After starting their Electric Summer tour with seven dates in the UK and Ireland, a-ha are now in Tel Aviv to prepare for tomorrow’s concert at the Ra’anana Park Amphitheater – their first ever show in Israel.
Yesterday they were interviewed in the studio of news website Walla. The 9-minute video interview is in English and can be seen at walla.co.il.
They also did a press conference at the Sheraton Hotel, from which a short video has been posted on YouTube.
There have been some protests from the BDS Movement against a-ha playing in Israel, urging the band to cancel the concert. But for the band, this was never an option.
“For us, we think the most positive thing we can do is go wherever, whenever and play to our fans. We’re not here to support or protest anything. We’re here to connect with people we’ve made music for, that has hopefully meant something to them. So for us it’s a very simple choice”, Magne told Walla News.
“We disagree with [the BDS’] way of doing things. If we were to boycott for reasons here, where do we stop? There are so many countries you would boycott in the end and I personally don’t believe it is right. It was not a difficult decision to come”, Morten added.
When asked if music can contribute to peace, Magne said:
“I think it can contribute to people talking together and people coming together. And I think that’s the primary function of music as a language, to bring people from different parts of the world together to celebrate that moment or that common bond.”
The setlists at the Electric Summer concerts so far seem to have been the same as the opening night in Canterbury – the only exception being “This is Our Home” being replaced by “Sycamore Leaves” since Cork.
Other links:
Jerusalem Post
Israel Hayom
10.tv