a-ha: Revival Through Music {On the Turntable}

Rewind the tape of time.

The first concert I ever went to when I was a teenager was in Paris, at the Zenith. It was a concert by a-ha, the iconic pop group very much en vogue in the 1980s and 1990s. My group.

My dad, who left us a year ago, accompanied two of my school friends and I to the show. It was a revealing moment: the hectic happiness and expectation of the crowd, people swooning even before the first sound came from the stage, singing, clapping hands in one huge wave of appreciation. It was a whole new world for me. It felt good, it felt right - the feeling of belonging and being in the right place at the right time was uplifting and life changing in the mind of teenager-me. Never underestimate the power of this type of communion, that’s what it taught me.

Years have passed, a-ha and its melodious waves and dreamlike lyrics are still in my head and heart: I know all their songs by heart. I also know that for over 2,000km at the back of my parents’ car I would watch landscapes fly by with the walkman by my side and headphones glued to my ears. My parents would not hear a word from me throughout the summer trip taking us to south of Italy, my favorite nest: quiet and absorbed in the pleasure of the a-ha world and the excitement of traveling, crossing European countries to plunge down south, where the sun would greet us. I was flying high above the car, over hills, plains, sea, dunes…

On April 1, 2016 at 9pm mystic rolling clouds engulfed the stage screen, symbolic images and lights bathed the concert hall - time for a revival.

There I am, revisiting my past, spotting where my dad, my friends and I had stood screaming and jumping at the time. The new show has a personality of its own infused by novelty and its members’ lifelines. It fuels deep passion and appreciation for the group’s distinct talent and complementarity. After a few years of silence, the singer’s voice rises again. I see forests, wolves, intertwined hands and feel the seashore winds caress my face. 

The concert sweeps me and an entire generation of grateful fans off our feet: dance, sing along every word, learn new ones and smile at hubby in gratitude for this encouraging present of his. After all, we met when we were teenagers and grew up together listening to a-ha. It is uplifting to find ourselves united again by their music. There have been so many ups and downs in my life lately; it nourishes my soul to feel the deep vibrations of the drums, and join the unison to live in the present shining moment. 

“I’m gonna wear a smile and walk in the sun”. 

I am sure.

Credits: Unsplash (edited by TheDaydreamer)