by Mortyman » Fri Sep 16, 2005 8:22 am
An article in the Norwegian nespaper Dagbladet:
Manhattan for a-ha
The fans had flown in from all over the USA, when a egnited a-ha played for a surprisingly young audience in New York.
- I can die now, says a happy Megan Snipes ( 34 ), all the way at the front of the stage, when a-ha had said goodbye after two dedicated hours at intimate Irving Plaza.
Together with friend Catherine Turner she had waited outside the concert venue for 12 hours, before she finally got to experience her Norwegian heroes.
Unlike when other Norwegian bands play in the states, there were few Norwegian students at the hall. It was mainly American fans in their 20’s and 30’s.
- We have driven 13 hours by car from South Carolina, tells, Sara Oswold ( 24 ).
Together with her mother Lynn, she stood in the several hundred meter long que outside the concert hall. The two girls are also members of the fannetwork street team and handed out flyers and has as main goal to get the new album released in the states.
- I have waited for this for 20 years, we have all the albums and singles, assures Lynn.
The audience was ecstatic from the first to the last tone yesterday. It’s perhaps a clishe, but during large parts of the concert, the floor swayed. On stage a-ha delivered the material better than ever before and also showed that they could handle the stripped down concert format.
Proof ? Even VG’s ( Norwegian newspaper ) reviewer added to the choir.
And Morten Harket, for the occation, dressed in a tight fitted black t-shirt, had for once very little contact with his monitor earpiece.
- He sings unbeleavably well today, stated Idol judge, channel 24 music boss and a-ha fan on field trip, Tone Lise Skagefoss from Norway.
- His voice, Oh my god, no one has the voice of Morten Harket, sighs Tara O’ Donoghue ( 32 ) from Las Vegas and gets support from younger sister Jaime ( 32 )
- No one manages to pull out feelings in the songs, like a-ha does.
It was Magne Furuholmen who was the most eeger o entertain yesterday. ( Harket has also commented that he does’nt do entertainment, but stimulation ) and mid way in the show, Mags was up on his piano stol and swirled around. Pål Waaktaar Savoy was active on the guitar, dressed in a shirt, down buttoned so far that even Tom Jones would have nodded admirably.
- We have waited 20 years for this, so a thousand thanks, Mags starting the show
- I have to days left until I’m 45 years old, said Morten a little later. ( I think he’s becoming 46 though )
They both got massive cheers
- We used a long time to prepare these shows. Next time you’ll see us we’ll be 60, Mags jokingly commented about the fact that it is almost 20 years since they played New York.
Lauren Waaktar Savoy directed the filming of the concert that will show up on DVD sometime in the future.
After the show, a very pleased band went home to Pål’s Soho apartment together with management and friends where it became a long but subtle party.