A-HA // SEC ARMADILLO, GLASGOW
NORWEGIAN 80S MUSICAL GIANTS ARE BACK TOURING THEIR SMASH DEBUT ALBUM, ‘HUNTING HIGH AND LOW’
A-HA PERFORMING AT GLASGOW’S SEC ARMADILLO - 01.11.2019
PICTURE BY: | STEPHEN WILSON PHOTOGRAPHY
★★★★☆ (4/5)
1980s heart throb Morten Harket and his buddies Magne Furuholmen and Paul Waaktaar-Savoy are collectively known as A-Ha. They were formed in Oslo, Norway in 1982 and after a few years developing and honing their sound they burst onto the British music scene with their single Take On Me, taken from their 1985 debut album Hunting High and Low. Tonight they would play this album in full, plus adding more classics and album tracks later. With the lights going out just after 8pm, and no support act, they promised over 2 hours of 80’s and 90’s nostalgia, and never disappointed!
5 of the 10 tracks on the album were single releases in the UK, with debut single Take On Me narrowly missing out on the top slot in the charts, peaking at number 2, albeit on its second release. This song, plus its instantly recognisable promotional video catapulted the band into the limelight, where they’d remain comfortably for the next 10 years until taking a hiatus in 1994, with band members leaving to work on solo projects. The album also secured a top 2 position in the album charts, as did their follow up albums Scoundrel Days and Stay on These Roads, such was the popularity of the band. This tour provides a chance to run thru the album once more, and starting with track one, Take On Me, they couldnt have got the crowd on their feet any easier, and the Glasgow A-Ha fan club obliged by staying there throughout the show. Train of Thought and title track Hunting High and Low, also released as singles in the UK followed before The Blue Sky and Living a Boy's Adventure Tale signalled the end of ‘side one’, and after a flip the bands only UK number one single ‘The Sun Always Shines On TV’ brought the house down. 4 more tracks, And You Tell Me, Love Is Reason, I Dream Myself Alive and Here I Stand and Face the Rain close the album section of the show. The record still stands the test of time, particularly the singles, which are catchy, singalong 80s pop at its finest.
After a short break the band returned to the stage for part two, with more of the same to come. Hit singles and album tracks, the fans were lapping it up and the band were in top form. Harket tho seemed to have an issue with his earpiece throughout, mentioning earlier that ‘the soundcheck means the acoustics are set perfectly when the hall is empty, but when you arrive, the crowd adjusts the frequencies!’. Whatever was plaguing him caused him to miss his cue on a few occasions, for which he humbly apologised, but the near sell out audience would forgive him for anything! He may be the front man of the band, but Harket is less than comfortable being in the spotlight, his shyness is evident as he prefers to take more of a back seat whilst on stage. Tonight tho, Mags takes the center spot as he celebrates his birthday with the Glasgow audience, who give him a rendition of ‘Happy Birthday’, joined by the rest of the band.
The music continued. Analogue (All I Want), Foot Of The Mountain, their cover of Carole King’s Crying In The Rain, Ive Been Losing You and Stay On These Roads, and the second section was at a close. The crowd were in full voice throughout and gave the band a standing ovation at the end of the set. Another short break and they returned for the last 2 songs of the night, title track of the bands second album Scoundrel Days and closed the evening with the theme tune from the 1987 James Bond movie The Living Daylights.
Fans of the band were in raptures, they came for an evening of classic tunes and the band delivered. Morten Harket’s voice is as fine as it always has been, and the big tunes still sound fantasticss today. A-ha are a great live band, and for fans of 80s music, this is a gig not to be missed. 35 years may have passed since they were first introduced to the UK public, but A-Ha still has what it takes, and long may they continue. Absolute magic!!
SETLIST: | A-HA : SEC ARMADILLO, GLASGOW - 01.11.2019
SET 1: | Hunting High and Low
Take Me On
Train of Thought
Hunting High and Low
The Blue Sky
Living a Boy’s Adventure Tale
The Sun Always Shines on T.V.
And You Tell Me
Love Is Reason
I Dream Myself Alive - (Demo version)
Here I Stand and Face the Rain
SET 2: |
Analogue (All I Want)
Foot of the Mountain
The Swing of Things
Crying in the Rain - (Carole King cover)
Sycamore Leaves
Digital River
I’ve Been Losing You
Stay on These Roads
ENCORE:
Scoundrel Days
The Living Daylights