# Ending on a High Note Tour

Ending on a High Note Tour was a worldwide concert tour by Norway synth-pop/rock band a-ha in support of the group's ninth studio album, Foot of the Mountain, which was released in June 2009 as well as the compilation 25 which was released in July 2010. It was also a farewell tour, as the band announced, in 2009, their decision to split after a worldwide concert tour in 2010.
The tour began on March 4 at the Estadio Luna Park in Buenos Aires, Argentina and ended on 4 December in Oslo Spektrum in Oslo, Norway, having visited many cities in the United States, Germany, the United Kingdom and several European countries. The sold out a-ha show in Santiago, Chile, originally scheduled for 6 March, was rescheduled for 23 March following a major earthquake.
Due to demand, the a-ha concert on March 16 in Centro de Convenções (Brasília, Brazil) was moved to a larger venue, Ginásio Nilson Nelson. Also the capacity for the concerts in Oslo and Bergen in August in Norway had to expand its capacity with 9000 additional tickets to a total of 25 000 tickets for each show.

## Background

On 15 October 2009, through a press release from the official website of the group, "has stated that after his latest album Foot of the Mountain, with the success enjoyed by both commercial and critical acclaim, had decided that now was the time of final dissolution of the band. In a statement on the news the band thanked all the cooperation and support received throughout their career, they talked and put an end with these words:
   "We've literally lived the ultimate boy's adventure tale, through a longer, more rewarding career than anyone could hope for. Doing this now will give us a chance to get more involved in other meaningful aspects of life, be it humanitarian work, politics, or whatever else—and of course through new constellations in the field of art and music. We are retiring as a band, not as individuals. Change is always difficult and it is easy to get set in one's ways. Now it is time to move on."

## Stadium tour of Norway

For the 6 shows in Oslo between the 21st of August and the 11th of September, a-ha exclusevly built a special stage rig, the largest rig ever put up in Norway so far. The stage was 1,200 Sq meters, weighing over 1,500 tonnes. The rig included a video wall of 600 Sq meters. The stage took 200 men, 4 days to build.

## Australian leg controversy

There has been much controversy surrounding the supposed Australian leg of the tour. Before an official announcement of tour dates it was suggested on a-ha's official website that Australian tour dates would be included in their final world tour.
   "January will bring a-ha back to Australia for the first time since their first world tour, which opened in Perth, Australia on June 3, 1986."
As further tour dates were announced throughout Europe, North and South America, none were announced for Australia. It was later suggested through the a-ha fan community, West of the Moon, that Australia would not be included in a-ha's final world tour. This turn of events has sparked outrage amongst Australian based fans. Had a-ha returned to Australia, it would have marked their first visit there since they played their first live concerts in 1986 after the initial success of "Take On Me".

## Set list

The set list of the concert in the Luna Park on March 4, 2010.
* "The Bandstand"
* "Foot of the Mountain"
* "Analogue"
* "Forever Not Yours"
* "Summer Moved On"
* "Move to Memphis"
* "Crying in the Rain"
* "Stay on These Roads"
* "The Blood That Moves the Body"
* "The Living Daylights"
* "Early Morning"
* "And You Tell Me"
* "Scoundrel Days"
* "Cry Wolf"
* "We're Looking for the Whales"
* "Manhattan Skyline"
* "I've Been Losing You"
* "Living a Boys Adventure Tale"
* "Hunting High and Low"
* "Train of Thought"
* "The Sun Always Shines on T.V."
* "Take On Me"
The setlist of the concert in the Ullevaal Stadium at August 21, 2010.
* "The Sun Always Shines on T.V."
* "Move to Memphis"
* "The Blood That Moves the Body"
* "Scoundrel Days"
* "Stay on These Roads"
* "Manhattan Skyline"
* "Hunting High and Low"
* "The Bandstand"
* "We're Looking for the Whales"
* "Butterfly, Butterfly (The Last Hurrah)"
* "(Seemingly) Nonstop July"
* "Crying in the Rain"
* "Minor Earth, Major Sky"
* "Forever Not Yours"
* "Summer Moved On"
* "I've Been Losing You"
* "Foot of the Mountain"
* "Cry Wolf"
* "Analogue"
* "The Living Daylights"
* "Take On Me"
Other songs performed:
* "The Swing of Things"
* "Touchy"
* "You Are the One"
* At the final concert (4 December) they performed the Everly Brothers song "Bowling Green" in the final encore, just before "Take On Me".

## Tour dates

| Date | City | Country | Venue |
| South America ||||
| March 4, 2010 | Buenos Aires | Argentina | Luna Park, Buenos Aires |
| March 9, 2010 | Bauru | Brazil | Alameda Quality Center |
| March 10, 2010 | São Paulo | Brazil | Credicard Hall |
| March 13, 2010 | Rio de Janeiro | Brazil | Citibank Hall |
| March 14, 2010 | Belo Horizonte | Brazil | Chevrolet Hall |
| March 16, 2010 | Brasília | Brazil | Nilson Nelson Gymnasium |
| March 18, 2010 | Recife | Brazil | Chevrolet Hall |
| March 20, 2010 | Fortaleza | Brazil | Siara Hall |
| March 23, 2010 | Santiago | Chile | Movistar Arena |
| North America ||||
| May 6, 2010 | New York City | United States | Nokia Theatre Times Square |
| May 7, 2010 | New York City | United States | Nokia Theatre Times Square |
| May 8, 2010 | New York City | United States | Nokia Theatre Times Square |
| May 10, 2010 | Toronto | Canada | Massey Hall |
| May 13, 2010 | Chicago | United States | Riviera Theatre |
| May 15, 2010 | Los Angeles | United States | Club Nokia |
| May 16, 2010 | Los Angeles | United States | Club Nokia |
| Europe ||||
| May 28, 2010 | Mönchengladbach | Germany | Warsteiner HockeyPark |
| May 29, 2010 | Trier | Germany | Trier Arena |
| May 30, 2010 | Stadtallendorf | Germany | Hessentagsarena |
| June 1, 2010 | Kiel | Germany | Sparkassen-Arena |
| July 14, 2010 | Budapest | Hungary | Budapest Sports Arena |
| July 16, 2010 | Linz | Austria | Clam Castle |
| July 17, 2010 | Zürich | Switzerland | Dolder Eisbahn (Live at Sunset) |
| July 18, 2010 | Salem | Germany | Schloß Salem |
| July 23, 2010 | Emmendingen | Germany | Schloßplatz |
| July 24, 2010 | Halle | Germany | Gerry Weber Stadion |
| July 25, 2010 | Dresden | Germany | Filmnächte am Elbufer |
| Asia ||||
| August 7, 2010 | Tokyo | Japan | Chiba Marine Stadium |
| August 8, 2010 | Osaka | Japan | Summer Sonic Festival |
| Europe ||||
| August 21, 2010 | Oslo | Norway | Ullevaal Stadion |
| August 28, 2010 | Bergen | Norway | Brann Stadion |
| September 2, 2010 | Stavanger | Norway | Rått og Råde Festival |
| September 3, 2010 | Tromsø | Norway | Døgnvill Festival |
| September 4, 2010 | Trondheim | Norway | Lerkendal Stadion |
| September 11, 2010 | Kristiansand | Norway | Sør Arena |
| October 4, 2010 | Oslo | Norway | Oslo Concert Hall |
| October 6, 2010 | London | England | Heaven |
| October 8, 2010 | London | England | Royal Albert Hall |
| October 10, 2010 | Amsterdam | Netherlands | Heineken Music Hall |
| October 11, 2010 | Brussels | Belgium | Forest National |
| October 12, 2010 | Paris | France | Zénith de Paris |
| October 14, 2010 | Madrid | Spain | Palacio Vistalegre |
| October 15, 2010 | Barcelona | Spain | Palau Sant Jordi |
| October 17, 2010 | Basel | Switzerland | St. Jakobshalle |
| October 18, 2010 | Munich | Germany | Olympiahalle |
| October 19, 2010 | Stuttgart | Germany | Porsche-Arena |
| October 21, 2010 | Nuremberg | Germany | Nuremberg Arena |
| October 22, 2010 | Leipzig | Germany | Arena Leipzig |
| October 23, 2010 | Rostock | Germany | Stadthalle Rostock |
| October 25, 2010 | Braunschweig | Germany | Volkswagen Halle |
| October 26, 2010 | Mannheim | Germany | SAP Arena |
| October 28, 2010 | Hamburg | Germany | O$_2$ World |
| October 29, 2010 | Berlin | Germany | O$_2$ World |
| November 1, 2010 | Riga | Latvia | Arena Riga |
| November 2, 2010 | Vilnius | Lithuania | Siemens Arena |
| November 4, 2010 | Kyiv | Ukraine | International Exhibition Centre |
| November 6, 2010 | Minsk | Belarus | Palace of Sports |
| November 9, 2010 | Moscow | Russia | Olympic Stadium |
| November 11, 2010 | Saint Petersburg | Russia | Ice Palace |
| November 15, 2010 | Brighton | England | Brighton Centre |
| November 16, 2010 | Newcastle | England | Metro Radio Arena |
| November 17, 2010 | Glasgow | Scotland | Clyde Auditorium |
| November 19, 2010 | Birmingham | England | LG Arena |
| November 20, 2010 | Manchester | England | Evening News Arena |
| November 21, 2010 | Nottingham | England | Trent FM Arena |
| November 23, 2010 | Sheffield | England | Sheffield Arena |
| November 25, 2010 | Cardiff | Wales | Cardiff International Arena |
| November 26, 2010 | Bournemouth | England | Bournemouth International Centre |
| November 27, 2010 | London | England | Wembley Arena |
| November 30, 2010 | Oslo | Norway | Oslo Spektrum |
| December 2, 2010 | Oslo | Norway | Oslo Spektrum |
| December 3, 2010 | Oslo | Norway | Oslo Spektrum |
| December 4, 2010 | Oslo | Norway | Oslo Spektrum |