a-ha are touring AUS/NZ early next year with very special guest, Rick Astley
/Presented by Frontier Touring, & Roundhouse Entertainment
Frontier Touring and Roundhouse Entertainment are excited to announce that Norwegian pop icons a-ha are returning to Australia for the first time in 34 years, before heading to New Zealand for the very first time! They’ll be joined by very special guest Rick Astley at all February & March 2020 shows, taking in Sydney, Melbourne, and Christchurch, as well as a day on the green events in Australia and New Zealand.
“We have so many great memories of our Australian tour of 1986 and look forward to making new ones. And we can’t wait to play in New Zealand for the first time – we’ll be comparing your fjords with our Norwegian ones!” - Paul Waaktaar-Savoy
a-ha will be performing their seminal debut album Hunting High And Low in full to celebrate its 35th anniversary as well as other favourites from across their career. Selling more than 11 million copies worldwide, it includes the unforgettable Take On Me, which reached #1 on the Australian charts, as well as follow-up hits The Sun Always Shines On TV, Train Of Thought and the title track, Hunting High And Low.
Still so unique decades on, the music video for a-ha’s Take On Me won six MTV Awards, seven Billboard Music Awards, was nominated for Grammy and American Music Awards and is approaching one billion views on YouTube. The song has been covered by artists as diverse as Metallica, Madonna, Tori Amos, and most recently, Weezer, Jimmy Fallon and The Roots on The Tonight Show.
“Australia was the country we played our first ever live concerts and was our first brush with worldwide fame. It was a thrilling adventure to be there on the opposite side of the world and it’s a thrill to return in 2020 – finally we will be back where it all started!” - Mags Furuholmen
a-ha, the Norwegian trio who dominated pop charts worldwide during the ’80s, still regularly play stadiums and festivals. Singer Morten Harket, keyboardist Mags Furuholmen and guitarist Paul Waaktaar-Savoy have sold more than 55 million albums and remain one of the UK and Europe's most loved pop bands. Alongside Take On Me, the trio have scored global hits with the James Bond theme The Living Daylights, Cry Wolf, I've Been Losing You and 2005 Max Martin collaboration Analogue. Their most recent release was a 2017 MTV Unplugged collection featuring collaborations with Echo & The Bunnymen’s Ian McCulloch and Alison Moyet.
Not surprisingly, a-ha can’t wait to return to Australian shores again. As they say, “There’s not one song on that album we’re not looking forward to playing live.”
Joining a-ha to cement this tour as a pop extravaganza is another superstar who dominated the ’80s, Mr ‘Never Gonna Give You Up’, Rick Astley. Also enjoying a major career resurgence, the British star has sold more than 40 million albums, fuelled by hits like the monster Never Gonna Give You Up, Whenever You Need Somebody, Together Forever, When I Fall In Love, She Wants To Dance With Me and Cry For Help. In 2007, Rick Astley became an internet phenomenon as the subject of a viral meme known as ‘Rick-rolling’, with Never Gonna Give You Up garnering millions of hits on YouTube as a result, introducing him to a whole new audience.
In 2016, Rick Astley released 50, his first UK #1 album since his 1987 debut and featured the smash hit Angels On My Side, marking his milestone birthday. Last year, he followed up the platinum-selling record with another wholly self-penned, performed and produced album, Beautiful Life, featuring the lead single/title track Beautiful Life, Try and She Makes Me. Astley continued his heavy touring schedule of headline shows, festival spots, and support slots with the likes of Take That and Kylie Minogue. Check out his rendition of Calvin Harris’ Giant, filmed during his recent tour with Take That, and that time he joined Kylie on stage in London’s Hyde Park to perform I Should Be So Lucky/Never Gonna Give You Up together.
With a treasure trove laden with shimmering pop hits, a-ha are set to thrill fans down under next year on their first ever visit to New Zealand and their first to Australia in 34 years, with very special guest Rick Astley. Tickets won’t last long!
Sunday 23 February, 2020 - Margaret Court Arena, Melbourne AUS
Wednesday 26 February, 2020 - ICC Sydney Theatre, Sydney AUS
Thursday 05 March, 2020 - Horncastle Arena, Christchurch NZ
Frontier members pre sale starts Monday 22 July, 2019 at 11am (AEST) for 24 hours or until allocation
General public sale starts Friday 26 July, 2019 at 11am (AEST)
via ticketek
Also appearing at a day on the green
a-ha, Rick Astley, Pseudo Echo, & I Know Leopard
Wednesday 19 February, 2020 - Kings Park & Botanic Garden, Perth AUS*
Saturday 22 February, 2020 - Rochford Wines, Yarra Valley AUS
Saturday 29 February, 2020 - Bimbadgen, Hunter Valley AUS
Sunday 01 March, 2020 - Sirromet Wines, Mount Cotton AUS
Saturday 07 March, 2020 - Villa Maria Winery, Auckland NZ**
with special guest, The Beths
*Pseudo Echo not appearing
**Pseudo Echo & I Know Leopard not appearing