Picture from Rock in Rio 2015, taken by Just Loomis

a-ha will be going on the road again in 2017 and 2018, this time in an acoustic setting, starting with four performances in June next year. The press release announcing “An acoustic evening with a-ha” was posted on the official site today:

a-ha will make a live acoustic album and concert film from a series of intimate performances to take place between June 26 – June 30, 2017.

The album, DVD and broadcast are scheduled for release in November 2017.

In early 2018, a-ha will take this special acoustic set on the road, giving the fans a new way to experience the music they love. Magne, Morten and Paul will be joined by a handpicked ensemble of musicians to embellish and reinvent the classics, as well as present new material in acoustic arrangements.

Morten is excited about the possibilities: “The band is finally coming together for live acoustic recordings of a wide selection of our songs! As we speak, there is palpable growing excitement about this in the group. We had wonderful moments with the fans during our last tour, and as a fourth member of the band you certainly have had an influence on our commitment to this. I really look forward to it all!”

Whereas the concerts on the 2018 tour will be held in large indoor arenas, the four performances in June 2017 will be for a very limited audience of only 300 people at each show. These are likely to be held in Norway, but the exact location is yet to be determined, a-ha manager Harald Wiik tells the Norwegian press.

So far, 10 concerts in Germany, Austria and Switzerland have been confirmed for January/February 2018, with more dates to be announced later:

23 January: Schleyerhalle, Stuttgart, Germany
24 January: Festhalle, Frankfurt, Germany
26 January: TUI Arena, Hannover, Germany
27 January: Leipzig Arena, Leipzig, Germany
29 January: Mercedes Benz Arena, Berlin, Germany
30 January: Barclaycard Arena, Hamburg, Germany
02 February: Stadthalle, Vienna, Austria
03 February: Olympiahalle, Munich, Germany
05 February: Hallenstadion, Zurich, Switzerland
06 February: Lanxess Arena, Cologne, Germany

Read the full announcement on a-ha.com for more details and ticket info.

Norwegian articles:
VG: a-ha med ny plate, film og turné
Dagbladet: A-ha annonserer akustisk turné
Side 2: a-ha slipper ny plate