Posts Tagged ‘rio de janeiro’

a-ha make successfull return to Rock in Rio

Getting a big applause from the Rio audience at the end of the concert

Getting a big applause from the Rio audience at the end of the concert

a-ha made a successfull return to the Rock in Rio festival on Sunday night, playing in front of 90,000 people at the Palco Mundo (World Stage). Although the conditions were difficult, with heavy rain coming down as a-ha entered the stage, they put on a solid performance that thrilled the Rio audience.

Paul rocking out on his Fano ML6 guitar

Paul rocking out on his Fano ML6 guitar

The concert was streamed live online by AOL. If you missed it, the whole show has been uploaded by a fan on Vimeo.

VG’s Stein Østbø, who gave the Buenos Aires concert a 3/6 review, also attended Rock in Rio and was impressed by what he heard this time – giving the concert a 5/6 review:

“Tonight’s concert turned out to be completely different than the rusty viking ship that performed at the tour opening in Buenos Aires on Thursday night. This time they appeared as a revitalized band. (…) Suddenly Morten Harket was more focused and quicker in his movements, instead of the slightly lazy frontman and vocalist we saw in Buenos Aires just a few days earlier. It seems like he’s struggling harder to reach the highest notes, but by all means – he gets there!

Paul Waaktaar-Savoy was a monster on the guitar – hard rocking, brilliantly setting the mood and providing crystal clear riffs. And when Magne Furuholmen finally hits all the right keys on his synth – and we even hear the sound – it couldn’t go much wrong. Add to that an excellent arena sound with lots of oomph! in the basslines, you get an a-ha that fits perfectly on a giant stage like this.”

The setlist:
01. I’ve Been Losing You
02. Cry Wolf
03. Stay On These Roads
04. Move To Memphis
05. Scoundrel Days
06. Crying In The Rain
07. Sycamore Leaves
08. You Are The One
09. Forest Fire
10. Hunting High And Low
11. Foot Of The Mountain
12. The Sun Always Shines On TV
13. Under The Makeup
14. The Living Daylights
15. Take On Me

"A fantastic audience", Magne said after the show

“A fantastic audience”, Magne said after the show

The heavy rain made Magne a bit concerned, he told VG backstage after the show:

“My keyboard was swimming in water, and I was the only one [of us three] who was plugged directly into the electric system. The whole thing could have exploded, there was a lot of water in there. But it was a fantastic audience!”

The tour continues at the Cabana Club in Barcarena on 1 October and at Estádio Arena Verde in Paragominas on 3 October. These two shows, held in connection with Hydro’s anniversary, were originally only open for Hydro employees and contest winners. But due to high demand, both shows are now open for everyone. Tickets are free, but requires a donation of school equipment to local children.

Brazilian articles:
Rolling Stone: Rock in Rio: mesmo com chuva, a-ha prioriza…
oglobo.globo.com: A-ha leva o rádio FM para o palco em show saudoso

Globo TV interview with Paul and Morten in Rio:
Entrevista exclusiva com integrantes do A-Ha

a-ha to start rehearsals in June

a-ha at Maracana Stadium in Rio last month

a-ha at Maracana Stadium in Rio last month

a-ha will start rehearsals in June, in preparation for the Rock in Rio concert in September, the band’s manager Harald Wiik tells VG’s paper edition today.

The exact date for the Rock in Rio concert is not ready to be announced yet, but a-ha will play a 75-minute set at the festival, according to VG.

The band has been getting many additional offers to play live, but Wiik can’t promise any other concerts at this point:

“We haven’t planned any warm-up shows, but you never know”, he says.

a-ha announce 30th anniversary concert at Rock in Rio 2015

a-ha in Rio de Janeiro this week (Promotional photo taken by Just Loomis)

a-ha in Rio de Janeiro this week
(Promotional photo taken by Just Loomis)

a-ha will reunite next year, to play a special 30th anniversary concert at the Rock In Rio Festival in September 2015, a-ha.com announced tonight.

Magne says in the press release:

“The huge concert at Maracanã Stadium in 1991 is one of the absolute highlights of a-ha’s career. It was just impossible to turn down this request to celebrate the festival’s 30 year history, especially as it coincides with the 30 year anniversary of the band itself. This felt like I imagine it must be to hear about the 1000-year wave approaching shore; even as a retired surfer you just want to dust off your board and throw yourself into the water.”

“We have been invited as so-called “special guests” at Rock In Rio 2015. We have been getting a lot of offers since we disbanded, but this was so unique that it was hard to say no”, Magne added to NRK tonight.

Magne interviewed by G1 at Maracana Stadium

Magne interviewed by G1 at Maracana Stadium

“Money has not been an issue at all, as far as I know. There’s not much money involved in this, it’s just something all three of us wanted to do”, he says.

“We had retired for good, and I guess we still are. But in this case we were all three so surprised that this was something the festival wanted. And one should be allowed to change one’s mind.”

Magne can’t confirm additional concerts in 2015 at this point:

“We haven’t made any additional plans beyond Rio, and it was difficult enough to rally the troops for this concert. In a moment of bravado we agreed to do this, and then we’ll see if it leads to something more. The plan now is just to appear at Rock In Rio once more to celebrate the festival and ourselves.”

Morten, Magne and Paul appeared at Maracanã Stadium tonight, to announce the news for the Brazilian press. A group of around 10 specially invited a-ha fans were also there to meet the band.

a-ha at Maracana Stadium, 4 December 2014

a-ha at Maracana Stadium, 4 December 2014

To read the whole press release and see new band photos taken by Just Loomis in Rio this week, visit a-ha.com and the a-ha Facebook Page.

News articles, videos and photos:
Jornal Nacional: Banda A-Ha volta para tocar no Rock in Rio 2015 (video)
O Globo: Rock in Rio e A-ha se unem na celebração… (with video)
G1: A-ha toca no Rock in Rio em 2015…
VG: a-ha gjenforenes til sommeren
Flickr: Photo set of a-ha at Maracana Stadium
VG: 30 år med a-ha-opplevelser
VG: Slik kan a-ha finne konsertformen

Rio concert, September 22nd

Citibank Hall, Rio de Janeiro, September 22nd 
(Picture from UOL)

Morten opened his mini-tour of South America at the Citibank Hall in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil last night.

According to Brazilian fansite a-ha the best, this was the setlist:

Picture from Jornal do Brasil

1. Burn Money Burn
2. I’m The One
3. Keep The Sun Away
4. Crying In The Rain
5. Out Of Blue Comes Green
6. Move To Memphis
7. Forever Not Yours
8. When I Reached The Moon
9. Los Angeles
10. Spanish Steps
11. A Kind Of Christmas Card
12. We’re Looking For The Whales
13. Movies
14. Wild Seed
15. Lightning
16. Stay On These Roads
17. Foot Of The Mountain
18. Lay Me Down Tonight

Compared to the Oslo concerts last weekend, “Send Me An Angel” was dropped and “Forever Not Yours” was back in the set.

YouTube videos from Rio have been posted here, here and here.

Pictures from the concert can be found at QUEM, Terra, Flickr, UOL and Jornal do Brasil. There is also a video interview on YouTube.

In an interview with Dagbladet today, Morten says he’s not sure how he’ll be received as a solo artist in Brazil:

Ipanema, Rio 
(Picture from Dagbladet)

“I’m not sure. This is a kind of test project. If it works out, we’ll need to try and build up a platform here, invest more time and work more seriously than we did with a-ha. We came, shot from the hip, and left. I can see a great potential here, because Brazilians are interested in the music I stand for.”

Morten, who says that he would be interested in taking part in “Rock in Rio” in September 2013, doesn’t hide the fact that touring can be a lonely lifestyle:

“But it’s easier and less lonely to tour on my own and with my own band than it was with a-ha. I have more contact with my band now than when I toured with Magne and Paul. I also feel more free. I can speak out on issues that I care about. I couldn’t do that when I was part of a-ha”, Morten claims in the interview.

TV-special on TV2

“Morten Harket – mannen bak myten”, the 1-hour TV-special about Morten’s ten-day trip to Brazil in January, aired on TV2 in Norway last night.

Hosted by Dorthe Skappel, it featured conversations with Morten and his manager Harald Wiik in various locations around Rio de Janeiro. Morten talked about his early performances with Ten Sing choir Anthem and about the first time he saw Bridges perform. He also revealed that he was offered a role in a movie with John Hurt and Helen Mirren at one point, and that he once punched a paparazzi to the ground in the UK. Morten got emotional when talking about being bullied for years as a child. “It was a real hell, year after year”, he said.

We were also introduced to a Brazilian fan who said that Morten’s music, and in particular “A Kind Of Christmas Card”, saved her from committing suicide in the 90s.

When asked about Morten’s philosophical way of speaking, Harald Wiik made it clear that he doesn’t agree with those who feel that Morten is hard to understand:

Harald Wiik and Morten, discussing the cover design of the new album

“I don’t really understand where that notion comes from. I am actually of the exact opposite opinion; I feel he is very precise and concise. I think the reason why many people get that impression, is that he’s being precise and concise at a very high tempo. And his focus can shift very quickly. But I feel that each single statement is very to the point and fact-based. But he’s going at a high speed, so you need to pay attention. It’s not for newcomers.”

The TV-special also included instrumental mixes of songs on the new album as background music and a number of clips from private home movies from Morten’s childhood. There were also some rare pictures shown – like this publicity photo of Morten’s band Souldier Blue from the early 80s:

Souldier Blue

Paying subscribers to TV2’s web-TV can see the whole special online. It has also been uploaded to YouTube.

TV2 to air one-hour special about Morten

Morten enjoying the view from Sugarloaf Mountain in Rio de Janeiro, January 2012.

On April 14th at 21:40, TV2 in Norway will air a 1-hour special called “Morten Harket – mannen bak myten” (“Morten Harket – the man behind the myth”), which follows him on his trip to Brazil in January this year.

Here’s how it’s described on TV2’s website:
“A paying audience of 198.000 people filled the Maracana Stadium in 1991, giving a-ha a world record. We get a unique look into Morten Harket’s life and career, as Dorthe Skappel travels with him back to Rio, Brazil.”

There’s a short preview at tv2.no.

 

Also, the German iTunes store has now posted details about a special edition of Out Of My Hands, with 90-second samples of all 11 songs. This special edition includes a bonus track called “Undecided” (yes, that’s the actual title of the song).

Song previews from Morten’s new album

 

In the clip above you can hear the six song previews from Morten’s new album, reportedly called Out Of My Hands, that were played for fans in Rio yesterday.

The most observant among you may notice that two of the songs are cover versions – which doesn’t seem particularly imaginative…

The third one is originally a Kent song called “Kärleken Väntar” and was a massive hit for the Swedish band in Scandinavia in 2002.

The fifth song, “Scared Of Heights”, was originally written and performed by Norwegian singer Espen Lind, and was a big hit in Norway in 2008.

Here are links to more YouTube clips from the fan meeting in Rio:

Clip 1  Clip 2  Clip 3  Clip 4

South American tour announced

At the FNAC bookstore, January 29th. 
(Picture from globo.com)

At the press conference/fan meeting in Rio last night, it was announced that Morten will return to Brazil in September to do three solo concerts:

22 September: Citibank Hall, Rio de Janeiro
23 September: Chevrolet Hall, Belo Horizonte
26 September: Credicard Hall, Sao Paulo

He will also be touring in Chile and Argentina.

Fans attending the event were able to hear six song previews from Morten’s upcoming solo album, which are said to resemble the material on Foot Of The Mountain.

More pictures have been posted at globo.com and r7.com.

Morten visits samba school in Rio

With actress and dancer Viviane Araújo. 
(Picture from cabecadecuia.com)

Morten is currently in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, where he visited the Salgueiro samba school yesterday.

He seems to be in the country together with gossip reporter Dorthe Skappel and a team from TV2 in Norway.

Some sources claim that he’s working on a documentary “about the end of a-ha”, but I don’t know how accurate that is.

Pictures from his visit at the samba school can be found at sidneyrezende.com, Caras Online, globo.com and ig.com.br.

Today Morten will meet a number of fans at the FNAC Bookstore, to answer questions and do a meet & greet.

Morten to visit Brazil / Private performance

Morten performing with a-ha in Rio, 2009. 
This time he's going on his own.

Some info from a-ha.com:

“Morten will be in Rio de Janeiro on January 29 to celebrate the completion of his new solo album and reconnect with the South American fans! There will be a Q&A where Morten will answer questions from the fans, followed by a meet & greet opportunity.”

The event will be held at the FNAC Bookstore in Rio. Please visit a-ha.com for ticket details.

 

Side2.no recently had an interview with Norwegian singer/songwriter Tom Hugo Hermansen, who released his debut album Sundry Tales earlier this month.

In addition to his solo project, Hermansen is also a member of the covers band Radiojam. The interview mentions that Radiojam was once hired as a backing band for Morten at a private event.

“He came to Kristiansand to rehearse with us, and he wanted an authentic feel to it. So we rehearsed in an old, worn-down rehearsal room at Samsen Kulturhus. Playing with Morten was great, and I’d be happy to do it again”, Hermansen says.

“And he liked my EP and said it was annoyingly good. Annoying because there are always new artists trying to challenge his own music. But I have quite a while to go until I’m on Harket’s level.”

The interview doesn’t specify exactly when this performance took place, but the EP Hermansen mentions was released in 2009.

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