Just booked my tickets now. I've rediscovered a-ha over the last few months really and decided that as this tour is their swansong I simply have to go!!

Has anyone here been to see them? Are they good in concert? I know there is one orger whose a big fan but I forget his user name.

Oh and I got the retrospective 2cd 1dvd best of and some of their later stuff which I haven't heard before is really cool. I didn't know that they did an album at Paisley Park either!

Anyhoo I waffle!! Bring on Saturday!!

they're performing in my nearest venue as i write.. i did consider it, wish i went now

hope you have a great time!

[Edited 11/15/10 13:05pm]

DoffieParker said:

they're performing in my nearest venue as i write.. i did consider it, wish i went now

hope you have a great time!

[Edited 11/15/10 13:05pm]

Thankyou! I will report back. A-ha were my band just before I discovered Prince I used to have the leather shoelaces on my wrists and everything

'Manhattan Skyline' is one of my 'Desert Island Discs'

wish I could see them!!

AlexdeParis said:

Rorywan said:

Saw them at the royal Albert hall last month. Amazing and I'm going to Oslo for their final gig!

soulyacolia said:

AlexdeParis said:

Congrats! Lastdecember is the biggest fan, but there are at least a few of us who are also big supporters (and there's even a hater who will probably pop up soon). 25 looks like a great package, but all of their albums are worth owning. In particular, their last album Foot of the Mountain is my favorite after Hunting High and Low and Scoundrel Days.

I have Foot Of The Mountain but haven't played it much yet I will dig it out. Scoundrel Days is a stone cold classic I bought the deluxe edition along with 'Hunting High And Low' (which is just a bit too poppy for my taste but hey it was their first album) I'm quite excited to finally see them live and it's cool to know that they have supporters on this site

Yeah this is really the biggest part of the tour, the UK which is like their second home and then on to Norway, i will be going to Norway for those last 3 shows, i had to do it, when the announcement came it was "sketchy" that they would even play the states but luckily they did, i hit the 3 NYC shows and was front and center for all 3, truly the greatest shows i have ever seen, they are at their peak live right now, ironically, at the end. If you get a chance pick up the Swing of things book from their website, its an amazing detailed look at their whole career with tons of pics never seen and tons of qoutes and new interviews from the band, i love how they dont hold anything back, no sugar coating, and ironically this split wasnt a unamious decision, though there was always turmoil within the band, to me thats how you get the best results, when you dont have YES men all working together. Trust me when i say that they are easily the most overlooked and underrated band of that era, and to me clearly clearly surpass their counterparts as writers and musicians.

lastdecember said:

soulyacolia said:

AlexdeParis said: I have Foot Of The Mountain but haven't played it much yet I will dig it out. Scoundrel Days is a stone cold classic I bought the deluxe edition along with 'Hunting High And Low' (which is just a bit too poppy for my taste but hey it was their first album) I'm quite excited to finally see them live and it's cool to know that they have supporters on this site

Yeah this is really the biggest part of the tour, the UK which is like their second home and then on to Norway, i will be going to Norway for those last 3 shows, i had to do it, when the announcement came it was "sketchy" that they would even play the states but luckily they did, i hit the 3 NYC shows and was front and center for all 3, truly the greatest shows i have ever seen, they are at their peak live right now, ironically, at the end. If you get a chance pick up the Swing of things book from their website, its an amazing detailed look at their whole career with tons of pics never seen and tons of qoutes and new interviews from the band, i love how they dont hold anything back, no sugar coating, and ironically this split wasnt a unamious decision, though there was always turmoil within the band, to me thats how you get the best results, when you dont have YES men all working together. Trust me when i say that they are easily the most overlooked and underrated band of that era, and to me clearly clearly surpass their counterparts as writers and musicians.

Did you get tickets for the fan party?

Im going with my wife.

I'm going to the show in Oslo on the 30th November, and really looking forward to it. This band quality written all over them... Enjoy the show!!

Give Morten a snog for me

[Edited 11/16/10 6:14am]

Rorywan said:

lastdecember said:

Yeah this is really the biggest part of the tour, the UK which is like their second home and then on to Norway, i will be going to Norway for those last 3 shows, i had to do it, when the announcement came it was "sketchy" that they would even play the states but luckily they did, i hit the 3 NYC shows and was front and center for all 3, truly the greatest shows i have ever seen, they are at their peak live right now, ironically, at the end. If you get a chance pick up the Swing of things book from their website, its an amazing detailed look at their whole career with tons of pics never seen and tons of qoutes and new interviews from the band, i love how they dont hold anything back, no sugar coating, and ironically this split wasnt a unamious decision, though there was always turmoil within the band, to me thats how you get the best results, when you dont have YES men all working together. Trust me when i say that they are easily the most overlooked and underrated band of that era, and to me clearly clearly surpass their counterparts as writers and musicians.

Did you get tickets for the fan party?

Im going with my wife.

yup that too, also just found out that the final concert will for sure be filmed for dvd release, which was expected it just now is officially announced, no idea on a date yet though i would think early next year.

Justfortheloveofit said:

I'm going to the show in Oslo on the 30th November, and really looking forward to it. This band quality written all over them... Enjoy the show!!

yeah if you havent seen them on this tour yet you will be blow away, and whos to say WHAT they will do now in Norway their hometown, im guessing setlists will go out the window those nights, they announced there will be NO opening act at the Norway shows, here in NYC we got Sondre Lerche who was amazing, totally got into him from that moment on, he is from Norway but now lives in Brooklyn NY, but he did an amazing job and won over the crowd, which is very tough to do.

I wonder if that guy can still sing really high?

2freaky4church1 said:

I wonder if that guy can still sing really high?

his voice is in top form, and this tour has gone on for about a year hit everywhere in the world except Australia and played 80 dates ( a real tour). plus he's 51, top notch form.

soulyacolia said:

My tix were waiting for me when I got home today I was a bit worried because I'd booked so late. Double proper well excited now especially after the responses I've had on this thread. Ooh one more thing what have the setlists been at other shows? I sooo want to hear Manhattan Skyline!

yeah you will get to hear it, through the mega-phone too, the crazy/manic part where Morten yells "You Know!" he does that whole part through a mega-phone. The set lists have varied somewhat, songs here and there were dropped and added, but its pretty much been singles, in some countries they got a treat or too, like South AMerica got "You are the one" acoustic, a-ha hadnt played that song since the 80's live, basically. Some got "Seemingly Nonstop July" which was added during the summer dates and has stayed, also the new song "butterfly" gets an amazing acoustic treatment. a-ha did mix up the order now, early on in the tour at least through south america, north america and some german dates the set lists ran in hit order backwards, now you get them a bit more mixed up.

The curious thing is what will be added in Norway for the final shows?? i cant wait, im making my FIRST ever out-of- the country flight, just to see those last 3 shows and the fan party

I love A-HA! After falling in love with Hunting High & low i was sold on the rest of there discography!

East if the sun, west of the moon is my personal fav

They where performing right by apartment here in L.A!

But i had school & work=[

lastdecember said:

soulyacolia said:

My tix were waiting for me when I got home today I was a bit worried because I'd booked so late. Double proper well excited now especially after the responses I've had on this thread. Ooh one more thing what have the setlists been at other shows? I sooo want to hear Manhattan Skyline!

yeah you will get to hear it, through the mega-phone too, the crazy/manic part where Morten yells "You Know!" he does that whole part through a mega-phone. The set lists have varied somewhat, songs here and there were dropped and added, but its pretty much been singles, in some countries they got a treat or too, like South AMerica got "You are the one" acoustic, a-ha hadnt played that song since the 80's live, basically. Some got "Seemingly Nonstop July" which was added during the summer dates and has stayed, also the new song "butterfly" gets an amazing acoustic treatment. a-ha did mix up the order now, early on in the tour at least through south america, north america and some german dates the set lists ran in hit order backwards, now you get them a bit more mixed up.

The curious thing is what will be added in Norway for the final shows?? i cant wait, im making my FIRST ever out-of- the country flight, just to see those last 3 shows and the fan party

Wow, you must be excited. You have never been outside the US?! Your mind will explode!

The Royal Albert Hall gig was the best a-ha gig I have ever been too. And I have been to a lot. But I would imagine the athmosphere in Norway will be amazing. I saw them play once there on the Analogue tour, brilliant crowd, expensive country though. But beautiful.

Im really glad to see all the comments on here about attending shows, they are one of the most misunderstood bands to come from that time period and i feel there influence is more than alot of others that were starting at their time. But a-ha stumbled into "the synth" thing, their favorite artists are the Doors and Hendrix, and Morten was in a Blues Band in Norway, they went to the UK without a deal and they got hit with this "WAVE" pardon the pun of things going on at that time, which was basically 1982, so those of us who remember what was getting played in 1982 u can imagine a label seeing these 3 goodlooking kids, an amazing lead singer, etc...they were jumping at them to fit into a mold, a-ha had no "visas" and they actually had to just use what the studio had for instruments, when a-ha broke through and went on tour it was the first time they ever played live together. So they were totally not prepared to be Warner Brothers answer to Duran Duran, and i think thats why they didnt catch on more in america after the first album, because they progressed, as Magne said, we refused to make "Take on Me pArt 2" on the next album, so that and also not doing many interviews and stuff in america, kind of made them look "difficult" and Unapproachable. but the rest of the world totally embraced them and i think that is the kind of sad part, its not like they were Men Without Hats, shit a-ha did 9 albums, 9 world tours, 16 solo projects, countless videos etc....i think the time to recognize is here, finally 25 years later.

As for your concert experience, i took this girl to see them back in 2005, it was at the time their only american gig since 1986, they played Irving Plaza, and the girl i took was blown away at the following

1. the place was packed

2. the drop dead deafening screams when they took the stage

3. and they opened with "scoundrel days" which was never a single in america, and people sang it word for word

after this show she was convinced that a-ha were one of the best bands of that time.

As for thoughts on MAGS, he is what i call "the wild card" of this band, i love all 3, but he is my favorite, and its been like that since their return in 2000, when all the members had an identity for the first time in the public eye. Mags is the clown, the storyteller so to speak, and also one of the best keyboard players, piano players as far as writing and playing chord progressions that i have ever heard in my life. I mean just think back to the song "sun always shines on tv" which to me is about the best song of the 80's, its full dynamic, has everything, hooks, orchestration, drama, big chourus etc....and this was album one, that they knew so much already tp write a song like that, under the gun, and by that i mean, that song was never on the album to begin with, it was recording last, and added before the official release, when they did Take On Me for a fourth time.

soulyacolia said:

What a great show! Absolutely fantastic Morten's voice is an amazing instrument and the staging was great with the screens and everything. What a shame that I rediscovered a-ha about a decade to late and will never see them live again! Hope that everyone who is going to Oslo has an amazing time. We should start an org a-ha mafia!

great, i was sure you would enjoy them, the nyc shows were amazing and i cant wait for the oslo shows, they are going to EASILY be my favorite shows ever.