Rave review: ABBA Voyage

Plus my own voyage with Abba through the decades.

ABBA in 1976. It’s a wonder there is any glitter left in the world after the 70’s.

Back to 1976

My first awareness of ABBA was in 1976, I was 7½ and had just returned to the UK with the family, from living in the US (North Carolina) for about four years.

ABBA was No.1 in the UK ‘hit parade’ (whatever that was) with Dancing Queen.

Up to this point, my music knowledge revolved heavily around The Carpenters, The Eagles, Bread and Gilbert O’Sullivan, which were played on rotation in the car on Dad’s 8-track.

I still pride myself on knowing all the words to Hotel California, a classic tune.

Back in Blighty and it seemed to be all about spangly 70’s fashions and dancing on tables, which ABBA repeatedly did on Top of the Pops during their five week reign at No.1.

The only other two things I remember about 1976 was the weather and our first car.

Everyone was moaning about a heatwave, but if you’ve just flown over from North Carolina, you might find it simply clement, as the average temperature was usually 10℃ higher there.

Chevrolet Impala vs Mini Cooper

The first family car we bought when returning to the UK was a blue Mini Cooper, to replace the Chevrolet Impala we had in the States.

My sister and I looked on in horror, wondering how on earth the four of us would ever fit in it!

“C’mon y’all, are you freakin’ kiddin’ me?”

Was presumably what my 7 year-old self said.

While my inner monologue was wondering what on earth Cindy from the Brady Bunch would have done in these circumstances. She’d have never stood for this kind of nonsense surely?

I shit you not.

Back to ABBA

Over the following few years, they continued to release absolute bangers, culminating with the No.1 hit Super Trooper in 1980, their last UK release.

However, I wouldn’t have classed myself a proper fan, preferring the likes of The Police, The Jam, Blondie… and not forgetting the star album of 1980… Olivia Newton John & ELO’s Xanadu, which was probably my favourite that year! 😂

A committed Grease fan, ONJ could do no wrong in my eyes. 

Mamma Mia!

ABBA then gently faded from the public consciousness in the UK until the Mamma Mia! stage show launched in 1999, followed by the hugely successful 2008 film.

I love this film for so many reasons, not least because of:

1. Greek holidays. The setting reminded me of various holidays I had enjoyed in my late teens and early 20’s. The first taste of serious freedom, accompanied by turquoise water and good times!
   (Take note makers of Ripley… Why Oh Bloody Why did you film that in black and white? What a waste of a gorgeous Italian backdrop.
   Can everyone please take a moment to re-imagine Mamma Mia in black & white and then re-evaluate how much you love it?

2. Meryl Streep at 68. Ageing beautifully and energetically. We no longer have to fear getting old if we have Meryl to lead us.

3. Piers Brosnan’s singing. He can’t. In his defence he didn’t realise it was a musical when he signed up. Bless.

4. ABBA tunes. Which meant knowing all the words to this musical on first viewing. Familiarity breeds affection. 

I think it was this film that united all women in the world (or maybe just the UK home counties) with the notion that happiness is derived from singing ABBA tunes in a group.

Off on a Tangent

Which inspired the musical entertainment for my Hen Party in 2009…

Instead of whisking the top five highest earners out to Malaga at huge expense to get smashed over a weekend, I decided to throw a very inclusive cocktail party at home for about 30 of us.

I hired some bar-like furniture and transformed the kitchen/diner into a cocktail bar.

Cocktails were mixed by the Butlers in the Buff hired help, sporting nothing but the tiniest of aprons, and the music choice was ABBA Sing-Star on Playstation.

My initial fear with the ABBA Karaoke was that not enough people would want to do it, so I had a normal playlist standing by, but I needn’t have worried.

After a few cocktails, once they started you couldn’t stop them!

It must have been a very long night for those poor bottomless butlers, who are probably still unable to watch Mamma Mia! all the way through.

This experience did cement ABBA into my affections, although still not a ‘true fan’, I understood the appeal, and who doesn’t like a sing-song when you know all the words.

The startlingly realistic ABBAtars.

Fast forward to 2024: ABBA Voyage

To those who aren’t aware of ABBA Voyage, it’s basically a ‘live show’ with hi-tech 3D Avatars (or ABBAtars as they are known) of the four, representing them in their heyday of 1979, the last time they played live in the UK.

Ok, so on paper, and very much recalling the Princess Leia hologram from Star Wars, it sounded like a terrible idea, and certainly something for the hardcore fans only.

But contrary to expectation, upon it’s launch in May 2022 it opened to absolute rave reviews! 

Apparently it’s just like they were there… ‘live’!

Really? Wow! How freaky and yet hugely intriguing!

So although I’d never lead the charge to an ABBA concert, I very much wanted to tag along and see what all the fuss was about.

Which was how yet another WhatsApp group was added to my collection ‘ABBA Voyage’, where approx. 200 messages per day were swapped concerning glittery crochet hats, spangly jumpsuits and platform sandals.

It quickly became apparent that I wasn’t a ‘true fan’ when I made a flippant comment about not remembering ‘ABBA’s ballet phase’ when one group member proffered a tutu as an outfit!? 

“How could I not remember ‘Nina, Pretty Ballerina’, ABBA’s 1972 hit?!” They cried.

“Er, because I was 3 and I was very much about to embark on my Carpenters/Eagles phase.”

Background on the show

With a budget of $175 million, this is one of the most expensive ‘live’ music shows ever produced.

The 3,000-seat venue was purpose built and designed to dismantle and move on to another location, which they will have to do in 2026 when another building project starts on the current site.

It can then tour around the world or, I would have thought, be replicated so ABBA can play Sydney and Vegas at the same time!

The perfect pension plan for them methinks.

The fab four, looking delighted with their new outfits.

The original ABBA four, re-recorded all the vocal tracks required (and more so they can switch it up later on).

They also donned the embellished outfits (above), so their dance movements could be tracked and reproduced onto the ABBAtars.

Curtain up!

As the lights start, the four figures rise out of the stage, and to be honest they could have been real people… they were beyond realistic!

They were accompanied by a real-life 15 piece band, to the left of the stage which gave them a huge splash of realism too. 

Unlike real pop stars the show started on time, to the minute, and finished exactly 90 minutes later, after the pre-programmed encore (included in the advertised run-time of the show).

It will come as no surprise to you that they delivered a perfect set, and chatted easily to us in between the songs. 

At no point did they stumble in their platform shoes, not even a slight wobble.

Top marks

The audience loved it and danced from start to finish, in huge appreciation of the ‘gift of technology’ granting them one last live show with their favourite band… who hadn’t toured for 45 years!

One woman a few rows in front of us on the dance floor even collapsed!

Much gesturing towards the arena staff eventually prompted them to come on over and assist. 

I, like them probably, thought they were just waving to a mate coming back from the loo/bar, but their persistence paid off and the staff came over to help, and the poor woman was led out of the crowded dance-floor area to recover.

I’ve no idea why she collapsed, but I’m going to just assume it was a touch of Beatlemania-like excitement at seeing her heroes perform her favourite song, once again!

Who’s next?

Once you realise how amazing this technology is, you can’t help but thinking, who’s next?

I bet Taylor Swift and Beyoncé are already working on their versions, and if they’re not, they really should be. It’s never too early to pension plan. 

I would highly recommend!

K8x

Join in the comments below:

Have you seen ABBA Voyage yet?

Which band would you like to see given the ABBAtar treatment?

Were you also annoyed by Ripley being filmed in black and white?

Thank you for being here, please ❤️ (below) if you enjoyed this piece, it really helps others find it.

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