Michael Learns to Rock Papua New Guinea

MLTR Performing live in Papua New Guinea at the Sir John Guise Stadium in Port Moresby

By FIDELIS SUKINA

From the days of wind up cassette tapes in the 80’s through to the late 90’s nothing could comprehend the sight in the eyes of the generation that stopped and re-winded cassette tapes to get the lyrics of sleeping child and 25 minutes too late.

Even the Prime Minister’s wife Linda Baboa was singing along to the Danish pop group Michael Learns To Rock (MLTR), what a night, the waves of flags, the flickering lights and phones all out to capture the night MLTR rocked the city of Port Moresby in Papua New Guinea.

You would be dammed if you were 25 minutes too late for the show, or slept  in like a sleeping child, missing this once in a blue night event,  it was as night where even the Chinese in VIP sang along and waved back and fort with  Papua New Guineas draped in red black and yellow,

MLTR Fans in Papua New Guinea 

And to think MLTR didn’t know that this particular Island nation celebrating 40 years knew all his songs from I’m not an actor to 25 minutes  too late, Jascha Richter the 52 year old MLTR lead singer looked younger than the host country that night, sporting a baby face grin.

“We didn’t know that this small island nation knew our songs, for 20 years we didn’t know that, until a year and a half ago we came and played and everyone knew our songs.” Ritcher said

The band formed in 1988 was a hit in the 90's and to this day still brings back the good old days, The band has sold over 11 million records worldwide, mainly in Asia, and in addition, another 6 million or more paid downloads for their single "Take Me To Your Heart" which was awarded "most downloaded single of the year 2006.

Quite a let own but Asia Pacific lived for MLTR back in the day sobbing teenage girls now mothers and pot belly daddies with kids, probably in one stage of their lives sobbed to MLTRs music and sang along like they did during the night.

The view from the Grand Stand

I can tell you all the VIP’s even some prominent figures couldn’t help themselves but dance and shout singing along to all the greatest hits by MLTR

Looking at young mothers swaying and waving to MLTR probably gave some good flash backs to the days of the rebellious feisty times when hubby looked more attractive than his current depreciated state. 

Beyond the memory a hope for the future as MLTR took its leave and the never near lackluster crowd shouted for one more song  forcing MLTR to get back on stage for their final sequel at the Sir John Guise Stadium, What a night the young and old couldn’t get enough of MLTR.

Man those days! some thought, some gave smiles and closed their eyes to think of that sweet little time when you could buy your full album at Ori Lavi haus or Garden city in Port Moresby.

When the stockman shoes and jeans and the cut jean ruled the streets of Port Moresby and the rock and pop of Western Europe flooded the market in Papua New Guinea.

Jascha Ritcher MLTR Lead singer
walking towards the crowd

“We  never were taken seriously we started out as a rock band but no one really liked rock music so we moved to slow pop to meet the demand for the Asian market all our songs are of women.” Ritcher said

Aren’t Papua New Guineans in love with slow rock/pop music well especially when it makes women feel loved and sensual and the man more driving than it’s a recipe for success, no one can deny that music in those days had great instrumentals and lyrics that were cross cutting and reached a multi-cultural Asia Pacific region,

From Hindus, Muslims, Christians and other worldly dogma, all could relate to MLTRS music and the love  and joy it bought to them all.

That was the night where the old memories came back, of the good old days in the land of the unexpected.

“Thank you for tonight hope we see you some other time” with those words MLTR capped off what was one great night of music a great 40^th anniversary present for the people of Papua New Guinea