Posted By: Catherine 
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Welcome to Brazil – Let the celebrations begin!
By Judith Heinrich, Petra Meier and Judith Fasler
After the successful start of their Farewell Tour in Buenos Aires the band headed to Bauru, to perform the first of 7 live shows in Brazil.
The 300 kilometres from Sao Paulo to Bauru should easily be covered in about 3 hours however this doesn’t take into consideration the world’s largest traffic jams in Sao Paulo – over 7 hours later the band reached Bauru. Our journey the following day was slightly shorter with 4 hours.
a-ha gave some interviews and several lucky fans who had been waiting patiently at their hotel, had their t-shirts signed and their picture taken with them before heading to the soundcheck.
The Alameda Quality Centre is located just outside Bauru. A huge tent had been erected especially for the show and after the Cranberries, a-ha are only the second international artist to perform at this venue. Needless to say that this is the event of the decade!
An increasing crowd started gathering at the backstage entrance, hoping to catch a glimpse of Paul, Magne and Morten – and they were not disappointed. The South American hot temperament certainly shows and the crowd erupts into screams when the band appeared after the soundcheck – we should have invested in some earplugs. The last concert we saw in Brazil was in Barretos in 2002 and it was remembered for the wrong reasons. Judging by what happened outside this one should be different.
Inside the seated tent the air was filled with excitement and the enthusiastic crowd welcomed a-ha opening the show with ‘The Bandstand’. The crowd rose from their seats but shortly into the show the security forced everybody to sit down again. Can you imagine sitting down to ‘Move To Memphis’? Magne took to the microphone, telling everyone that they want to create a party and despite Magne’s lack of Portuguese the crowd got the message and jumped off their seats and the security is unemployed for the rest of the evening. An experimental version of ‘Crying In The Rain’ followed, which received one of the biggest cheers of the evening.
Incorporated into the lightshow are clips of a-ha’s famous music videos, which followed a-ha’s musical journey through time. We turned back the clock and to everbody’s surprise the first chords of ‘Touchy’ filled the venue. It’s good to see that a-ha are digging out some old classics which haven’t been played in a long time. And it doesn’t stop here – ‘We’re Looking For The Whales’, which was last played during the band’s first world tour in 1986/87, made a return to the live stage.
a-ha finished the main set with a rocky version of ‘Cry Wolf’ before coming back to an encore set of 4 songs. But of course the audience demanded ‘Take On Me’ loudly, which concluded the final part of the show.
An even larger crowd than in the afternoon gathered at the backstage entrance, police & security staff held back the crowd to safely let the band leave the venue – time to head to Sao Paulo, without traffic jams this time hopefully!
Time: 5:12 am 
Amazing show! Just amazing. I cried, I laughed, I jumped, I screamed… a LOT! I wish I could do it again!
I can’t believe I was one of the lucky fans that met Morten outside the Hotel. I still can’t believe it’s me in that picture. What a magical day! Morten was so nice and sweet with all of us fans. Yesterday was one of the most amazing days of my life and I wanna thank the band for being so awesome!
Any news on Australian tour dates yet? We are getting anxious…..
I was there and the show was amazing! All the major hits are in there (unfortunatelly “Mother Nature Goes…” isnt in the set list, but its ok
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I think there is a misundestuding on the securities issue. I was on the 4th row and pay R$ 400 to be there, but when the show started people who was in the last rows (and pay R$ 200 or less for the ticket) was in the front of the stage. Its a very unfair situation with the people who pay to be next to the stage, don´t you think?
I was the whole show standing in front of my seat and at any time the security guards asked me to sit.
I just want to clarify this situation because people may think we live in a ditactorship country and it isnt next to be true.
Congrats to the band. All the best for you guys!
I also can’t believe I was one of the lucky fans that met Morten outside the Hotel. It was so magical. Morten was so gentle and nice, and beautiful, and wonderful, and ohhh…i just can’t believe!!! I luv u guys!!
The show was amazing!!
luv it!
luv it!
luv it!
i just wish the show wasn’t the last one!!
kisses!
Oh, my God!! I can´t believe my favorite band of the 80´s came to play in my backyard!! It was a night to remember. After the show, I waited in front of the dressingroom and there he came: Morten. I waved my hand for him and he grabbed it for like 10 seconds and kept looking at me and I couldn´t say 1 word. I wanted to ask him to sing just one part of “There´s never a forever thing”, but nothing got out of my mouth. Morten, you “voice” is like a velvet!! I love you!! Mag and Paul, I love you too and please, to all the three of you, don´t ever stop making music!! I´ll miss you so much.
I was also in Bauru and São Paulo!!! I have no words to describe that feeling!
Both performances were just fantastic, but different!! Bauru was the best one ever!!!!
Remember that I told you, Morten, that I’ll be in Olso in December!
Hope to see you guys on Dec 3rd!!!!
Waiting for you in Winnipeg!! Please!!