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Ilia 'Concert in Saint-Petersburg' (Russia)  |
Sorry for my English, as I was translating from Russian word after word,
so... Translated from Russian, with some corrections, which even couldn't be
translated because of the specific of Russian language.
It happened on November 9, 2001. In Petersburg it was a heavy snowfall that
night. The weather seemed to be like the X-mas one and I complained to my friend
Masha (Maria), with whom I was going to the concert, I've got tired of all of
this (meaning the weather), but the upcoming show seemed to be a kick-ass one!
When we came to the "Prospect Bol'shevikov" metro station, it were a lot of
people inside, but when we came out, it were 10 times more people there under
the sky! All the shops around to sell the music CDs were playing Roxette on air.
The loudest were "The Look" and "Wish I Could Fly". All were going in one
direction - to the big new building, made of glass. So, we're inside. After we
took off our clothes, Masha saw a small table, surrounded by the poeple. When we
came closer, we saw 2 men, selling some Roxette stuff - T-shirts, posters, CDs
and so on. Both me and Maria decided to buy a big red poster (in Russian -
afisha), announcing the conce! rt (as I was having only one, the famous blue
poster, at home). Each of us paid 50 roubles ($ 1,70) and we asked to keep the
posters for we could take them after the show, as we had our tickets in the
dance parter and it wouldn't be so interesting to dance there with the big
poster in the hands. Then we went downstair and ran to the dance-parter. But at
the entrance we were to give our tickets to a controller. I don't know why have
they done this, but I thought of showing my ticket to my grandsons, saying: "You
see, my grandson! I've been to Roxette's show in Petersburg!" :). At last we're
in! One more hour to wait. During this time, as were staying right near the
stage, some poeple were walikng by us - some swedens, photographers, local
securities and so on. The very concert started near 19:35. By this time, the New
Ice Palace Arena was full of people. It seems, it was no free chair to sit and
no free place even to put your leg. Gessle and Fredriksson ran out to the stage
s! creaming and aplausing. The first song was "Crush On You". Everyone, EVERYONE
began scream of joy and sing the well-known lyrics with Per and Marie! Everyone
knew all the lyrics by heart! From the first chords on the big TV, made behind
the stage it were some shows from videos. After the second somg, when they made
10 seconds break, I noticed Per (beeing real surprised of what was going on with
the public) looked at Marie with the big big eyes, saying - you only look at
that! So many people and they are screaming and they know all the lyrics, they
realy love us, isn't it cool?! Marie, shaked her head and smiled, saying yeah,
they are great! and the show continued. As in Moscow, in Petersburg Roxette
performed 24 songs. The very show lasted 2 hours and some minutes. Gessle and
Fredriksson said "Good-bye" to the public twice, during the concert, but
returned and played more. After the first "Good night" Marie came out alone and
played "Little Girl" on piano with the only light! near her. Ater she finished
playing she switched of the light and everyone began screaming: "Roxette! We
want you so much! Come back!". And then all the band returned and they played
3-4 more songs, including "Crash! Boom! Bang!", "You Don't Understand Me" and "Church
Of Your Heart". The last song was played only by Per (acoustic guitar) and Marie
(vocals). By the end of the show Per looked tired, and from joy, even not
expected such a warm welcome, through his towel to the public. During the show
it were some interesting tips big big balls in the dance-parter during "Joyride"
and confetti (small papers, blown by a ventilator).
When they played "Joyride", I rised up my hand, make such a sign with the
fingers and began shaking it like a Metallica fan or something. The "lead
guitar" Jonas Isacsson, who was standing 1 meter far from me and Christoffer
Lundquist who came to Jonas at that moment - so they both saw me, shaked their
heads and smiled to me, saying "yeah, let's join the Joyride! Let's rock 'em all!".
To tell the truth, Jonas was, in spite of Marie and Per, much more friendly to
the public and smiled and talked to the fans on every screaming or sign to him
personally and to Roxette. It was so nice of his.
Marie was talking only in English to the public, not using popular and foolish "Privet,
Petersburg! Spasibo! and Do zvidania.". But I want to note, that after the 3d
song she told us: "Hellow, Saint-Petersburg! It's so nice to be here! We love
you all!". The only word she told us in Russian was "Spasibo" ("Thank you"),
which she, while beeing a Swedish, was saying it as "spasibu", as it must be
read as "spasiba". Interesting fact: before leaving the stage, and wanting to
thank the public again, Marie, having forgotten the russian word, looked at her
left hand, thought in a while and then screamed into the microphone: "Spasibooooooo!",
after which, as always cute, smiled and waved her hand.
Just like at the other Roxette concerts everyone was singing the songs with
Marie and Per. Everyone was so happy, that even when Marie asked "…well, if you
know the lyrics, please, sing alone…" a lot of people ignored her and performed
the fave tracks with Roxette (For example - "In Must Have Been Love" ? "Listen
To Your Heart").
By the end of the show they showed a big prescription on the big TV behind the
stage: "Do what you want, but harm no one".
Gessle and Fredriksson liked the show very-very much. They thanked the public
after each song and they were so happy of such a warm welcome. And I thing if
they will come to Russia again, they no doubt will perform at Petersburg! :)
After the concert me and Masha took our posters and every one was coming to u,
asking where we have got such a posters, but we told everyone they are sold.
At the metro station musoc shops were playing "Make My Head Go Pop". I began to
sing it, and some people heard me and began singing it too, but when we entered
the metro, we didn't hear the music any more and I kept silence.
And during this time kind Jonas was packing his guitar, Marie was puting on the
clothes to young Oscar-Mikael and Gessle was thinking of coming to Russia again.
The warmest welcome to the fave band - from Russia with love!
And this is the concert's track-list:
1. Crush on you
2. Sleeping in my car
3. Real sugar
4. Waiting for the rain
5. Dangerous
6. Listen to your heart
7. The Look
8. The center of the heart
9. Joyride
10. Dressed for success
11. Fading like a flower
12. Hotblooded
13. Wish I could fly
14. The big L.
15. Stars
16. It must have been love
17. Spending my time
18. Little Girl
19. Anyone
20. Milk and toast and honey
21. Crash! Boom! Bang!
22. You don't understand me
23. Queen of rain
24. Church of your heart (acoustic version)
Ilia, aka Junkie.
http://roxette-house.da.ru For any comments, questions or suggestions e-mail
me to: roxhouse@hotmail.com |
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