A-Ha, Ancienne Belgique, November 11, 2009 Five I remember quite a lot of my first concert of A-Ha. It was already at the Ancienne Belgique in 2003 for the tour
Lifelines. Survives only the memory of my enthusiasm for great baby face one of the leading bands of my twelve years, I never expected to see him live, tempered by a slight disappointment that they did not do a little more effort: its a little hot, rough arrangements, little communication with the public, tired voice. When a new concert at the AB was announced a few weeks ago, so I hesitated a bit before buying my place, to let me finally convinced by listening to some songs from the new album, which seemed to mark a return to sound synthetic pop of their (excellent) debut album. Took me well as a few weeks later, the group announced its future separation. So there's a good chance that this is the last concert of them which I have the opportunity to attend. Sniff, looks Beigbeder!
When I get to the room at 19.10, I see that Nadar Barriers have been placed on the sidewalk in order to channel the crowd wanting. It the first time that such precautions are taken to a concert I attend. Although it's been almost 20 years since A-Ha is a group more popular, organizers have planned a superstar device, which is probably deserved the world saw this 80 minutes before the concert. I sit in the queue, which fortunately advance fast enough. Once in the lobby, there is the question of placement. Will I put myself in the pit, as close as possible to the scene, as usual, or otherwise settle in the stands at the back of the room, just to soften the disappointment that I feel afraid already? I finally decided to put me in the pit and wait standing for the full hour of waiting, while listening to talk fans around me. The fan of pop music that I'm actually rather rarely attends concerts and I like pop, when the opportunity arises, discuss the public listen and see how it differs from the indie concerts: older (in their thirties average), enough pop to him, less indie-kid hairdos English, more ponytails and cutting mat, under t-shirts and more Kraftwerk held office workers, teachers and / or secretaries, a less jaded and come in just to have fun with friends. Many foreigners also, especially the French, whose some had attended the concert in Paris on the eve of (the community of French fans of A-Ha is surprisingly active and well organized
).
Once the lights, it seems clear that this concert will not be as rudimentary as that of 2003.
An intriguing introductory soundtrack , a merging of synths disturbing and ragged voice makes it clear that this show was conceived as a true spectacle, and not simply as a sequence of approximate interpretations of excerpts from their repertoire. These laudable intentions are confirmed when, after the curtain raiser, the organization the scene is revealed to the public: maximum size, with the bottom covered with a giant screen on which succeeded each other for two hours still images, videos, live big shots, etc. .. The lights are also very successful.
Another pleasant surprise: the sound is perfect, with a very clear mix. The three band members are accompanied by two musicians on stage and it is difficult to say who does what. Clearly
Magne Furuholmen not play everything live (the riff of Take On Me for example, is clearly pre-recorded, but that of Train of Thought seems to be interpreted locally) and if
Pal Waaktaar keeps his guitar slung throughout the concert, it is sometimes difficult to distinguish what he really plays. Therefore, perhaps to silence the annoying (which I'd be very sorry to part), they are allowed a brief acoustic interlude in mid-concert, including if I remember well And You Tell Me and Velvet. That said, all these considerations matter. I was not there for the piano lines Magne (would not it have been funny he is a member of Depeche) or Pal guitar solos, but to listen and sing Morten was the balance of this perfect point of view, was the pride in her voice, set very forward.
Let's talk, moreover, that voice that I got used to characterize second-best tone of the music world (after the unattainable Lisa, of course). At this point, my unfailing honesty compels me and my objectivity land malhereusement to mention that the voice of Morten Harket
, no longer quite the same souflle epic agility in the same registry changes as in the years 80. His falsetto in particular has lost its harmonics and sounds less full, more forced. Having said that, although the show on stage, we tend to forget (they have virtually not changed ... I surmises that somewhere in an attic in the suburbs of Oslo, a group portrait in their stead suffered the ravages of time), keep in mind that all these people kindly approach the half century and that it is quite admirable that, at fifty, Morten can still remonstrate to 95% of contemporary singers, especially since his voice type is not a priori the best aging (Stuart Staples is randomly this view quieter).
To continue the good news, the set-list is small onions and gives pride to the first two albums, and the youngest, the frankly very good
Foot Of The Mountain . So of course, we may regret the absence of
Living A Boy's Adventure Tale of
I've Been Losing You or
The Weight Of The Wind (which would all have advantageously replaced
Velvet ) but hey, most of Tube-tracks and albums are just unavoidable. I confess with shame just claimed that
intros Scoundrel Days Dream Myself Alive or
gave me goosebumps.
Finally, I would say that Morten and Magne, very smiling, seem quite happy to be there (it's less safe for Pal, more sullen), perhaps feeling more comfortable with their status of aging pop stars after falling agree to dissolve the group in January 2011. Germany is one that communicates more easily, trying to French, and even a few words of Dutch, when the public calls. No mention is made of a possible return to Belgium for their farewell tour. The only real disappointment of an evening that left me gently euphoric. I'm more a fan now that two weeks ago. Proof? I listened to it again by writing this three albums recorded between 1990 and 2003, those I thought there was nothing to save and there have unearthed five pieces that I really like. Like what. Until a day perhaps, I launched here in an annotated discography of the band, I'm going to iron the next two albums. Maybe I should succeed even listen
Analog with a new ear and reassess upward an album that left me at the time the memory of a huge misfires? Who knows. After a concert like this, anything is possible.
Setlist:
- The Sun Always Shines On TV (Hunting High and Low)
- Riding The Crest (Foot Of The Mountain)
- The Bandstand (Foot Of The Mountain)
- Scoundrel Days (Scoundrel Days)
- Stay On These Roads (Stay On These Roads)
- Manhattan Skyline (Scoundrel Days)
- Hunting High And Low (Hunting High and Low)
- The Blood That Moves The Body (Stay On These Roads)
- I Dream Myself Alive (Hunting High and Low)
- And You Tell Me (Hunting High and Low)
- Velvet (Minor Earth, Major Sky)
- Train Of Thought (Hunting High and Low)
- Sunny Mystery (Foot Of The Mountain)
- Forever Not Yours (Lifelines)
- Shadowside (Foot Of The Mountain)
- Summer Moved On (Minor Earth, Major Sky)
- Foot Of The Mountain (Foot Of The Mountain) ----
- Cry Wolf (Scoundrel Days)
- Analog (Analogue)
- The Living Daylights (Stay On These Roads) ----
- Take On me (Hunting High and Low)
(and I still have four more drafts of the minutes of the net to put together)
