A-ha in Prague remembered the first album and subtly hinted at the future
May Day, love time and in 2022 also the date when the Norwegian band A-ha first came to Prague. The tour to the start of the 1985 debut “Hunting High And Low” was postponed due to the pandemic, so Czech fans had to wait another two years longer for the trio of Morten, Magne and Paul.
Live: A-ha
place: O2 arena, Prague
date: May 1, 2022
setlist: Maple Leaves, Swing of Things, Crying in the Rain, Forest for Trees, Got It, I’m Losing You, Villain Days, Live Daylight, Break, Commuting (Michael Patterson’s Movie), Train Idea, Blue Sky, Live a Boy’s Adventure, And You you tell me, Love is reason, I dream about myself, Here I stand and face the rain, Hunting high and low, The sun always shines on TV, Marry me
Photo gallery
Before the A-ha concert in Prague’s O2 arena, several questions arose: for example, how many curious people and witnesses will find their way to the band’s concert in 2022, photos from the German Bravíček’s blissful memory were glued to the wall by girls in their mid-eighties? Or: how will 62-year-old Morten Harket cope with the highs in the chorus “Take On Me”?
© Tom Jajo Rozkovec / musicserver.cz
The hall eventually filled well, about three-quarters, and Morten put those heights in the band’s first and biggest hit with honor to the master. But it wasn’t until the very end of the concert that culminated in a song that became an undeniable cultural phenomenon over the years. And I say that with the rock-solid conviction that A-ha have dozens of better songs. Even to the audience – the Czech fans were so shy. Morten was actually supposed to react towards the publication, namely that the chorus would be the chorus “Hunting High And Low”. And it turned out a little embarrassing. But it was with this wonderful song that the audience got up from their seats and rushed to the stage, so it all ended in a decent cauldron. Magne provided the most communication with the audience. Morten is the one who just sings, otherwise he is very static and closed, but it doesn’t matter at all. Except for one slight stutter (early onset in “Love Is Reason”), his performance was admirable. And Paul, the almost exclusive author of that first album, is the hidden power that can properly tighten and gently complement the second voice with his guitar. The accompanying musicians, of course, stood in the background, but without them it was not possible what was best at the concert, because the arrangements of the songs changed from the original synthetic pop to a much more rock sound.
© Tom Jajo Rozkovec / musicserver.cz
Before the entire album in question was played, the band played a selection of several songs in the first three-quarters of an hour, which were not necessarily big hits. A-ha started at exactly 8:00 (sorry, people, stuck at the turnstiles) with “Sycamore Leaves” – and I call it courage! It’s a purely rock thing for the rock, and already in the graduating conclusion, the gentlemen have shown here that there are no softnesses. Of course, in the third item of the “Crying In The Rain” setlist, there were no more tears of emotion. Whoever came up with unpolished information from previous stops of the tour, the concert must have been very surprised by the fact that the band has included two completely new songs in the strictly witnessed setlist, which will only be released in the autumn on the new album “True North”. “Forest For The Trees” and “You Have What It Takes” were accompanied to the screening by beautiful film images, and I’m already looking forward to what a musical and visual experience it will be.
© Tom Jajo Rozkovec / musicserver.cz
The last item in the first part, Bond’s “The Living Daylights”, excited the audience for the first time, so it was a pity that a twenty-minute break and the animated film “Commuter” followed. Fortunately, A-ha kicked off the second part of the great “Train Of Thought” dinner, where it was already clear how the rest of the songs would sound – much less chargeable to the 1985 sound, harder and more arranging. The most beautiful were the trio “The Blue Sky”, “Living A Boy’s Adventure Tale” and “And You Tell Me”, thanks to what these nail hidden jewels are, for which there would simply be no space. This way, their beauty stood out even more alive in a modified form. The personal highlight of the evening was the fantastic version of “Here I Stand And Face The Rain” – this dramatic song accompanied by images of heavy clouds and storms (repeated several times during the dinner of this theme) graduated in the guitar storm, when Paul untied himself.
In the end, even those who were looking forward to “Take On Me” (undoubtedly the warmest reception of the evening and an excellent concert) and connoisseurs for whom this Norwegian trio is much more than a retriever for witnesses 40+. Whether A-ha will ever return to us is a question. After all, they have much rockier fans in other locations and who knows how to take a break again or what will happen to them. But maybe with a new album accompanied by a symphony orchestra? That would be beautiful. I have no doubt.