ALCAZAR - Reveal they will Take a break! with a farewell gig

During Stockholm Pride 2011- Alcazar will do a farewell gig at the gay Festival. At least for a while -this news was revealed in QX. The disco-defenders will now pursue other projects. The reason for this break is that the group feel they are stuck in a rut. It was revealed in the recent interview.
- 'Right now it feels like we are at a standstill' says Tess to QX Magazine. (read interview here)

Alcazar +Magnus Carlsson.

Alcazar was formed in 1998 and was a trio consisting of Andreas Lundstedt, Tess Merkel and Annikiafiore. Then in 2002 Magnus Carlsson joined the band in 2003 and debuted in Melodifestivalen with Not a Sinner, Nor A Saint, which became a big hit. Then they repeated great success in Melodifestivalen 2005 with poptastic tune- Alcastar which went on to be another massive summer hit. The foursome took a break at this stage, and then both Magnus and Annika left the group- it did look like it was all over at this time as well. Then suddenly Lina Hedlund joined the band in 2009 -the new 'Alcazar' was born of Andreas, Tess & Lina they sung a new tune Stay The Night, which finished 5th at Melodifestivalen, with the tune that many consider the Alcazar's greatest Melodifestivalen entry - This tune certainly looked & sounded set for Eurovision glory back in 2009.

Currently the band's leader Andreas Lundstedt is set to appear in musical 'Legally Blonde' and Lina & Tess have their own solo commitments to go on with.

Let's hope its still not really the end of Alcazar ....

Top 50 Singles of 2010: 30-26

30. Marina & The Diamonds - Hollywood



Her calling card in a year full of great Marina singles. This was the song that finally convinced me that she was worth a listen. So glad it did.

29. Alcazar - Headlines



Their second Melodifestivalen entry in as many years, this string-laden disco track was unfairly shut out from the finals. Pity, as it’s one of their best.

28. Katy Perry - Firework



More anthemic and touching than I thought Katy Perry could be. Loved this as an album track, but as soon as I saw the video I knew this would be one of her biggest hits.

27. Take That - The Flood



Honestly, as much as I liked their singles in the past, this was the first time Take That became required listening for me. The grandest song on the list.

26. Carpark North - Burn It




I never thought they’d be able to match the quality of 2006’s Human, but with this gargantuan greatest hits single they came back in perfect form.

Annikafiore - Forbidden Love Video

Remember Alcazar's Annikafiore,

she has now gone solo recently and she has a thumping new

track that has been choosen by the danes as

OFFICIAL SONG of COPENHAGEN PRIDE 2010

..and the video well it's really something els!!

If you like this track before 23/80/2010 you can download it free

here- be quick

Alcazar - Glamourama

"I can see your glamourama shining bright"

Consider this post a tribute to the band that should have been in the Melodifestivalen final this Saturday. Headlines is still one of my favorites from this year, but Alcazar have been creating top-class pop music for years now. The fittingly-titled Glamourama is a little-known track from 2005, relegated to b-side status. However, it's one of the group's most aggressive grooves, built on a looped guitar that adds an incredible sense of urgency to the mix. The group is pure camp, but know how to deliver it in a mainstream way tailor made for the dancefloor. This, with an energy somewhat remeniscent of Alphabeat's excellent Touch Me, Touching You, is not something you can sit down and drink tea to. In fact, sitting down at all is pretty much impossible. The final third, when the beat drops out then slowly builds back for what seems like forever, is simply epic. The lyrics are pure cheese, but they're not important. It's all about the production, here. Consider this one for the club kids. Play it loud.

Alcazar - Glamourama  by  alienhits

(Music posted for evaluation purposes only. If you like what you hear, support the artists. Buy their most recent album here. Follow me on twitter and facebook.

Alcazar's Rehearsal chat- & preview the Moves for 'HeadLines'

Hey look, Tess has got Peter Joback's Glasses on !!

They are Back in 2010 -ALCAZAR with the song 'Headlines'

Yes, last year ALCAZAR brought us one of the biggest Melodifestivalen

Hits 'Stay the Night'

so it was wonderful news to find them back 2 years running.

Here are some of the first rehearsals from Goteburg, ready for satuday's

Semi Final 3 which promises to be

one of the best. From some svenska reports on first hearing the song

'Headlines' is this year- less disco more hard dance-sound, not unlike an updated

'Love in Stereo' from Mf 2007 - This must be a hot contender to go Direct to Globen.

Yet they are up against Darin (joker) Elin Lanto & Johannes Bah Kuhnke.

BONUS he is a fun Tv Parody of 'Stay The Night' calling themselves

Diamond Dogs- very funny

Top 50 Singles of 2009: 5-1

5. Dyno - Don’t Speak Love



My favorite new indie group of the year, this song was seemingly written using a template of everything that I love. A stunning example of why Swedish pop is so unbeatable.

4. Lady Gaga - Poker Face



Her official, world-conquering arrival. For that alone, it’s worth noting. But that’s forgetting the sheer brilliance of the song.

3. The Galvatrons - Cassandra



The track where I can safely use the “synths from Van Halen’s Jump” comparison. That, by the way, is pretty much the highest praise in the world.

2. Alcazar - Stay The Night



Never liked them too much before, but this song single-handedly changed that. This will sound as fresh and joyous twenty years from now as it does today.

1. Lady Gaga - Bad Romance



Her gutsiest single to date, and the release that marked her speedy evolution into a proper pop artist. This is so far ahead of anything else on this list, it’s ridiculous.

Top 20 Albums of 2009: 10-9

10. Rihanna - Rated R



This was the album no one knew they wanted from Rihanna. After a string of ridiculously successful mainstream smashes, she goes and does something closer to the Velvet Rope than All For You (to put it in Janet terms, as I tend to). Rated R is nowhere near as good as the Velvet Rope, but it is a huge step in terms of artistic integrity and reinvention. I imagine it hasn’t appealed to everyone. It’s almost relentlessly dark, but it’s also easily her most consistent work yet. And more importantly, it sounds like the work of a human being, not a production team.

Myspace

9. Alcazar - Disco Defenders



Before 2009, I’d never listened to an Alcazar album. The band seemed too campy for me, too disco, almost (I know, is that even possible?). Their Melodifestivalen entry forced me to sit up and give them my attention, and I’m glad I did. This is one of the year’s best pop albums. The only reason it’s not higher is because there are a few clunkers in the tracklist that only prove my prior assumption of the group. But the highs are very high, and I can now safely count myself a fan. The opening trio of songs is just pop perfection. That album cover is still dire, though.

Myspace

Quess Who is coming back for Melodifestivalen 10 ?

ALCaZAR Joy they are now confirmed they will sing the new song 'Headlines'

in next years Melodifestivalen.. now that's given us one big schlager Smile..more details to come.

Alcazar's HISTORY CHANNEL: Andreas Back in 1997 with "Driver Dagg Faller Regn" & with Stage 4

Alcazar was not infact Andreas first band he was a member of the group Stage 4.
They featured three other famous Melodifestivalen singers in Sweden; Peter Jöback, Lisa Nilsson and Lizette Pålsson.
Here is a rare clip of Stage 4 check to check back in 1989 -



Here we find Andrea's debut in Melodifestivalen 1997. With a hit ballad "Driver Dagg Faller Regn"
wrote by Alexander Bard it came 2nd with a total of 48 points...
not long afterwards Alcazar was born in Stockholm.

Alcazar's HISTORY CHANNEL- 'Funky Feet' 2003 (Abba's unreleased song)

2003- The Alcazar Line up of Andreas Tess and Annika joined by Magnus Carlsson (Barbados)
to make a foursome- Was it any wonder they took this song from Abba's heyday 1976.
'Funky Feet' was never released by Abba at the time, although its been called a 'Dancing Queen'
# 2. Svenne & Lotta released it in the 70's. Then Alcazar made it their own with this
cover on the Alcazarized CD
what a great boogie version..

Alcazar during their Abba period!

ALCAZAR another hit from 'Disco Defenders' they are Burning in this great NEW Vid'

ALCAZAR are the 'Disco Defenders'

  ALCAZAR's New Album 'Disco Defenders' is out now plus it's a double CD collection. Now & Then, with CD 2 featuring a Greatest Hits of the band. Seeing as they never had a real greatest hits' the previous Dancefloor Deluxe CD  was the Best Remix's of Alcazar Hits. The new album has songwriting credits from Anders Hansson, Pet Shop Boys, Danny (E M D) and Oscar Görres. It will be interesting to see with Mans "MZW "album coming out as well, who will win the head-to-head battle for the Swedish Album chart Top position!
One fan-tastic thing about after Globen show is over, we get some terrific Club Mix's normally coming out like the new one for 'Stay The Night'  also found on the new album.

Emilia, E M D, Alcazar Agnes & Sarah Dawn all chat & SING before The Final

GOODBYE SHIRLEY ! & MARIE ! Please come back soon ! Hello to Emilia's new World

 Well as we guessed, the Schlager-Ambulance had more than one call out during Goteburg's Semi Final last night ! SHOCK Horror ! when Shirley Clamp's song did not make the choosen 5 songs, that went in to the dual play off's. As did'nt Marie Serneholt 'Disconnect Me' she gave us a debut performance worthy of any Grand Final + being Song 10- in the running order. Marie looked just  fantastic, as did her wonderful dancing boys - SEE Both LIVE Clips here on SVT.

                       Marie received consolation flowers afterwards from her Bf Mans Zelmerlow  following the basket of his dirty laundry she'd had presented to her on the artists sofa, during the Live show joke ! poor Marie we luv'd you.  The results gave ALCAZAR  the first D T G Ticket.

 The Scotts got '2nd Chance'

Then came the unexpected play off between Emilia 'You're my World' (who sang 'big big world'- in the 90's) & Caroline af Ugglas weird ditty called 'Snalla, snalla'  at this point alot of confusion came from the artists sofa. The Stars got up, only to sit back down looking puzzled! as the new Mf format seemed to have everyone confused. 

Then later a guy from the new 'International jury' came on stage, only to put Caroline's very un-eurovision style song into a 2nd 'second chance' play off to go Globen ( as song 11 !) 

Hmmm...so althrough she is in '2 nd chance'  round, she can be picked from another second chance via the International Jury. To me this was more confusing as this new jury is put in place to choose a better Eurovision style entry, now both Marie & Nina (see them at Link) met this criteria very well. So what happened there?  

But what a fantastic show everyone gave 101% - Mf new format can only get better?

The Results;

Going to the Globen Final-

Alcazar "Stay the Night"    &   Emilia "You're my world" 

  

Going to 'Second Chance' round-

Scotts "Jag tror pa oss"     &   Caroline Af Ugglas "Snalla Snalla"

Going to International Jury Choice Round-

Caroline Af Ugglas "Snalla Snalla"

ALCAZAR INTERVIEW (ESCToday) Will they Shine 3rd time Lucky..Yeah Shine On !! (Tack ESC2D for Fab Clips)

ANDREAS LUNDSTEDT TAKES THE GAYGALAN PRIZE With other MELODIFESTIVALEN Stars from 2008

Monday night was 'QX Gala Awards' at Cirkus in Stockholm. QX magazine readers chose some Melodifestivalen favourites with runner up from MF 2008 'Empty Room' as The Year's Best Swedish (wrote) Song also last years fun Host Björn Gustafsson took 2 awards as well as Years Best TV Star The nights BIG Award of Best Homo went for the second time to Andreas Lundstedt of Alcazar. Here is the full results.




Years Best Homo: Andreas Lundstedt

Years Best Hetero: Gustaf Skarsgård
Years Best Kämpe: Jan Wisén, Brandförsvaret
Years Best Gaystore: Gossip (Göteborg)
Years Best Artist: Amanda Jensen (Swedish Idol)
Years Best Swedish Song: ”Empty Room” Sanna Nielsen
Years Best Inernational Song: ”I Kissed a Girl” Katy Perry
Years Best Newcomer: Björn Gustafsson
Years Best Film: Patrik 1,5
Years Best Duo: Gustaf Skarsgård & Torkel Peterson
Years Best Blogg: Per-Robin's Gaybloggen
Years Best TV-program: ”Bonde söker fru”
Years Best TV-Star: Björn Gustafsson (again, yeeaaah)
Years BestBook: ”Mamma, mormor & jag” Kim Kärnfalk
Years Best Keep-up-the-good-work: Volunters for Stockholm Pride
Years Honour Prize: Hate Shelter

The nights other BIG winner was Gustaf Skarsgård from a movie 'Patrik 1.5' alone combined Years Best Hetero, together with Torkel Peterson was named Duo of the Year, and also the Years Best Film 'Patrik 1,5' three awards in total.

Watch Andreas Award presented by Måns Zelmerlöw & Marie Serneholt + his reactions below in report (swedish)

Andreas Lundstedt hits the town with new Melodifestivalen host "Petra Mede"

A new host has been revealed to replace Kristian Luuks, who has been the popular host of Sweden's top songfestival for past few years. She is 'Petra Mede', a comedian who will bring her own brand of glitter & glamour to show. Rumours are going around she may have an equally fun side-kick at Goteberg semi-final opening.

Petra was recently seen out at 'Pigalle Club' Stockholm in the fantastic company of  'Alcastar' himself,  Andreas Lundstedt. He is very excited about his band Alcazar's Mf entry "Stay the night" . When interviewed by QX Mag recently Andreas mentioned he is writing a new book and feels Alcazar can represent Sweden in Moscow 2009. 

GO ALCAZAR -  GO ANDREAS

Andreas is the 'hot' favourite to win the Top Award of 'Gay of the Year' at QX Awards on 2nd Feb 2009 at Cirkus Stockholm. Other Mf nominations are Bjorn Gusafsson, for TV Star & Breakthrough Artist of the Year. Agnes is also nominated for the Years Best Artist, and the songs "Hero" and "Empty Room" from Mf 2008. Stay schlager-tuned for more on the QX Awards.

 You can view all nominations here    

The Return of the 'Disco Defenders'

One of the most exciting artists on the comeback trail is Alcazar as a three piece group.They began back in 1998 with Andreas Lundstedt Tess Merkel & Annika Kjaergaard & soon after had an international worldwide hit with "Crying in the Discoteque" 
The bands major success in their homeland came with Melodifestivalen 2003 when royal highness 'schlager' king himself Magnus Carlsson from Barbados joined Alcazar to make a 4 piece "Sinner nor a saint" The song finished 3rd  in MF yet became the public's favourite of that year as well as a massive No; 1 Gold selling single.This was followed by the suberb studio album 'Alcazaized' that perfectly shows the bands continued tribute to Disco dance sound of the 70's in a new modern way. More great singles followed "This is the world we live in" & "Start the fire" and another blast of disco stardust with "Alcastar"This was the bands song in Melodifestivalen 2005 once again finished 3rd place. Then in the autumn of 2005 the band announced they would take an Abba-style break to work on other solo projects. 
They had a massive hit with "We Keep on rockin" in 2008 in Sweden, Andeas & Tess are back with former MF star Lina Hedlund, alot like the original line up back in the late 90's.If the new song for MF 2009 "Stay the night" is anything like 'Keep on rockin' we could seeAlcazar pass the previous third placing record.... 
The glitter ball spins as we prepare to be Alcazared 

Alcazar "We Keep on Rockin" - They are back : )