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Oslo press conference

Posted by Jakob S on September 26th, 2010
Morten at the press conference

Morten at the press conference

Morten held a press conference in Oslo on Friday, to talk about the upcoming concert in Oslo Konserthus on 4 October, where all the proceedings will go to the Christian organization Mercy Ships.

Also present was Lord Ian McColl, medical surgeon and chairman of Mercy Ships UK, who has done volunteer work for the organization since 1996.

Morten first heard about Mercy Ships one year ago, when a cabin neighbour told him about it. The neighbour, Erling Natvig, turned out to be the chairman of Mercy Ships Norway.

“I couldn’t understand that I hadn’t heard about this fantastic project before. Therefore the most important thing about this concert is to spread the word about Mercy Ships“, Morten says.

“They take care of people with limited resources, and heal them. It’s an impressive work.”

For the concerts in Oslo and London, a-ha will be backed by 30 musicians from Oslo Philharmonic Orchestra.

“This won’t be an ordinary charity show, where the program has been put together at the last minute. The audience will get to hear our whole debut album, “Hunting High And Low”, in a unique concert“, Morten says.

Links:
TV2: a-ha synger for sykehuskip i Afrika (with video clip)
Dagbladet: Morten Harkets giver-iver
VG: a-ha gir bort billettpenger til flytende sykehus
Dagen Magazinet: Harket hyller Mercy Ships

Read More »

“Singin’ in the Rain”

Posted by Jakob S on September 14th, 2010
Kristiansand, 11 September (Picture by Jakob)

Kristiansand, 11 September
(Picture by Jakob)

It was a rather wet evening on Saturday, when a-ha played their last-ever outdoor concert in front of 15.000 people at Sør Arena in Kristiansand. So instead of the usual Tchaikovsky intro we got Gene Kelly’s “Singin’ in the Rain”.

The roof over the middle part of the stage didn’t seem to be of much help, when the rain came in sideways. From behind a large protective plastic case, Magne commented that his keyboard had turned into an aquarium, while during the acoustic set Morten said that he was almost sliding off his chair, as it was so wet.

Kristiansand, 11 September (Picture by Jakob)

Kristiansand, 11 September
(Picture by Jakob)

But despite the weather and some technical problems, the show went ahead as planned. “We’ll try to do our part to make this night as memorable as possible for you“, Magne said before “Stay On These Roads”. The setlist was the same as in Oslo, Bergen and Trondheim – 21 songs starting with TSASOTV and ending with TOM.

“Our very first concert in Norway took place in Kristiansand, back in 87. Thank you so much for inviting us back“, Magne told the audience at the end.

The concert gets 5 out of 6 from the local newspaper Fædrelandsvennen.

For Karl Oluf it was a special night, as he is originally from Vennesla, not too far from Kristiansand.

“The audience sang along loudly and created a good atmosphere, even if the rain was pouring down. That was great. Magne was super-happy afterwards and Morten thought it was a special show, since Kristiansand is partly home territory for him as well“, he said in an interview afterwards.

Here is the first of my YouTube clips from Kristiansand:
Crying In The Rain

Kristiansand, 11 September (Picture by Jakob)

Kristiansand, 11 September
(Picture by Jakob)

 
The next concert is the Hunting High And Low-performance at Oslo Konserthus on 4 October. There was a ticket presale today; more info on a-ha.com.

 
And Happy Birthday to Morten, who is 51 today!

Read More »

“It’s our gift to the audience”

Posted by Jakob S on September 8th, 2010
Kristiansand, September 7th

Kristiansand, September 7th

Magne and Morten were in Kristiansand yesterday to promote a-ha’s last ever stadium/outdoor concert.

Fædrelandsvennen has a video interview here, while Radio Sør has an audio interview here.

There was also a TV report on NRK Sørlandet, which can be seen here (starts after 7.45 minutes).

Magne: “We’re now ending the most grandiose stadium tour in Norwegian history in Kristiansand on Saturday, so that will be a special concert for us and it will be very special for those who are coming to see it as well.

We have lots of friends and family down here, so it will be really cool to put on a real show at Sør Arena. We have brought along the world’s most amazing stage production and I think people’s jaws will drop. There’s never been anything like it in Norway and I don’t think any other band besides us could have done the same. And I don’t think anyone would have been crazy enough to pay for such a big production for so few shows. You need to tour for a year in order to pay for a production like this. It’s our gift to the audience.”

13.500 tickets have been sold for the Kristiansand concert so far. The rigging of the stage is being streamed live here.

 
And here’s a new interview with director Steve Barron about the “Butterfly” video:
promonews.tv

Read More »

Stavanger, Tromsø and Trondheim

Posted by Jakob S on September 6th, 2010
Stavanger, 2 September (Picture by Jakob)

Stavanger, 2 September
(Picture by Jakob)

The band had a busy few days this past weekend, with three concerts in three days in different parts of Norway.

Stavanger, 2 September (Picture by Jakob)

Stavanger, 2 September
(Picture by Jakob)

In Stavanger they played at the first annual Rått og Råde Festival in front of 10.000 people. The setlist (18 songs) was a bit shorter than the stadium concerts, leaving out the acoustic set. The local newspaper Stavanger Aftenblad gives the concert 5 out of 6.

I will be uploading some of my video clips from Stavanger on YouTube – here is the first one:
Stay On These Roads.

In Tromsø, 13.000 people saw the band at the Døgnvill Festival – where a-ha also played in 2007. Anneli Drecker, who was a-ha’s backing vocalist from 2000 – 2002, came on stage for a duet with Morten on Crying In The Rain. Many of the other songs can also be seen on YouTube here. The concert gets an outstanding review from iTromso.no (6 out of 6) and a more moderate review from nordlys.no (4 out of 6).

At Lerkendal Stadium in Trondheim on Saturday they were back on their own Butterfly-shaped stage, with an audience of 15.000 people. The concert included the full 21-song set for an appreciative crowd, despite a chilly temperature. Some reviews can be found at adressa.no and NRK.no. NRK also has a picture gallery here.

 
Apparatjik have announced their third concert, which will take place in London on 23 September at the Serpentine Pavilion in Hyde Park. More info on apparatjik.com.

 
And happy birthday to Paul, who turns 49 today!

Trondheim, 4 September (Picture by Jakob)

Trondheim, 4 September
(Picture by Jakob)

Read More »

Magne and Morten visit Rockheim

Posted by Jakob S on August 31st, 2010
"How on earth could you wear that, Morten?" Magne studies old a-ha photos at the Rockheim museum in Trondheim today. (Picture from NRK Trøndelag)

“How on earth could you wear that, Morten?”
Magne studies old a-ha photos at the Rockheim museum in Trondheim today.
(Picture from NRK Trøndelag)

Magne and Morten were in Trondheim today to promote Saturday’s concert at Lerkendal stadium. Adresseavisen has a video interview with the guys here.

They also made a visit to Rockheim – the new interactive center/museum for Norwegian pop and rock, which opened earlier this month. The a-ha exhibit seems to be prominently featured at Rockheim, and Magne found some early Bridges photos that he had never seen before.

They are both touched by the reception they’ve been getting at the Norwegian concerts.

Morten: “It’s special for us to be at home in Norway and be met like this. I’m proud of the band“.

Magne: “There’s a really good atmosphere, we can feel that we’re being embraced and that this means a lot to people“.

A video report from their visit to Rockheim can be seen here (starts after 13.30 minutes): NRK Midtnytt 31.08.10

 

Here is another of my video clips from the Bergen concert: Cry Wolf

Be also sure to check out Lena’s videos from the soundcheck (there are 7 so far):
a-ha Bergen 28.08.2010 Soundcheck Part 1

And Claudia’s videos from the concert, like “Crying in the Rain”.

 

Several fans have asked me to mention a new petition for a-ha to stream the last concert on December 4th online. So, here it is: petitions24.com/signatures/a-halivestream/

But, as Catherine writes on WOTM, management is already well aware that fans want the final show to be streamed, so there really is no need for another petition.

 

And here is an interview with graphic designer Jeri Heiden about the HHAL album cover: Uncovered: a-ha, “Hunting High and Low”

Read More »

Bergen concert

Posted by Jakob S on August 29th, 2010
Bergen, 28 August (Picture by Jakob)

Bergen, 28 August
(Picture by Jakob)

a-ha continued their Norwegian tour in Bergen last night, where they played another excellent concert in front of 25.000 people at Brann Stadium.

The setlist was identical to Oslo, but the band seemed to be a bit more relaxed this time and Morten almost remembered all the lyrics.

Here are some HD videos that I have uploaded to YouTube (more to follow):
The Bandstand
Butterfly, Butterfly
(Seemingly) Nonstop July

Bergen, 28 August (Picture by Jakob)

Bergen, 28 August
(Picture by Jakob)

The good reviews continue in the local press, with 5 out of 6 from both Bergens Tidende and Bergensavisen. There’s also a positive review from NRK Hordaland.

And Natt og Dag has a lot of photos from the concert here.

 

Bergen, 28 August (Picture by Jakob)

Bergen, 28 August
(Picture by Jakob)

Setlist
1. The Sun Always Shines On TV
2. Move To Memphis
3. The Blood That Moves The Body
4. Scoundrel Days
5. Stay On These Roads
6. Manhattan Skyline
7. Hunting High And Low
8. The Bandstand
9. We’re Looking For The Whales
10. Butterfly Butterfly (The Last Hurrah)
11. (Seemingly) Nonstop July
12. Crying In The Rain
13. Minor Earth, Major Sky
14. Forever Not Yours
15. Summer Moved On
16. I’ve Been Losing You
17. Foot Of The Mountain
—————
18. Cry Wolf
19. Analogue
20. The Living Daylights
21. Take On Me

Read More »

Additional Oslo concert announced / More interviews

Posted by Jakob S on August 27th, 2010
Morten on the front page of Stavanger Aftenblad Pluss.

Morten on the front page of Stavanger Aftenblad Pluss.

The second “Hunting High And Low”-concert that Magne mentioned earlier this week, has now been officially announced on a-ha.com.

The concert will be held at Oslo Konserthus on 4 October, and will benefit Mercy Ships – a Christian organization that operates hospital ships in developing nations. Only a limited amount of tickets will be available.

 

There is a lot of promo for the Norwegian concerts going on at the moment.

Morten is on the front page of Stavanger Aftenblad’s weekend magazine today. Inside there is a 3-page interview.

There is also a 2-page article about Morten in Vårt Land today, while Bergensavisen has an article about a purchase agreement for a guitar amplifier that Morten bought in 1976 (!).

Fædrelandsvennen has a 2-page interview with Karl Oluf, who talks about his experiences touring with a-ha over the last two years.

 

Karl Oluf on the front page of Fædrelandsvennen's culture section.

Karl Oluf on the front page of Fædrelandsvennen’s culture section.

In Bergen, the last preparations are being done before the concert at Brann Stadium tomorrow night. Between 25.000 and 30.000 people are expected to attend the largest concert ever held in the city. Bergens Tidende has documented the process of building the stage with an article and slideshow here. You can also view a 360° panorama picture of the stadium.

And here are some more interviews from Magne and Morten’s promo day in Bergen on Tuesday:
NRK Hordaland: – Har hatt en fantastisk karriere
Bergens Tidende: Gleder seg til å ta farvel med Bergen
Bergensavisen: A-ha lover kjempefest

NRK Hordaland: Ettermiddagssending 24.08 (Radio interview – starts after 50 minutes)

“There will be a-ha stuff happening in the future as well“, Magne says in the interview with Bergensavisen. “Not albums and concerts. But certain people are interested in making musicals and fictional movies about a-ha. And that’s something that we have to consider.”

 

And the 25 collection has finally entered the official Norwegian album chart (at number 9), as it’s now also available outside the COOP chain – earlier than originally planned.

In Europe as a whole, the album is at number 8 in its second week, as Billboard reports. It’s currently number 3 in Germany, 6 in Switzerland and 14 in Austria.

Read More »

“Førkveld” interview

Posted by Jakob S on August 24th, 2010
Førkveld, August 24th

Førkveld, August 24th

Magne and Morten are already in Bergen to prepare for Saturday’s concert at Brann Stadium, and tonight they were guests on the live talkshow “Førkveld” on NRK1, with host Halvor Folgerø.

They were very pleased with last weekend’s concert at Ullevaal.

Morten: “It was great. There was a special atmosphere.”

Magne: “When we’re meeting our home crowd here in Norway for the last time, all the lines of lyrics that we have been singing through 25 years, like “Wave goodbye”, take on a different meaning.”

 

Førkveld, August 24th

Førkveld, August 24th

The interview also addressed an issue Italian fans have been wondering about:

Halvor Folgerø: “We have asked our viewers to send in questions via our Facebook page, and most of them, or at least 50 percent come from abroad. Quite a lot of Italians, actually…”

Magne: “They are mad at us, because we haven’t managed to include Italy on our Farewell Tour. And we’re feeling sorry about that.”

Halvor Folgerø: “Serena Renzi writes that Italian fans are so sad that you’re not coming to say farewell in her country. Do you have something against Italians or Italy, she asks?”

Morten: “Except Berlusconi? No.”

Magne: “Not at all. Italy was, for my part, one of the most fun countries to be touring. In addition to the excitement of playing concerts, it was also a culinary journey. I am incredibly fascinated by Italy in every way. So this is simply about two things; the fact that we haven’t been successfull enough in Italy in recent years that agents want to provide the support we need. We have a production at the moment of arena/stadium size. It costs a lot of money and someone has to take the risk. We have been willing to take our part of the risk, but… I mean, we do have a lot of fans in Italy, but I don’t think the agents are feeling confident enough about it. The other thing is that we have had so many offers from other places that in the end we’ve just decided that we’ll tour where we know that we are wanted.”

 

Following a montage of live clips, Morten talked about how touring can become a blur after a while, which made Magne remember an infamous incident from last year. I have posted a translation here.

And Magne revealed that there will be a second HHAL-concert this autumn. But he didn’t say if it will be held at the Royal Albert Hall or somewhere else.

The Førkveld interview can be seen online here.

Magne and Morten were also interviewed on Vestlandsrevyen (local news) tonight. The video clip can be seen here.

 

And here is an update from Just Loomis, who is selling some of his own high-quality a-ha photos at justloomisahaart.com (see August 7th news story):

“Due to the many, many requests that I have received from the fans, I am now offering a smaller print size for a limited time, for the fans of Aha. The cost of an 8×10 will be $50 plus shipping.“

Read More »

Ullevaal concert

Posted by Jakob S on August 23rd, 2010
Confetti at the end, followed by fireworks. (Picture by Jakob)

Confetti at the end, followed by fireworks.
(Picture by Jakob)

a-ha impressed audience and critics alike when they opened their Norwegian tour at Ullevaal Stadium in Oslo on Saturday, featuring a massive stage and an amazing video show.

The concert was a special celebration of a-ha’s career in front of their home crowd, and after performing “Butterfly, Butterfly”, Morten said:

“We would like to thank you for 25 years. [Long applause] During these 25 years that we have created together, the three of us… I read in the paper today that we are incompatible. I’m no a-ha expert myself… [Audience laughs] …but that statement is not compatible with how I have experienced things. But these are 25 years that you have been a part of as well, and which I would like to thank you for.”

The reviews in VG, Dagbladet, Aftenposten and Dagsavisen all give the concert 5 out of 6.

An amazing video show. Here's the moon during "Minor Earth, Major Sky" (Picture by Jakob)

An amazing video show. Here’s the moon during “Minor Earth, Major Sky”
(Picture by Jakob)

The concert had a bizarre opening though, with the classical Tchaikovsky intro suddenly interrupted by Nelly’s hip-hop tune “Hot in Herre”, before leading into “The Sun Always Shines On TV”. Who came up with that combination?

No new songs in the setlist, but “Butterfly, Butterfly” was done acoustically for the first time, “Crying In The Rain” was back and “(Seemingly) Nonstop July” was performed live only for the second time since 1994. And unlike all the other concerts on the Farewell Tour, the songs were not played in reversed chronological order this time, but instead old and new songs were mixed up. “The Sun Always Shines On TV” was back as the opener, like it was on the FOTM tour in 2009.

 

Picture by Jakob

Picture by Jakob

Setlist (with YouTube links):
1. The Sun Always Shines On TV
2. Move To Memphis
3. The Blood That Moves The Body
4. Scoundrel Days
5. Stay On These Roads
6. Manhattan Skyline
7. Hunting High And Low
8. The Bandstand
9. Looking For The Whales
10. Butterfly Butterfly (The Last Hurrah)
11. (Seemingly) Nonstop July
12. Crying In The Rain
13. Minor Earth, Major Sky
14. Forever Not Yours
15. Summer Moved On
16. I’ve Been Losing You
17. Foot Of The Mountain
—————
18. Cry Wolf
19. Analogue
20. The Living Daylights
21. Take On Me

 
More video clips:
TV2 interview with Magne and the vocalist in Shining before the concert:
Magasinet

The opening song filmed by TV2:
The Sun Always Shines On TV

On Saturday, NRK had an interview with P. A. Stenersen, who owns the biggest a-ha collection in the world. Stenersen, who has donated parts of his collection to the upcoming a-ha exhibition at the national museum in Oslo, meets up with Morten in the clip and receives a few very rare additions to his collection:
Lørdagsrevyen

Read More »

Getting ready for Ullevaal

Posted by Jakob S on August 19th, 2010
Setting up the stage at Ullevaal, August 18th

Setting up the stage at Ullevaal, August 18th

The largest concert of the farewell tour is now being prepared at Ullevaal Stadium in Oslo.

The stage construction – reportedly the largest ever built in Norway – weighs 1500 tons and takes four days to set up. 65 meters wide and 18 meters tall, with a 600 square meters video wall, it has been specially designed for these Norwegian concerts by Stageco. It will be brought around Norway using more than 40 semitrailers, and a team of 200 people working on the rigging.

Parts of the stage have been tested indoors at Oslo Spektrum during the last few days. A video clip from this can be seen at Dagbladet.no.

An additional 1500 tickets have now been released, which means that nearly 30.000 people will be in the audience on Saturday night.

Read More »
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