Roxette – Live at Wembley Arena

Roxette prove they still have the look and sound, as they make awesome return to Wembley.

One of the best musical surprises of 2025 was saved for the end of the year, with the return of Roxette to UK arenas.

The Swedish pop rock phenomenon rose to fame in the late 80s with guitarist/singer Per Gessle and singer Marie Fredriksson and their ability to write incredibly catchy and passionate songs. They spent most of the subsequent decade topping charts around the world, touring and soundtracking films like Pretty Woman with number 1s. Things only ground to a halt in the last decade. After the tragic loss of Marie Fredriksson to cancer in 2019, the band was put on hiatus and the future was uncertain.

The good news came last year when it was announced that Roxette would be carrying on with new singer Lena Philipsson and paying tribute to Fredriksson and keeping their wonderful songbook alive.

As the lights go down on a packed Wembley Arena at the shockingly early start time of 19.45, Roxette burst out to a truly joyous reception. They launch right into The Big L before the superb Sleeping In My Car. Next is the pop rock get up and dance anthem Dressed For Success. The band sounds so tight, you would never think that they recently came off hiatus. The touring band (guitarist Christoffer Lundquist, bassist Magnus Börjeson, drummer Magnus “Norpan” Eriksson, backing vocalist Dea Norberg, keyboardist Clarence Öfwerman, and guitarist Jonas Isacsson) bring their own energy to the stage and these classic songs too. This isn’t just a band of touring musicians covering old material, it’s a band firing on all cylinders.

Per Gessle’s voice has barely changed in 30 years and Lena Philipsson is a superb singer. She is the perfect singing partner for Per. She is hitting all the right notes and paying beautiful tribute to her late friend Marie, without ever copying her. Listening to them sing the ballads Fading Like A Flower and the upbeat rockers like How Do You Do, its clear they have the energy and skill to keep these songs alive.

A particularly touching moment is during It Must Have Been Love, where the band pauses to let the crowd sing the chorus. Every voice in Wembley Arena responds and carries the tune in a touching tribute to Marie Fredriksson. Roxette’s music clearly still holds a special place in the hearts of fans young and old.

The encore begins with the gentle Spending My Time, before the mega hits Listen To Your Heart and Joyride. The final song is the moody and beautiful Queen Of Rain. Roxette’s set of 1 hour 40 feels like it flew by in 30 minutes. With a gracias bow and Per wishing the crowd a happy holiday season, they’re gone.

We can only hope that this is the not the end, but rather the start of yet another chapter in the history of Roxette. There is too much love for the band to call it a day just yet and, if tonight’s gig is anything to go by, the feeling from the band is mutual.