Around the World!
(To be accurate, it's just around Denmark and the UK, but that's not such a good song title...)
This is my (Louise's) guided tour of sites of aqua significance! OK so I've only been to places in Denmark and the UK, but, Denmark is really where it all began, and the UK is where I live so; easier to visit places. Maybe you don't think it's that interesting but I found it highly exciting at the time; finding a place that had been on Aqua's video and thinking wow! - I recognize that!! Or knowing that Aqua had been in this place for some important reason, and now I knew what it looked like. I think it's nice to be able to picture the places you've heard about.
This page may also be a useful guide for anyone planning to go to Copenhagen and see the aqua sights!!
For starters: places of significance as seen in Aqua's 'The Diary' video
"The world famous iron steps"
You may be wondering (as most of my friends asked): "why did you have your photo taken by a skip?" But you have to look beyond the first thing you notice, and, as Claus said in the diary, these are the world famous iron steps that lead up to the aquarium, aqua's first recording studio, which is in Nørrebro, a part of Copenhagen. BUT! The steps have been changed since the video! New ones have been built since the studio was converted into a cinema, but it is definitely the same place, I assure you! The brickwork on the building is the same and the buildings behind are the same (yes, I am that sad, that I checked the photos carefully against the video!)
Front of the aquarium
James in front of the aquarium building, which is now the Empire Cinema.
The bandstand in Tivoli
This is the bandstand in Tivoli where aqua are singing 'my oh my' (just singing, no instruments and not a proper performance) in the video with a small audience of people clapping.
Copenhagen airport
Copenhagen airport - we see aqua go through the airport on the way to their first international trip (to Asia) in the video.
(Click the pictures for bigger version)
Incidentally, I apologise that I am in almost all the photos in this section; I am not as photogenic as Lene, but I had to have proof that I'd been to all these locations!
The Black Diamond
The black diamond, (or Den Sorte Diamant as it is known in Danish) is where the release party for aquarius was held. The party was a massive event to organise, the amount of foreign journalists, press and VIP's invited occupied 75% of the rooms in the massive Radisson Hotel, one of the biggest hotels in Copenhagen. I imagine it was quite a logistic challenge to get everyone from the airport, to the hotel and then the diamond on time, get the band there through the crowds of local press, fans and party guests, as well as organise the broadcast of aqua's performance. They performed Aquarius at the party but I can't remember off the top of my head what else (unfortunately, I was not there!) The black diamond is actually an extension of Copenhagen's Royal Library and although it is also used for art and other exhibitions, it had never been used for anything of this type on this scale before.
At least now I've seen what it is like - it is actually a really cool building, my favourite building in Copenhagen, but I'm obviously biased by the aqua significance...!
An apple a day...
The building does actually resemble... a black diamond!
Looking up the escalator
2, 3, 4 are views inside the diamond, I'm not sure exactly where Aqua performed, but they used the whole building for the party.
View out over the water
Going down the escalator
Locations relating to Aqua's second album
The former Aqua headquarters!
This is Universal Music Denmark, Aqua's record company, and of course where all the people who worked for them had offices... I think they still keep some of aqua's gold and platinum discs here, I remember seeing one for cartoon heroes on the wall.
Cossington (see explanation!)
Cossington, Somerset, UK. What's this to do with Aqua? Well believe it or not, they recorded half of the album Aquarius here. Read the booklet that comes with the CD, and under 'Thanks to' you'll find "everyone around Cossington Park for being extremely polite". Could not actually find any evidence in Cossington of Aqua's presence, but this trip was in summer 2001, probably about 2 years after the recording had taken place. Also I think the recording was done in the Rasted-Norreen mobile studio, which moved on without a trace...
UPDATE 2005: I found out that the album recording did actually take place in Cossington Park House (a Country House), as I was emailed this info by someone who has stayed at Cossington Park:
"Aqua actually stayed at a large house called Cossington Park in the village and did record some of the album actually on the premises. They have made an entry in the visitors' book and posed for photographs which clearly shows band members in various rooms surrounded by keyboards, drums and recording equipment.The kitchen has a large photo-montage of their visit and the house literature also mentions their stay. Cossington Park is available to let on a weekly basis - and it truly is a magical house. I can understand how it could provide artistic inspiration." (Cossington Park House website)
Billboards in Kongens Nytorv
Just because it's a photo of aqua stuff... no particular significance but I had to get this photo (of billboards advertising bumble bees, in Kongens Nytorv, Copenhagen) as I was so excited to see Aqua billboards for the first time. I have never seen any in england.
Outside Kendt's shop...
Highly exciting was my visit to Kendt's shop in Copenhagen where Lene gets many of her clothes, including everything she wore for Grøn koncert, all the tops she had made out of old Iron Maiden/Metallica T-shirts, and not least... her wedding dress! There were loads of other cool clothes in the shop, many things Lene might wear including more tops made of Iron Maiden T-shirts... Very nice stuff but a bit beyond my usual price range so I didn't buy anything!
... and inside!
This is not a mistake (that you can't click on this 5 bring up a big version), but I'm not putting the big version of this on my page! The staff knew I was a huge fan of Lene and Aqua so, they got out a copy of her wedding dress and suggested I should try it on!! And how exciting! I could not really refuse, and then of course I had to be photographed... so this explains my strange attire! They only had the bottom half, and not the top or the underskirt bit, and the main skirt was _SO_ short!! Unfortunately I had black underwear on which could not be covered! Anyway, you get the idea without the big version!