Venue:
Abba Arena, London
Date: 22/08/2022
Wish I could do the backward B
A summer of interruptions and postponements mainly Covid related. At the 3rd time of asking made it to London and saw the show, having previously bought and sold tickets for 2 other performances
I had avoided any reviews as I don’t like spoilers, but had heard great things about it through the grapevine. I had never seen any “concert” before where the main protagonists were not actually there throughout. Remember reading some bad reviews about a Roy Orbison hologram and also a Whitney Houston effort
As they like to state, these are “Abbatars” not holograms, and they are incredible. Benny was particularly good, you could see every hair of his beard. But they were all great and the movements and interactions were so good that you could almost believe they were in front of you
However the Abbatars are only part of it, the purpose built arena is incredible with an absolutely massive screen wrapping around half the inside of the arena and astonishing effects throughout. The sound system was also superb, a live band played on most of the songs, they were sometimes in view and sometimes they disappeared. I couldn’t work out how that was done, but apparently they are on some sort of hydraulic stage that goes up and down. There was also some animation for 2 songs that seemed to somehow represent the “Voyage”, this was well done, but was the weakest part of the show. Each “member” also talked to the audience, and as there was clapping and cheering after some of their utterances this meant some of it was unheard as naturally they just kept talking rather than pausing
Some moments were mindboggling and at times I couldn’t quite believe what I was seeing. There was a level of hysteria in the audience that I think I only previously witnessed at a Kate Bush concert.
Naturally the songs were all superb, some of the greatest pop ever created, a few surprises for the diehards and a number of famous hits were actually left out. It closed with arguably their greatest song. Some of the vocals differed from the original studio releases I think. Won’t list the setlist but if you are interested you can find it
An absolutely stunning evening, this could be the future of certain types of live entertainment with the possibility of it continuing long after their deaths. Of course they weren’t actually there, but one felt that something of their DNA was. All praise to Agnetha, Frida, Björn, Benny and the hundreds who worked on it. A magnificent achievement
The audience:
Enthusiastic. Losing their minds. Some came dressed for the occasion with glitter, blonde wigs and the biggest platforms I have seen since about 1978, and that was just the guys
It made me think..
Who could be next for this type of treatment? Beatles, Bowie, Queen, Brotherhood of Man?
Want to add that taking pictures or video was strictly forbidden, a joy to be at an event where you didn’t have a sea of bright phones everywhere you look
Sounds like a fabulous event Dai, but gird your loins for no end of stick…..
It was @boneshaker Those who need to denigrate Abba will no doubt soon be along, not sure what they gain from it, but they are missing out on something absolutely sensational
I neither wish to denigrate ABBA or your enjoyment of the show @dai, but I doubt I missed out on something ‘absolutely sensational’.
I see @Dave-Amitri is ‘genuinely baffled’ that some people don’t like them. I can’t speak for others only myself but what one person finds absolutely sensational will often lead others genuinely baffled.
Each to their own and I’m glad people are have enjoyed the ‘Abba’ experience. In these difficult times joy is priceless.
Baffled that somebody doesn’t like something. Blimey.
Actually joy is the right word and I think even non Abba fans would get a lot from the evening. It’s hard to describe but it is kind of like entering another dimension for 90 minutes
And I read a lot of reviews finally today, I am certainly not an outlier in finding it to be (Tony Blackburn voice) “Absolutely sensational”
Hey @Baron-Harkonnen you’re right. I try desperately hard to avoid that kind of comment especially with musical taste like mine. When I hear ABBA I just hear joy, spirit, those tunes, those voices and I just feel better. Others clearly don’t and that’s fine. Baffled is a great word though…
No stick from me.
Big ABBA fan here. Every review I’ve seen has been positive to say the least.
And we all know we like what we like and don’t like what we don’t like:
Of course, what is different is that the evening is unlike anything I ever experienced before. An appreciation of Abba’s transcendental magnificence certainly helps though
Sounds like a great night Dai. Glad you enjoyed it. We’ve done ABBA to death here and you know I think they’re great. They are one of the few bands where someone saying they don’t like them genuinely baffles me but each to their own and all that.
All that said I do struggle with the idea of a concert without the artist present however good the technical stuff is. Your review along with others I’ve read though does make me wonder if I should give it a try….
Yes, was something I considered but as there has been no chance of actually seeing them live in more than 40 years I think it is ok. And this spectacle was almost certainly better than any actual concert they ever did. My just turned 16 yr old daughter loved it too
With the inevitability of the arrival of The Grim Reaper I shuffle in and can only quote “There was a level of hysteria in the audience that I think I only previously witnessed at a Kate Bush concert.”
Nice review, I’m sure it was a blast.
Ah Mr LOW I was expecting you. It was indeed a blast, surpassed my (high) expectations
Some of my family went a couple of weeks back and thought it was amazing, wonderful, touching and brilliant etc. That alone makes me very happy. They made a whole day of it up in London, meal out beforehand etc. I wasn’t invited along because, well, I just don’t have any strong feelings about Abba either way, apart from a handful of their singles (so OK, shoot me) but a part of me would quite like to have seen how it all worked. I suspect I’d have enjoyed everyone else’s enjoyment a hell of a lot. Glad it’s genuinely turning out to be the success it was probably always going to be.
I won’t knock it, though this one would not be for me. It needed a big act to test the tech, and Abba have the songs and identity for such a show. This has been a successful proof of concept, whatever pissy comments and pseudo-talk about “authenticity” from folks who talk like people are immortal. (I enjoyed the Zappa hologram/ Pepper’s ghost shows the other year.) I would expect Bowie to be very likely to get this treatment, maybe The Beatles, Led Zeppelin, Pink Floyd, Kate Bush, and the Jimi Hendrix Experience. I do wonder if it will be like the “Laserium” shows though; a big thing, and then things move on
I remember Laserium in the late 70s at the London Planetarium. Good in its day.
This cost about 150 million and for most artists that kind of investment is not realistic. Abba are probably the most popular act there is, not sure even The Beatles would work * The fact all Abba are still living really helped with getting this ready too I think
* The Beatles Love in Vegas is a different thing, but I guess there are some similarities
Yes , I wondered that – part of the hype is the idea that they have reunited to do this – I do wonder if the concept would work in the same way even for The Beatles. You also thought, @dai, that some of the vocals weren’t from the records, is that right? Again, that would help enhance the sense of a ‘live’ experience, I would have thought.
Great review by the way.
Thank you @Blue_Boy. Well they were only going to do 2 or 3 new songs for it (2 are featured), but it turned into a full length album. Some of the vocals may have been live (from previous tours) or from alternate studio takes, not sure
I reckon a lot of the cost will be in developing the tech, and now it exists, they’ll want to make back the investment. Prince might be a good one, too. The more the act has been filmed and photographed, the better the AI avatars will be. The Bowie can move through different incarnations and styled representations, which I love: ziggy, Philly dogs, thin white duke..
I think Bowie is a good call, but a purpose built arena for it? Don’t think so. The only other purpose built arena I am aware of is The Beatles – Love in Vegas, running for about 20 years so far. Could be something that can be transported around like a regular tour but that would be much less effective even if the image on “stage” is very lifelike
I don’t think that would approach anywhere near this standard if the subjects aren’t alive. The distinction/USP with this is that the actual group went through five weeks of motion-captured rehearsals, alongside a huge input from creative direction, choreography etc. In no way was it just slapping an old video up and building a hologram effect around it. These. Aren’t. Holograms.
Indeed, but common sense tells me there must be dozens of tribute acts, dancers or whoever, who could convincingly “play” Bowie in a mo-cap suit, especially once the avatar visuals and voice is added later for the show… god knows there’s enough video reference materials out there, though the extent to which audiences need the “imprimatur” of the original artist before shelling out their readies remains to be seen…
This may have been exaggerated, Frida now walks with a cane so I expect the simulation of her vigorous “dancing” during “Gimme Gimme Gimme” was likely taken from an earlier video tape
There were younger dancers who stepped in to do the more energetic moves, hence the reference to creative direction and choreography, but even there the dancers worked with, observed and consulted each member of ABBA to approximate their individual styles of movement.
Ok thanks
@dai I am seeing the Beatles ‘Love’ in Vegas tonight. I will report back.
Enjoy! Loved it myself
I’m a casual Abba fan, so prices have put me off so far, but I’m told that 2023 tickets are on sale for circa £50, which combined with a stream of reviews like this might just get me to take the plunge, if only to see the tech first hand…
Like others here, I’m also interested in what comes next… it’s rumoured that Abba have sensibly/cleverly prepared a bunch of other songs, so they can change the set lists and get more repeat business as time goes on, and I’m willing to bet that their people are looking at sites in Las Vegas or Sydney even as I type…
As for other artists using this tech, The Beatles are the obvious pick, but Bowie is a good shout, with the profile, the catalogue, and the visuals, and not least because they’d only need 25% of the R&D avatar creation budget! I’m also curious as to whether the arena itself can be re-tooled easily/economically for other artists once the Abba show might have run its course…
I read somewhere it is possible to dis-assemble the arena and transport it to another country like a giant Lego set. Sounds unrealistic, but I am no architect
Really pleased you enjoyed it, Dai but, at current prices, I’m sticking with Bjorn Again.
I wonder if, when BA all hit retirement age, they will do a holographic tribute band?
I have seen some seats online for 30 quid, think I paid about that last time I saw BA
I’m going next week – I was stoked before, but even more now!
Cabaret @ The KitKatClub and ABBA Voyage…two mind-blowing shows in two days. What a time to be alive!
Let me (us) know what you thought of it @Black-Type
I’ll think it was brilliant! 😏
This is my reflection on the show, posted the day after the night before:
“Well, it’s taken me until now to process what I experienced last night…I was utterly emotionally spent and lost for words. The show is literally incredible. You know they’re not real, but they’re *so* real – so many tiny, exquisite details of movement and facial expression, the realisation of the ABBAtars is just astounding.
The wider show is just a sensory overload – gorgeous lighting throughout the Arena, not just the stage; dazzling screen effects and a fantastic band who help to make the show a legitimate live experience. The utter joy in the room is visceral and incredibly moving.
So, whether it’s the cutting-edge technology, the extraordinary, incomprehensible talents of the creative team, or just some visionary Nordic voodoo, we truly did see ABBA in their prime in front of our disbelieving eyes.”
Beautifully put
“All praise to Agnetha, Frida, Björn, Benny and the hundreds who worked on it.”
I think that’s the thing that will make this show different to all the others that might follow it using the same technology – this show was actually created by A𐐒BA themselves. And for those who care about such things, surely that makes it as much part of their canon as their other recorded output.
And in any case, regardless of that, it sounds like a brilliant show.
Good gracious! A reversed B!
AᗺBA or even this.
It’s witchcraft, I tells ‘ee!
The backwards B is often seen as a mere logo affectation, but this is ABBA we’re talking about and, of course, there is far more to it than that.
Benny Andersson is one of the most successful songwriters there have ever been and on the face of it his cheerful and relaxed demeanour indicates an enjoyable, healthy life. However, he has suffered his entire life with ommetaphobia – a genuine condition that prevents the sufferer from establishing eye contact unless he absolutely has to. It’s essentially a fear of everything to do with eyes and once you know this, a great deal of the ABBA story makes a bit more sense.
He could only really look at his then-wife Anna-Frid directly in the eyes. With everyone else and at all other times, he would have to sing back to back with Bjorn or Agnetha when they harmonised on early Hootenanny songs. The other three adore Benny and to accommodate him, they made a point of singing back-to-back so that Benny didn’t feel so bad when he had to sing his parts that way on stage. This was something they continued with the famous videos, of course.
Benny’s condition made touring a living hell for him – in the Australian leg of their “Arrival !” world tour, he took to wearing a Ned Kelly tin mask – which the locals loved and the band passed off as a joke – but underneath the mask, Benny wasn’t laughing. The others wanted to protect Benny so Agnetha – who bloody loves touring – pretended to be a recluse so that everyone would leave Benny alone and pester her instead.
Song titles like “I can’t look at you” , “Evil Eyes” and “Stop staring at me” make sense in retrospect. As does only touring as an Abbatar. He was prepared to wait 40 years until the technology was good enough for a virtual Benny to take the stage because the real Benny just can’t do it.
Even now, if you google images of him he is always looking to one side, avoiding eye contact. So the backwards B in ABBA is Benny- who only has eyes for the first A, Anna-Frid. Without this central truth, ABBA would not exist.
It’s Ingmar Bergman’s Persona made pop.
Went to see this today and was blown away by how good it is. You can’t help but spend some of the time wondering how they do it, but the overall spectacle coupled with the live band is quite overpowering so you just go with it. Certainly not cheap but if you think you might like it, then you’ll love it.
A v late bump.
I’m planning to go now after reading this.
A later bump. I went last night with two of my daughters. Amazing. I knew I would like the spectacle and the songs, but I was not prepared for the emotional impact. Great live band as well – I liked that they get to take centre stage for a bit. I agree that it works best when the Abbatars are ‘on stage’ – the video inserts take us out it. Some obvious highlights but I will follow the precedent set earlier in the thread and not mention individual songs. Great that everybody respected the request not to take photos or videos.
It’s brilliant, I’ve been twice. Just pure fun.