Roxette will be playing live on stage in the USA for the first time since their Joyride world tour in the early 90s. The band will be one of the featured artists in MixFest, an outdoor festival in Suffolk Downs, Boston, scheduled for September 23.

Other artists in the line-up include the Barenaked Ladies, Tracy Chapman, the Goo-Goo Dolls, Macy Gray, the Corrs and Fastball.
Tickets are being sold for $35 dollars through Ticketmaster.

• MIX 98.5 - Mix Fest
• Boston Herald article

Simon Gledhill, a fan of Marie also known as simes or essjaygee, has dedicated a site to Marie’s summer tour. He attended at four of Marie’s concerts and has now published pictures and a diary from his trip, “to share the enjoyment of the Marie Äntligen tour”. The site will still be updated, because he’s soon leaving to Sweden third time this summer to see Marie on stage in her last concert in Uppsala.

• www.mariefredriksson.co.uk

Judith, the originator of the highly successful petition for asking Marie to go on tour, has published a message from Marie. In her message, Marie thanks all her fans on the Internet for their support. You can see the original message on Judith’s web site.

• Marie’s message to her fans

“Soaking up the summer with Marie Fredriksson” says the front cover of June-July issue of Blue Wings, Finnair’s in-flight magazine. The magazine contains a 3-page interview with Marie, including some very nice pictures from the shooting of “Anyone” and some more recent pictures, one of them right there on the front cover.

The article is about Marie’s summer tour, but it also covers some bits of her past. They mention that “the Internet has been buzzing with requests for her to get back on stage” and that “it was strong pressure from fans that finally got her back on tour”.

Marie is described as a strong performer. “Otherwise quiet and reserved, and even serious, according to some, she undergoes a personality change on stage, where she’s in her element. You can see she’s brimming with confidence, and obviously enjoys the adulation received by a born performer.”

But Marie hasn’t always been high on self-confidence. “I was 30 when we were an international success. Of course, it was fantastic, but, at the same time, I had an empty feeling inside. A difficult time in my life,” Marie tells. Everything changed when Marie met her husband-to-be Mikael Bolyos and had her first child. Her life settled into a better balance. “The basis for marriage is a good relationship. That’s what I have. I’m very lucky to have such a good husband,” Marie says.

We’ve received some unconfirmed tidbits about Marie’s tour.

Marie herself has said that Patrik Isaksson will be special guest star in Stockholm concert next week.

TV4’s tour documentary will be either 35 or 60 minutes (as reported by 2 different cameramen). They have shot footage in Halmstad and Varberg and will shoot some more in the Stockholm. (Thanks Simon!)

Edel America (EAR) is considering commissioning yet another remix of Wish I Could Fly, looking for an even more “updated” sound than that of the Todd Terry or Stonebridge remixes. Should EAR go ahead with such plans, the record would be released to “dance” format radio stations and club DJs. It could also possibly be included on a U.S. commercial (retail) version of the single, should the song continue to do extremely well on radio and make it onto the Billboard Hot 100 list.

Over 65 radio stations in the U.S. have added WICF to their playlists in the first week, and a fan-based “Roxattaq” is underway at www.roxette.net.

• Roxattaq USA

Whether as a DVD or videotape or both, there are plans to release a recording of the upcoming Stockholm concert of Marie’s “Äntligen” tour.

In a conversation with fans after the Malmö concert, Judith Seuma reports that Marie said there will be a video crew recording the Stockholm concert on the 10th. She said it will “cost a fortune” to produce, but that she was really proud to do this and that fan requests once again helped convince her. “You’ve gotta have a memory of this tour” she said.

A recent issue of Billboard Magazine had an absolutely raving review of “Wish I Could Fly”.

Swedish duo Roxette scored nine top 40 hits during its U.S. heyday in the early ’90s, including four No. 1 songs (remember “The Look” and “It Must Have Been Love”?). But what many don’t realize is that after EMI stopped promoting the band here, it continued to thrive overseas, maintaining a level of depth and soulfulness that far exceed what we call pop music on these shores. Thankfully, Marie Fredriksson and Per Gessle have been signed to Edel America, with a greatest-hits album heading this way Sept. 26. The first release—the most-played single across Europe last year, according to Edel—is an extraordinary ballad with all the juice of previous winners like “Spending My Time” and “Listen to Your Heart.” Like those titles, “Fly” begins wistfully, then builds methodically with elegant aplomb, never crossing the line into melodrama. Foremost is its rich, melodic palette, the ever-potent vocals of the astounding Fredriksson, and the song’s production, always one of Roxette’s strongs suits. “I Wish I Could Fly” is truly a magnificent anthem, the kind of song that possesses such personality, it will etch the times of listeners’ lives. An ecstatic moment for top 40 and its mainstream sisters. Don’t overthink it; just add it.

This review is not in Billboard’s online edition.

• Billboard Online

“Jag väntar vid Picasso, kom och möt mig om en stund,” (“I’ll wait by Picasso, come and meet me in a while”) sings Per in the song “Småstad”. “Picasso” is the nickname for a sculpture, “Woman’s head”, by Pablo Picasso, located in a park in the center of Halmstad.

Stig Nordström, an art lover from Halmstad, was the person who first proposed acquiring an artwork from Picasso in the early 1970s. Luckily, he also had contacts to people who knew Picasso. After long hesitation, the town officials decided to finance the project.

Many people were against purchasing the sculpture. It cost 230,000 SEK and people didn’t understand why one should pay so much for a piece of concrete. For the sake of comparison, a brand new Audi 100 at the time cost 21,000 SEK.

“Woman’s head” was unveiled on April 28, 1971. Picasso was not present.

• Hallandsposten’s Swedish article

Hitmakers Online (see the previous article) lists comments of Music Directors and Program Directors of American radio stations on the new releases. Many of them mention Roxette’s brand new US single, “Wish I Could Fly”. Here are the best bits:

• Rick Vaughn, APD, KHTS, San Diego:
  
  “Don’t think this one’s just a novelty, spend some time with it.”

• Jim Allen, APD, KRSK, Portland:
  
  “This could be a surprise hit in our format!”

• Ted Striker, PD, WILN, Panama City:
  
  “I heard this at the Conclave and I love it. It’s got a cool, moody sound and the video is provacative and really cool. I’ll be one of the people to get this record rockin’!”

• Beau Derek, MD, WNDV, South Bend:
  
  “We tested this and it did very well.”

• Jeff ’Hitman’ Dewitt, MD, KIXY, San Angelo:
  
  “Great upper-demo record! It’s perfect for your middays.”

• Brent Ackerman, PD, KROC, Rochester, MN:
  
  “I really think this sounds like Roxette at their peak. It’s got a great retro feel to it.”

• J. Love, MD, Q95, Detroit:
  
  “I’m vibing it!”

• Kevin Palana, PD/MD, WQGN, New London:
  
  “This is surprisingly better than what I thought it was going to sound like.”

• Tommy Bo Dean, MD, WZEE, Madison:
  
  “There’s definitely something to this.”

• Bruce Wayne, Interim PD/MD, WMC-FM, Memphis
  
  “Great f#%king record!”
  

The remixes of “Wish I Could Fly” also gets very positive feedback:

• Mark Perry, MD, KSMB, Lafayette:
  
  “The Dance remix is out of this world! It will probably be a hit in the clubs, in our area at least.”

• Mark Perry, MD, KSMB, Lafayette:
  
  “This is a good song. Check out the club mix.”

• Krash Kelly, MD, KSMB, Lafayette:
  
  “Check out the remix. It should be the single.”
  

• Hitmakers Online