(no subject)
Right.
I’m bit late on this update but I do want to share my second A-há concert with you (first was back in 2002).
Flashback to 25th March 2009…
Getting there was an adventure in itself. I had to work that day - a Wednesday - and still be in São Paulo by 7pm in order to arrive at the concert venue in time. The journey was expected to take about four hours, but I couldn’t sleep on the bus. I was too anxious already, I guess. A-ha is the band that pretty much molded my childhood (U2 and other rock bands from the 80s were a later influence) and I’ve been through the drama of expecting never - ever - to have a chance to see them. But that’s a different story: what you need to know is that seeing them is still something I deem hard to believe until I’ve actually got them in front of me.
Arriving in SP, I was met with a 23-km long traffic jam. See what I mean by line in italics above? Nothing seems to go my way… there was something similar in 2002…
Anyway, I got there at 9.10pm and the concert started precisely at 9.42. That’s when I relaxed. The first song was a shocker - no one expected it - but set the mood which the whole concert would be in: oh so nostalgic, a setlist mostly out of the first two albuns… heaven to people my age, who were too young see them back on the days…
So, here goes the setlist and a few comments. I can’t remember much of the details about my feelings now, except that I cried during most of the songs. Merlin, people, I had Morten Harket ten feet away from me and his voice still messes with my emotions in ways I rather not describe… Anyway, cutting the nonsense…
Living A Boy's Adventure Tale: see what I mean by a shocker? I don’t remember seeing them ever playing it live since 1987 or some time in the ancient 80s. But I love the atmosphere it brings…
The Blood That Moves The Body: That’s when I noticed Morten wasn’t wearing leather. I guess he is growing old… but he is still gorgeous… those eyes… Merlin, those eyes… He bent low near where I was and I could see them clearly: bright and impossibly blue...
Cry Wolf: Time for the first chorus of the night...
Scoundrel Days: Awesome!!! Vibrant and more dancing than the classic album version... they did a very nice “remake” of themselves!!
Manhattan Skyline: Time for the first collective shedding of tears... but try that while singing your heart out… dude… when you run out of fluids, your throat burns like hell…
I've Been Losing You: The public had pretty much the same reaction as in Manhatan Skyline, but voices were dimmer… I wonder why… (coughthroatburningcough)…
Minor Earth Major Sky: I think this album has got better songs, but after being distracted by a crazy fan (not me, I swear!) and forgetting the lyrics, Morten smiled pleasantly to notice the audience was singing it for him. I guess he didn´t expect we knew the lyrics (this album wasn’t well publicised here)
Riding The Crest: A new song to be featured in their next album (due in the second semester). I liked it very much. I can’t say it will be like this in the studio version, but it was very 70s-like live. Really good.
Shadow Side: another new one. A catching ballad, it might be a hit if properly introduced to the public (In Brazil, that doesn’t happen often when the band/musician in question have got CONTENT in their lyrics). It’s got a string set and Morten’s vocal performance was superb. One of my favourites songs (ever) already.
I Dream Myself Alive: Another one from the first album. I felt as though they were making up for the concert I wanted to have attended in 1989 in Sao Paulo. Merlin…
Hunting High And Low: Song qualities aside (needless to mention them, right?), it was played acoustically. I only heard Morten sing the introduction (Here I am/And within the reach of hands/she sounds asleep…) cos I couldn’t hear his voice from the “she's sweeter now than the wildest dream could have seen her” on… Seriously. Don’t believe me? Check this out. I wonder why though… AND I PROMISE THAT SHRILL VOICE SINGING ALONG IS NOT MINE!!!! Not. You can even hear my cousin by the end… I’ll kill him though… embarrass me this way on you tube… bastard…
Summer Moved On: also played acoustically. We timed it: 34 seconds non-stop “SSSSTTTAAAAAYYYYY” in falsetto. How does he make it? I cried a lot because this song reminds me of their comeback in 2000, can´t explain how hopeful it made me about eventually getting to see them, really. Gosh, am I mush or what? Anyway, a bit of a curious thing: that was the very first song I downloaded in MP3!
Train of Thought: When they started this one I was like “It could’ve been Swing of Things” and then…
The Swing of Things: ha ha ha… I was laughing with myself… Love these lyrics… pity was I nearly voiceless.
Stay On These Roads: Another one I could hardly hear Morten sing. I started to wonder where everyone was getting any VOICE from…
What There Is: The best among the three new songs they played. There’s a bit in which Morten is singing in falsetto and Pal does the backvocal in tenor. Hard to describe, really. You had to be there to see it.
Forever Not Yours: They did a new intro. Morten was inspired, brilliant vocals again. I cried my eyes out.
Crying In The Rain: I wasn’t expecting this one, but the audience went nuts. This was a hit in Brazil back in 1990. Really. It was still among the most wanted when Guns N Roses was conquering the world with Don’t Cry and November Rain
Living Daylights: not one of my favourites, but it was a Bond theme… The audience liked it waaaaayyyy too much.
Sun Always Shines On TV: A different kind of tears sprung up. This one marked the beginning of the end. Stupid time that passes by too quickly when we’re happy.
Analogue: I believe that if they hadn’t sung something from the most recent albums some people might have attacked them. This live performance was infinitely better than the album version.
Take On Me: The End. The classic video was on the screen. I was getting devastated by the second. Did I mention I hate when time rushed my happy hours into seconds?
Anyway, pics are here… the first 30 ones were taken by my cousin, and the rest by a mutual friend we’ve got. The best videos are these. Coincidentaly, this guy was right in front of me. So, sorry by my shrillness. Luckily you don´t speak Portuguese, or you´d hear me swear :D!
:D