Posted By: Catherine 
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Comments: (25)
The North American tour kicks off
a-ha set the bar high last night at Nokia Theatre in New York City, playing to an enthusiastic sold out audience. Two more concerts follow in the same venue tonight and tomorrow.
Fans began to queue outside the venue as early as 10:00am, and by the time the doors opened the line of eager fans stretched around the city block. Overheard from fans in line:
“This is a dream come true for me!”
“I traveled from Australia for this, it is so worth it to see a-ha live”
“I had no idea people would line up like this, tomorrow I am going to get here earlier”
So fair warning: if you’re attending the show tonight, be prepared for a long line and a lot of excited fans!
The set was a parade of many of the band’s biggest hits, in reverse order. Clearly the audience was familiar with a-ha’s newer releases, but as the set progressed back in time, the response from the crowd became more and more energetic. Between songs, Magne said it was great to be back in New York and to know there are still so many fans here.
Some highlights from the show include the new acoustic version of “Minor Earth Major Sky”, a loud “Hunting High and Low” sing-along with the audience, more pronounced guitar from Paul during “Summer Moved On” and more vibrant vocal harmonies from Paul and Magne during “The Bandstand” and “Analogue”. It’s clear the guys have found many ways to vary the songs they’ve played so many times during their career, so that no two shows are the same.
Setlist:
Foot of the Mountain
Bandstand
Analogue
Forever Not Yours
Minor Earth Major Sky
Summer Moved On
Move to Memphis
The Blood That Moves The Body
Stay On These Roads
The Living Daylights
And You Tell Me
Early Morning
Scoundrel Days
The Swing Of Things
We’re Looking For the Whales
Manhattan Skyline
I’ve Been Losing You
Cry Wolf
The Sun Always Shines On TV
Hunting High and Low
Take On Me
Photos:
A selection of photos from the concert are available on the a-ha.com official Flickr page. If you have pictures from last night or any other shows on the tour, add them to the a-ha.com Flickr Group!
Time: 12:35 pm 
Please play Lifelines in Toronto!
They also played “We’re Looking for the Whales” and an acoustic version of “Early Morning.”
Nothing from ‘East of the Sun, West of the Moon’? Come on a-ha, pull out Crying in the Rain or Early Morning in Toronto!
Man, the anticipation is killing me!
Catherine querida, tudo é uma oportunidade para chegarmos mais proximos dos nossos idolos, estou sempre atenta a vocês, amo a todos vocês, amo A-ha, forever. Nelma Alves-Recife-Brasil
I would have given so much for being there but they were not going to give me a visa in little time. I hate visas!!!
But anyway I thank you so much for these trips that are taking you Mags, Morten and the A-ha team so far from your homes.
Pal must be happy because he is just around the corner.
I am sending you lots of hugs and kisses.
Always in my a-haheart
p.d. come to Mexico please, at least to visit me and sing a little if you do not want to give a concert.
I’ve seen these pics … You are looking great Guys
)))))))))))))))))
i hope this dream never ends…
Did they play “Early Morning” and “We’re Looking for the Whales” too? (http://www.nrk.no/musikk/1.7114228)
I was there last night for the first concert and they did a FANTASTIC job. It was my first time seeing them and it was a dream come true. I was so excited and the experience was great. They sounded awesome and the Nokia Theater was alive with a-ha fans.
I can’t wait….I will be in Club Nokia, Next Saturday!!! Wondering if there are any other Canadian fans going to be there?
Hi Catherine i want to say that:I LOVED the photos from New york,I hope you are doing well there in U.S.A, like it, enjoed! I found something really cool I would say to you, then I will get back to my email to tell, so, like it, enjoed! LOve YOu
!
I want to quit my job and see every show. I was happy to see them on the 6th. A dream come true, an excellent concert. Ending on a High Note, indeed.
I went to see them Friday Night May 7th @ Nokia Theater, in NYC (first time there for me). They were so friggin awesome. Best Concert I have ever been too. A-ha fans I was waiting with in line were awesome too.
I cannot believe that you fellas are breaking up. You were so great and hearin “Whales” and “Scoundrel days” was just too great!!! I wanted to hear more and more especially from Foot of the Mountain…. maybe you stop in Orlando FL.. On a reunion tour?? yea yea I like it
Please include Shadowside, Birthright, and more songs in the concerts pleaseee.
We all are celebrating the 25th anniversary of A-ha, nothing else, ok? The word Farewell is just an accessory word, right? (I am in the denial part of my life about that piece of news you gave in October, it is not true, right?)
Well, coming back to the other request…why don´t you give at least a 3 hour concert? you can have a little break so that you do not get very tired of course, that is because we cannot get enough, we always want more and there is this feeling of…I wanted to listen to this song and that, and aslo that other one.
You know what I mean, right?
You could have more expensive tickets and we would pay for them, we would ask for another loan, we would skip meals or whatever but we would. You can put us to the test LOL.
See, we love you so much and honestly we do not know how else to show you what you mean to us. What else to do? We are thinking…We are thinking about making our own survival kit just in case you really, really, really carry on with that awful thought of last October, that is almost like a forbideen word or thought for us, like the words that cannot be mentioned, thought or said.
By the way, ask your Coldplay friends what it is like coming to Mexico, so that you come. Honestly I did not go to their concerts because I was in Southamerica with you and honestly I am a devoted fan to you guys but I mention this because they have recently come here and they can tell you about some of the warmest and nicest fans in the world.
I saw the videos from New York and wow!! They were so amazing!!! You were as wonderful as you have always been.
Please, always take care, be always aware of the love we have for you, keep on being so wonderful and talented, quit thinking about leaving us (please), stay safe, may your paths be clear and that no volcanoes, tornados,earthquakes, bombs, sicknesses, virus, crazier fans, tiring flights, floods, etc. interfere in your ways.
Have a path fill with wisdom, health, love, passion, integrity, more knowledge and wealth.
♥
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(¸.•´ (¸.•` * *» ♥.•°•.•.♥..A-ha forever..♥•.•°•.♥
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♥..(_.^._)__A-ha in my heart…♥
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….(_.^._)……♥…(_.^. _) .(◕ฺ_◕ฺ)
It was an immense pleasure to watch the band in their “last” NYC concert. Having never sene them int he 20+ years I’ve been a fan, it was an amazing experience and surpassed even my fondest hopes. Entertaining and moving, innovative and familiar all at once. I hope the band will reconsider and not make it another 20 years before i get to enjoy their performance once again
No song from “East Of The Sun West Of The Moon” or “Memorial Beach?” Please a-ha pull out at least ‘Crying In The Rain,’ ‘Early Morning,’ ‘I Call Your Name.’ At least two of these. Please!!! For the Los Angeles concerts.
Hey guys. I got to see them on their opening night as well! I flew in from Florida to see them! It was an honor to watch them play live. I hope they reconsider and realize how many fans out there still enjoy all their music!
if you are interested in YouTube vids from the show…here is my page: http://www.youtube.com/gatorsam
thanks a-ha!
The show last night was amazing, I flew all the way from Kansas City to see them.
overall good setlist, but please ditch forever not yours and move to memphis for classics like lifelines/cosy prisons/dark is the night.
i’d love it if they closed with touchy instead of take on me, everyone would be horrified.
My wife and I attended the show on Saturday night (May 8th) and had a BLAST!! I’ve been a fan since the very beginning but never was able to see them live before. They didn’t disappoint. My only regret was that they didn’t sing “East Of The Sun” but other then that they hit all of my other favorites. Now my wife, who just listened to them because of me, has all of their albums in here car. Luckily I have an Ipod in my car because I probably won’t be seeing them anytime soon. Thank you a-ha for including the U.S. (especially NYC) in you farewell tour plans. It was well worth the wait to finally see you live.
After 25 yrs a was finally able to see my fav group in New York May 6th at the Nokia Theater with someone special..a new fan =) I will never forget our special night we shared together!!!! Thankyou a-ha for the memories,music and for making me a fan for so long…your music is an inspiration and I am so glad that i can say i’ve seen you in concert. My stay in New York will never be forgotten. We love u guys!!!! Please keep making music for future generations. U made such an impact in my life and have started new memories for somone special. Nokia was the perfect venue to experience the concert….i hope everyone that was thier felt the same..2010 and more…PLEASE!!!
Those of us who have followed you the whole time, without the benefit of being able to see you live until now could care less about the “pop” songs…we want more! The Living Daylights and Cry Wolf are 2 I could not care less about…very rare for me…here is MY DREAM SETLIST!!!
Bandstand
Foot of the Mountain
Analogue
Forever Not Yours
Summer Moved On
Minor Earth Major Sky
Did Anyone Approach You?***
Move to Memphis
Slender Frame
I Call Your Name***
Early Morning
Crying in the Rain
Scoundrel Days
Locust
Manhattan Skyline
I Wish I Cared***
I’ve Been Losing You
Sycamore Leaves***
Encore:
October***
The Sun Always Shines on TV
Lie Down in Darkness***
Take On Me
***
Please consider some of the setlist I mentioned in the post before! We are traveling from Houston, Texas to Los Angeles for the final US show…I have all the CDs….please consider the ones with the 3 stars above!!
I saw attended the concert May 6th and 8th, courtesy of a great guy I met named Ted. Thanks Ted of GA. The concert was amazing both times, just wished it was longer with this being their final tour. I was at the 2005 concert at Irving Place in NYC, and this farewell tour was by far the better. It was euphoric, joyous yet bittersweet at the same time. It was a pleasure being in the same space with a-ha and all the fans who know and love a-ha like I do.
I was at the show in NYC on Saturday 5/8… They blew me away! They are my favorite group and they are SO much better live.
I was wondering if anyone knows if the symphonic arrangement of Swing of Things (?) they played during the opening and closing was available? That was really cool.
Highlight of the show had to be Manhattan Skyline… the crowd waving and singing along “wave goodbye, wave goodbye…” at their *last* NYC show.