Behind the scenes video

This is a behind the scenes look at the filming of a-ha’s final music video,‘Butterfly, Butterfly (The Last Hurrah)’, directed by Steve Barron. Includes short interviews with Morten, Magne and Paul Waaktaar-Savoy.

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Making a good last impression

Last week, the National Library of Norway opened its exhibitionHunting High and Low: 25 Years With a-ha. During theopening day conference on October 20, the audience watched a video greeting from Magne, which was taped in Germany where the band are on tour now. In the video, Magne explained that they could not be present because the band is touring in Europe, and where they are‘trying to make a good last impression.’

TheEnding on a High Notetour has been an extended fairwell leading up to the final concert this December 4. Every concert has been the last one in some way: the last stadium concert, the last festival, the last small club gig; the last goodbyes to South America, North America and Asia; the last concert at Royal Albert Hall, which has always been special to a-ha; the last tour of Germany, where a-ha has had so much success since their comeback in 2000; and coming up is the last full month of concerts and a-ha’s final farewell shows in Oslo.

Since March, a-ha has performed 51 shows in 16 countries. In an interview with Ken Bruce which was broadcast on September 28, Morten said,“We are completely immersed in just responding to this year, which is really the most intense working year that we’ve had for a long time. It’s hard work to quit,” he laughs.“We’re touring around the world and it’s a packed schedule and we’re right in the thick of it. It has been a wonderful run so far…this is the toughest tour that I’ve done, since the first world tour, which was a nine-month relentless tunnel.”

Magne adds,“We have also had a fun time with the audience and try to give them a very memorable last show. Once we get into England now it will feel a little bit like leaving home I guess, because this is where we formed as a band and this country shaped us as a-ha. I think it is our chance to thank the audience, thank the UK for what it’s done for us and hopefully leave a lasting impression, in a good way.”

With only 37 days left before the band’s final concert, a-ha will say farewell to 18 more cities in 10 countries.“We’re on so many farewell gigs now, and they’re all special. Every night you go on stage, it means everything that night,” says Morten.

Looking ahead to the final concerts in Oslo, in an interview with BBC Radio 2 on October 21, Magne said,“There is no doubt that they’re going to be quite emotional. We’ve gotten fan letters from people warning us already, and it would be a strange thing if we weren’t effected by the sentiment ourselves. It is a big chunk of our lives that we’re closing a chapter on.”

“As you inch towards the very end, you sort of allow yourself to absorb it,” Magne continues.“We’ve said that this is a celebration of a long career together and not a funeral, and we’ve maintained that attitude at the shows. We’re having a good time performing, so it’s going to be mixed emotions when we let it go.”

“We’ve always enjoyed playing together, that’s always been a fundamental arena for us to communicate on. And that’s better now than it probably has been for a long time.”

Today, Morten, Magne and Paul will take the stage in Germany for the last time, at a sold out show in Berlin at O2 World.

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Another night at the Spectrum

Just announced, a-ha will perform an additional concert at the Oslo Spectrum, taking place on November 30!

Tickets for this concert will go on sale on Tuesday 26 October at 0900 CET viaBillettserviceandthe Spectrum box office.

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Radio 2 broadcast of‘Hunting High and Low’ concert

On 8 October a-ha performed their first two albums,‘Hunting High and Low’ and‘Scoundrel Days’, in full at Royal Albert Hall in London. BBC Radio 2 was on hand to make an audio recording of the concert, which will be aired on October 21 at 8:00pm GMT. Listen live online from anywhere in the worldon the BBC Radio 2 website.

Two days after this memorable concert, a-ha’s new compilation album’25′ entered the UK album chart at #10. The album has also been in the German Top 10 for nine weeks.

For the setlist, photos and media links about the Royal Albert Hall concert, please visit theTour Blog. Please add your own impressions and memories from the concert in the comments!

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Official site updates

New on a-ha.com

NewPhoto Gallery, including photos by Knut Bry, Stian Andersen, Kaare Jensen& Flickr
ATimelineof milestones in a-ha’s amazing 25+ year career

New on Facebook

Win tickets to a UK a-ha concert!Contest details
Share your a-ha memorieson the Facebook Wall

MySpace contest reminder

Win tickets to the Berlin concert and a meet and greet with the band!Contest details

YouTube channel

The official YouTube channel URL has changed tohttp://www.youtube.com/aha
Over the coming weeks, the rest of a-ha’s music video catalogue will be uploaded to YouTube

iTunes Ping

a-ha is now on the newiTunes 10 social network, Ping. When logged in to iTunes 10, click‘Ping’ in the top menu, then search for a-ha.

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Back to the beginning

Today marks the 25th anniversary of the day“Take on Me” went to #1 in the US singles chart, thanks in part to the song’s ground-breaking video.

Recently the BBC published an article about the making of the video for“Take on Me” and what made it“a defining moment in the history of music promos.” The article includes an extract from“Commuter”, a video created by Mike Patterson, who would later go on to draw the iconic animated scenes in the“Take on Me” video.

Read more:
BBC News– Taking on A-ha classic
25år siden a-ha tronet på Billboard-toppen
- Jeg datet Morten Harket i over etår

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Win tickets to a UK concert!

Today on Facebook a new contest has been announced, sponsored by Warner UK:

Warner UK has a pair of tickets to give away for several of a-ha’s UK regional concerts! To enter the contest, simply answer this trivia question as a commenton this postand state which show you would like to attend!

Trivia Question: What was a-ha’s first ever UK number one single?

Ticket giveaway for the following UK concert dates:

16th November– Metro Arena Newcastle
17th November– SECC Glasgow
19th November– LG Arena Birmingham
21st November– Trent FM Arena Nottingham
23rd November– Sheffield Arena
26th November– BIC Bournemouth

Please note that this contest is only open to UK residents. Winners will be selected randomly by Warner and the list of winners will be posted on thea-ha Facebook page. Good luck!

The winners oflast month’s’25′ CD conteston Facebook are:

Elina Marcioch
David Antcliffe
Silvia Barboza
Sarah Lewis Froude
Patrick Mayer
Yvonne Ballard
Daniela Rioux
Karen Souza
Beatrice Bea-ha
Gary Mayer

Congratulations!

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‘Hunting High and Low: 25 years with a-ha’

Exhibition October 20– December 30, 2010
National Library of Norway

According to theNational Library of Norway web site, this exhibition aims to“highlight different periods in the band’s career from the time of their breakthrough until today.”

The National Library reports having an extensive a-ha collection, which will form the basis and starting  point of the exhibition which explores and celebrates a-ha’s career and contributions to pop history.

Update October 7:

The National Library of Norway has launched an updated web site in connection with the upcoming exhibition. Be sure to visithttp://www.nb.no/a-ha/for more information.

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HMV signing event in London

Fans began queuing on Tuesday evening at HMV in Oxford Circus to receive wristbands for a-ha’s last ever CD signing event the next afternoon. There were nearly 200 fans in line at 9:00am Wednesday, when HMV opened their doors and started distributing wristbands. Strategically placed throughout the store were displays of the new compilation’25′, which is out in the UK this week. a-ha videos played on the screens in the store throughout the day.

At 6:00 pm, fans were again queued at HMV, this time in the aisles near the back of the store, where a stage is set up for special events. Everyone had a chance to say a quick word to the band members and have their CD signed; some fans stayed even after they had gone through the line, to watch as friends also met the band or to take photos. When at last Morten, Magne and Paul had met everyone and signed hundreds of CDs, they took their leave with smiles and waves to the fans gathered in the store, and several fans shouted‘Thank you a-ha!’

HMV took some great pictures of the event, see them onFlickr.

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Extra tickets for a-ha’s final three concerts!

Due to some remodeling taking place at the Oslo Spectrum, there are now 120 additional tickets available for each of a-ha’s final three concerts on December 2, 3 and 4. Sold out for months, these three concerts will be the last chances to see a-ha perform live before they retire this December.

These additional tickets are not available online– to purchase tickets, contact the Oslo Spectrum ticket office by phone at 815 11 211.

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a-ha perform first two albums at Oslo Konserthus

Last night a-ha performed their first two albums in full at a charity concert to benefit Mercy Ships at Oslo Konserthus. Backed by an orchestra of 30 musicians from the Oslo Philharmonic Orchestra, a-ha playedHunting High and LowandScoundrel Daysfrom beginning to end for an audience of 1300.

Setlist:

Take On Me
Train Of Thought
Hunting High And Low
The Blue Sky
Living A Boy’s Adventure Tale
The Sun Always Shines On TV
And You Tell Me
Love Is Reason
I Dream Myself Alive
Here I Stand And Face The Rain

Scoundrel Days
The Swing Of Things
I’ve Been Losing You
October
Manhattan Skyline
Cry Wolf
We’re Looking For The Whales
The Weight Of The Wind
Maybe, Maybe
Soft Rains Of April

Three live video clips from the concert last night:

Were you there?

Please share your memories of this concert– or of any of theEnding on a High Notetour concerts– in theTour Blog! Links to reviews, photos and videos are welcome.

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Royal Albert Hall ticket update

We have been informed that a few extra seats have now been released for sale for the Royal Albert Hall concert on October 8 in London, now that the exact production requirements for the show have been finalized.

These tickets are in good locations, including some on the floor of the arena, and are available now viaSee TicketsandRoyal Albert Hall Box Office.

The band is in rehearsals for the upcomingHunting High and Lowconcerts in Oslo and London next week. Here is a photo from rehearsals which was sent out viaTwitter:

Be sure tofollow a-ha.com on Twitterfor more updates and photos from the fall tour!

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Just Loomis a-ha photography

Just Loomis has photographed five a-ha covers, including Grammy nominated Album of the YearHunting High and Low.

For a limited time Just Loomis is offering high quality art prints for sale. A few of his favorite a-ha photographs will be printed by Bowhaus photographic lab in Los Angeles with the patented and fully archival True Black and White technology.

Printed on a high quality art paper, these prints will be signed and dated, and shipped with a letter of authentification from Just Loomis.

For more information, visitJust Loomis Art Prints.

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