By now, you have noticed the new look here at AceofBaseReturns.com. When things change in life, it doesn't take long to notice.  Familiar patterns are replaced by newer, unknown patterns.  Certainly, you have also noticed the changes Ace of Base have been making recently.  You may agree or disagree with the recent changes.  You may even have mixed opinions about it all.  But everyone can agree on the fact of change.

Thanks to recordings by Acer Nemo and company, the wider fan base is noticing some of the smaller changes made at the most recent gigs in Odessa and Kiev, Ukraine.

"Wheel of Fortune" sports new vocal elements during the first thirty seconds.  This may have been a spur of the moment addition or it may be a key ingredient in the studio version.  If the studio version finds its way online, we will know the answer.  The new elements are reminiscent of early vocals from the "Happy Nation" album.  Many fans at The AceBoards voiced their hearty approval of this change.

Jonas and Ulf's drum set shenanigans during "Never Gonna Say I'm Sorry" are given more stage time.  The spotlight lingers on them, while the projections in the background are now timed to coincide with the drum beats.  This provides a bigger dramatic effect and a heightened sense of expectation from the audience.  The drum set now blends seamlessly with the dance segment.

Another unexpected change in Odessa, which we hope isn't repeated, is the stage dive by Jenny.  Thankfully, she wasn't hurt, just momentarily stunned while singing "Life is a Flower".  It seems like concert work is dangerous to your health because the tour count is now one chipped tooth and one stage dive.  Let's hope the tour participants have no more accidents, although it may be mildly amusing to see Jonas or Ulf take a stage dive too. 

Overall, the band seems to be more comfortable in their roles as touring musicians.  Improvisational singing and music crop up more frequently.  The band is interacting more with the fans and building up better rapport with each audience.

Bigger changes in the wider Ace of Base world include a new website, new press photos, a mobile blog, and messages from the band members.  All these changes were implemented in the past thirty days.  Lightning speed for a band used to introducing change slowly. 

Recent changes were applauded by most fans, although the new press pictures were met with varying acceptance.  One picture shows the band dressed in black and white against a grey backdrop.  Ulf, in a vest and military boots, and Jonas, in a state of thought, stand in the background with laser-like stares.  Jenny stands in the foreground with jumbled hair, arms akimbo, and one foot turned askew.  In the second photo, we see the band decked out in leather outfits against a dark red wall.  Jonas and Jenny stand staring out into the distance with a cold, indifferent look, while Ulf, bending at the waist, questions the viewer with his half-angry stare.   Some fans think the photos are artistic and represent a fresh start for the band, while others believe the band is trying too hard and the photos seem too fake.

The new press photos draw such a vigorous reaction because they force us to reconcile what we know about the band (down to earth, artistic musicians who move cautiously) with what we see from the band (flashy, cold fashionistas with a predilection for change).  These pictures don't just break the pattern we've known for so many years, they obliterate it.  In previous years, we could accurately predict the band's next move.  The pictures leave us with little hint as to what's next.  If these pictures represent the new Ace of Base, what will the next album sound like?  What direction will it, and the band, take?  Just what are they thinking?  These are the questions bandied back and forth by fans at both The AceBoards and The Hallo Boards.

 But new, positive patterns are currently emerging from the rapid changes.  We now meet a more flexible band willing to reach out to fans in different ways.   A band willing to take chances.  A band more comfortable with technology.  Talk in Acerland hints at new ear candy on the horizon.  Delivery is expected at the Lovech, Bulgaria concert.  In a few days, we'll find out if this sweet rumor is true.  New music from the band we're so wild about would create yet another new pattern - one of promises consistently fulfilled.  And that is change we can all appreciate.

/ Sara