-I-I-I-I'm not your steppin' stone
I-I-I-I-I'm not your steppin' stone
You're trying to make your mark in society,
You're using all the tricks that you used on me,
You're reading all them high-fashion magazines,
The clothes you're wearing, girl,
they're causing public scenes.
I said, I-I-I-I-I'm not your steppin' stone
I-I-I-I-I'm not your steppin' stone (No!)

Then we went back to 1994, Crash! Boom! Bang! record, with "Sleeping in my car". During their 1994-1995 C!B!B! world tour, this was their opening song (after the "Mission Impossible" intro).

The moon is alright
the freeway's heading south
my heart is going Boom!
there's a strange taste in my mouth
baby babe - I'm moving real fast
so try to hold on
try to hold on!
Sleeping in my car - I will undress you
sleeping in my car - I will caress you
staying in the back seat of my car making up

Per joked after this song that they couldn’t stop. Which, of course, meant that the end was near. The end of a fabulous evening. Getting a guitar plectrum, used by Per, from Helena. Seeing Marie on stage after all she’s been through… This really was a night to remember. And for Joyce, this was a hell of a first concert to be at! She was really very lucky, just like all the other guests of course, to be there that night.

And then, Per started the last song of this evening. A song that is normally sung by Marie, but I must admit, this version of “Queen of rain” was quite lovely as well.

And then the band made their final bows, waves and smiles before leaving the stage...

After the "troubles" of getting a Per Gessle guitar plectrum, I got another one when they were cleaning up the stage floor. This one, I gave to Eva. What use would 2 plectrums be and I knew that she would appreciate it a whole lot. Which of course means a lot to me as well.

We heard from several people that Per and some of the band members usually came out after the show for some meet & greeting. Of course, we were very, very, very much interested. We just needed to be in time at the train station though, otherwise we'd miss the last train and that would mean leaving Amsterdam by train on the first one of the morning, a bit after 4am. Seeing I had to work the next day, that would not be too wise. So we were on the clock.

But after a while, some of the band members were walking through the small arena and I grabbed my "Party Crasher" CD to get it signed. I only forgot to ask if any could add my name. I was too excited after seeing Marie live, too exhausted from standing all day and frankly, I just forgot about it. Just like I almost forgot it when I met Per and Marie for the first (and only real) time, in Munchen, Germany. That was back in 2001, during the Room Service tour though... I quickly went back to Per & Marie's table when we were supposed to leave the meet & greet room and asked Per to add my name, which he did with a huge smile. Marie did write "Roxette" on my cast that they signed... Like I did not know, haha!

Standing left to Per, his hand on my shoulder, back in 2001…

But back to the meet & greets in Amsterdam. First we bumped into Chirstopher.

I even got his beer haha! But I did give it back afterwards

Then we went over to Eva, who was already flirting with our lovely Mister Alsing, Pelle. So we were happy to chat with him for a while, get a signature and picture as well. *yay*

He's still a real Roxer accoring to... me

Then we saw the Roxing band member since 1986, mister Öfwerman, Clarence. Without his golden fez though. He was chatting with bass player Magnus, who left us to chat with some other fans. This time, I got Joyce to join in for a picture as well.

And then we went in line for mister Gessle himself, who had taken a seat at a table near the merchandise and was already signing away. While in line, I chatted with Åsa for a while (Per's wife) who was standing nearby. I asked hew how the shopping in Amsterdam went. She said it was very nice and she was back after only 30 minutes. I replied that 30 minutes must be a new speedy shopping record for Amsterdam, which made her laugh. I then asked if she had enjoyed the evening, which she did. Then we had to move on to Per and she got a call, so we said a goodbye and went on with our own business.

First Per signed Eva's DVD booklet and then my CD. I am the only one really visible on the pictures that Iwan made (though on some you can still see Åsa standing in the back and you can see the backpack Joyce is wearing). Due to several reasons, I need to post a part 3 of this meeting with Per, but that will have to wait for a while, I can't explain (am I making you curious???) now but will do so in that part 3 I just promised you all! After this small meet & greet with Per, we all headed towards the metro to take us to the central train station.

Per, Helena, Christopher, Clarence, Pelle, Magnus and of course Marie:
THANKS FOR THIS AMAZING EVENING!!!

She says bye, bye bye... Goodbye…