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Post by anthony40 on Jul 19, 2022 10:01:09 GMT
I definitely agree with you about the opening numbers anthony40 and I would of swapped the last 2 songs around myself. I certainly hope the visitors remains the opener for some time to come and that the current success and reaction the current show format is having means they don't change the show set list for a while unless the ABBA members decide to . That is the wonderful thing about the concert set list it is ABBA generated. Any concert has set lists decisions and sometimes odd choices from a viewer perspective but it does give us a view point of what songs the group/artist feels best represent them in concert at this stage. It is amazing that ABBA have a strong enough bank of songs that they can play b sides and album tracks which are still recognised by the audience. There are enough tribute bands playing ABBA greatest hits each night if people want that and long time into the future when the ABBA corporation is managing the show I am sure it will be converted into a hits only version, but we can for now enjoy a visual and audio celebration which is fully a ABBA project. As a side note their 1974/5 tour seems to have mainly started with hey hey Helen a b side track and 77 started with tiger a album track (think it was a b side somewhere) only the 79 tour started with an a side voulez vous ( and that starts after a Benny instrumental) so they have form starting a show with less obvious choices , which again makes the voyage opener of the visitors more realistic as a ABBA personal choice than the predictable format of having to get a audience hyped up by starting with a hit. I know Hey, Hey, Helen and Tiger. The definitely sand Tiger on the Australian leg of their tour. It's in ABBA-The Movie. Additionally, years later in an interview with 60 Minutes Australia- Agnetha was asked about it. |
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Post by Deleted on Jul 19, 2022 10:40:44 GMT
Whilst I didn't necessarily have a problem with the set list, personally I thought starting with The Visitors and Hole In Your Soul were odd choices to start with but hey, hum.... that's just me. The back catalogue is so huge that the slightly deeper cuts and set list order is always subjective but as you say that's just your view. I'd be interested to see how running order compares to Abba's later set lists from their live shows. Also have they or will they ever record a couple of additional songs for the show to give it a reboot or to get the hardcore fans back to see it again? |
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Post by singingbird on Jul 19, 2022 11:13:35 GMT
Well, I finally got to see this last night (I would pick the hottest night of the year, although it was lovely and cool inside). I've deliberately avoided this thread, or any other potential online spoilers, since just before it opened, as I didn't want to know more than I already did. In a weird way, I wish I had known more as I might have modified my expectations and enjoyed it more. Not that I didn't enjoy it, but my expectations were so high after all the hype and 5 star reviews, and it just wasn't what I was expecting.
I suppose my biggest issue is that I thought it'd feel like seeing Abba in concert, and it really didn't. When the four of them first appeared they were extremely convincing (and when they come on as they are now at the end, which was a beautiful touch, if I hadn't known better I'd have sworn that was them really standing in front of me) but I felt like some weird choices were made that undercut the experience they were trying so hard to create.
Abba were my childhood band. I grew up with them, and, more than that, Benny Andersson is probably the closest I have to a musical hero. When I was getting really into musical theatre, that was the direction he was also going in. When I was getting really into folk music, he happened to be making records in the same style. As a piano player, he's probably my biggest influence. At every point in my life, there has been amazing new Benny Andersson music, and Abba is just one little part of that for me.... so I can't tell you how much I was looking forward to this.
So - the positives... I thought the set list was pretty great - I always imagined that, if they returned, they'd kick off their show with The Visitors, and that's what they did! Opening with two lesser known album tracks was a bold move - and they're both songs I adore (although Hole in Your Soul feels more like a concert climax to me). It was strange that four major hit singles (Money Money Money, Super Trouper, The Name of the Game and Take a Chance on Me) weren't included, but I was really happy they made way for some other material. When all Is Said and Done in particular was a lovely choice, especially as the lyrics seemed really apposite in the context of an artist and their fans. There were also some lovely musical arrangements - e.g. having Thank You for the Music driven by accordion, rather than piano.
I loved the use of one of Benny's solo instrumentals as the opening music, and I really liked the snowy trees projection at the start. I also thought the band were absolutely amazing, and really captured the sound of Abba and their regular musicians. I thought the lighting design was incredible and, yes, at times it did feel like Abba were there in front of me. I also thought the venue was perfectly designed, and it never felt crowded or uncomfortable.
But the negatives... I just expected that the quartet would somehow be on stage with the band, as they always were in their concerts. I don't know how this would be achieved, but everything about the way this was promoted was saying that they'd achieved the impossible, so I assumed they'd found a way. Having them separate, and seemingly miles away at the back of the vast stage, made it feel just weirdly unreal. Abba never performed like that.
More importantly, I just thought they'd be there, performing 'as live' for the whole concert. I didn't like the animations because I couldn't assimilate them from where I was standing (right up front) and they didn't make logical sense. If Abba have gone off for 'costume changes', why can we still hear them singing and playing? I was particularly disappointed, because Eagle is one of my very favourite Abba songs, and I'd have loved to see them perform it with the energy and style that you can see on the video of their 1979 Wembley show.
Worse still were all the songs where the screen suddenly turned into a giant video screen - e.g. Knowing Me Knowing You. This immediately gave away that it was a screen, for anyone who hadn't twigged, and totally broke the illusion. It was a big ask for us to suspend disbelief - especially when we see a young Abba performing songs we know they haven't written yet - but the show was close to achieving this amazing piece of slight of hand, and then they just broke the spell. I really don't get why.
Ultimately, it felt very clever (the de-aging was astonishingly well achieved, and the 3D illusion pretty spectacular) but I just couldn't relax into it. I felt like it didn't gel and, sadly, it didn't move me. The best moments were the most natural - e.g. seeing Bjorn switching his electric guitar for an acoustic between numbers. If they'd gone for realism throughout, I think it could have been pretty incredible - especially if they'd found a way to bring them to the front of the stage and have the band behind and around them.
I'd be interested to see this from further back in the auditorium, and would probably appreciate a second visit more, now I know what to expect. But, for me, it wasn't half as convincing as putting on the Live at Wembley double CD and closing my eyes...
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Post by alece10 on Jul 19, 2022 12:04:31 GMT
Whilst I didn't necessarily have a problem with the set list, personally I thought starting with The Visitors and Hole In Your Soul were odd choices to start with but hey, hum.... that's just me. The back catalogue is so huge that the slightly deeper cuts and set list order is always subjective but as you say that's just your view. I'd be interested to see how running order compares to Abba's later set lists from their live shows. Also have they or will they ever record a couple of additional songs for the show to give it a reboot or to get the hardcore fans back to see it again? Yes they recorded a few more songs so that the set list could be altered as the run goes on. |
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Post by Deleted on Jul 19, 2022 15:17:37 GMT
Thanks Alece10 that makes sense if they want to freshen it up maybe add a seasonal number for festive period etc.
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Post by karloscar on Jul 19, 2022 19:14:42 GMT
A lot of fans would be delighted if it had been staged like an actual Abba gig, but this was always going to be a spectacular event rather than a music concert. Given that you like Benny's other work, a visit to one of his band's open air summer concerts in Sweden might provide what you found lacking here. |
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Post by steve10086 on Jul 19, 2022 19:57:26 GMT
Thanks Alece10 that makes sense if they want to freshen it up maybe add a seasonal number for festive period etc. I’ve suspected for a while that the awful new Christmas song from the Voyage album will be added for the “festive season”. |
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Post by singingbird on Jul 19, 2022 20:09:39 GMT
A lot of fans would be delighted if it had been staged like an actual Abba gig, but this was always going to be a spectacular event rather than a music concert. Given that you like Benny's other work, a visit to one of his band's open air summer concerts in Sweden might provide what you found lacking here. As soon as he announces new dates - and I really hope he does - I'm booking my flight to Sweden. When they played in London a decade or so ago, it was one of the best evenings of my life. I'd also really urge Abba fans to listen to the two most recent of the Benny Andersson Orchestra albums - packed full of stunning Andersson/Ulvaeus songs, albeit in Swedish (which doesn't spoil my enjoyment one bit!) |
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Post by Steve on Aug 2, 2022 13:56:14 GMT
Saw this Sunday afternoon, and loved it! I'm an Abba fan in the sense that I love their music when I hear it, so I mostly only know the hits and the songs that get radio airplay, and the ones in the musical "Mama Mia" lol! As such, I still enjoyed the two openers, as from where I was (dance floor centre view, two thirds of the way back), the Abba Avatars looked astonishingly real (give or take a slight slow motion feel to their movements), and I loved the way the girls were dancing together, and we got close ups of the keyboards and the dancing on the side screens, just like a real gig. I found myself in tears when the hits were played, as it felt like Follies, with the youth of the performers rediscovered, and aging and death seemingly conquered. I did not appreciate the two massive animations, where it was just a giant cinema screen. After all, even Gorillaz, which specialise in animation, give you a live Damon Albarn in front of the animations. I did not want to be reminded that it wasn't a real concert, and these two animations spoiled the illusion for a moment. I also would ditch some of the off cuts for more hits. Abba have many more hits that weren't played, not least "Money Money Money." That said, this was an astonishing show, and although I rated it 4 stars above, it was easily 4 and a half, for me, and I'd raise my rating to 5 if they ditched the two cinema presentations and added hits with the Avatars.  |
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Post by mkb on Aug 16, 2022 8:53:08 GMT
Similar technology at Futuroscope in Poitiers, France:
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Post by ptwest on Aug 16, 2022 10:13:21 GMT
Saw this for the second time last week and thought it just as dazzling as the first time. In fact I think I enjoyed it more because a) I didn’t have the concert goers from hell around me this time and b) the dance floor is the place to be for the full experience. This really pulls the virtual concert concept into another stratosphere.
The thing is, they could have just stuck to the Abba gold playlist and that would have been superb given those songs are peerless but I really appreciate the fact that they have treated the set list like it was a real concert. I love the visitors as an opening, there’s something icy and uncompromising about it while your senses are being boggled by what you are seeing. By waiting till song three before going for a hit it allows you to adjust to the spectacle before the party really begins. Also, seeing it for the second time made me really appreciate “when all is said and done”. I’ve always loved the song and it certainly needed rescuing back from Pierce Brosnan, but the lyrics are the perfect build up to the chat about reforming and then singing the new songs.
The audience treated this like it was a real Abba concert, cheering each song, singing and dancing along and having a great time. I did the same, it retains its 5 star must see status from me.
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Post by tysilio2 on Aug 16, 2022 14:02:14 GMT
A friend of mine has said he's read this will tour to venues/cities in the UK but from what I've read on here that's just about impossible. Is its next likely venue (if anywhere) somewhere in Europe well into the future?
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Post by singingbird on Aug 16, 2022 14:51:56 GMT
A friend of mine has said he's read this will tour to venues/cities in the UK but from what I've read on here that's just about impossible. Is its next likely venue (if anywhere) somewhere in Europe well into the future? There's no way it'll tour to other venues. The show and the venue are pretty intrinsic to each other. The venue, however, can be packed down and reassembled elsewhere - a bit like a high-tech travelling circus, so I'm sure it will move on elsewhere. That's the plan anyway, but I think they're just taking things one step at a time. I imagine they want to get as many people to see it in London as possible, and they chose London because it's a bit of a crossroads for people travelling from all over. I'm sure Australians must be itching to see it, though, so I hope it makes it down under at some point. |
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Post by alece10 on Aug 16, 2022 14:55:09 GMT
A friend of mine has said he's read this will tour to venues/cities in the UK but from what I've read on here that's just about impossible. Is its next likely venue (if anywhere) somewhere in Europe well into the future? It definitely isn't going to tour the UK and it would be impossible. The venue is purpose built for the show/concert. Its a flat pack venue so can just be taken apart and shipped to the next location. That was the original idea however, if the London run goes on for a number of years, I believe they will build another venue so that the show can run in 2 places at the same time. My guess would be that it won't go to another European location yet as London is pretty central for a lot of Europe and people have been travelling from all over to come and see it in London. I think the next venue will be somewhere with a big ABBA fan base maybe Australia or the far east. There have been suggestions of Las Vegas in the future which could work but are the Americans big ABBA fans? I am not so sure. I believe they have a 5 year lease on the London site and it is then going to be developed for housing. I also think that, going on current London sales, it has a few years left in it before moving on. |
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Post by alece10 on Aug 16, 2022 14:57:17 GMT
A friend of mine has said he's read this will tour to venues/cities in the UK but from what I've read on here that's just about impossible. Is its next likely venue (if anywhere) somewhere in Europe well into the future? There's no way it'll tour to other venues. The show and the venue are pretty intrinsic to each other. The venue, however, can be packed down and reassembled elsewhere - a bit like a high-tech travelling circus, so I'm sure it will move on elsewhere. That's the plan anyway, but I think they're just taking things one step at a time. I imagine they want to get as many people to see it in London as possible, and they chose London because it's a bit of a crossroads for people travelling from all over. I'm sure Australians must be itching to see it, though, so I hope it makes it down under at some point. You must have been typing at the same time as me as we have said almost the exact same thing, glad you agree about the Australia possibility. They love ABBA down under don't they |
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Post by theatreian on Aug 16, 2022 15:34:00 GMT
Not so sure Abba are still as popular in Aus after seeing sales of the Voyage album in Aus are only 35,000.UK sales are 435,000. Germany has the highest sales at 500,000.
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Post by anthony40 on Aug 16, 2022 16:20:15 GMT
Not so sure Abba are still as popular in Aus after seeing sales of the Voyage album in Aus are only 35,000.UK sales are 435,000. Germany has the highest sales at 500,000. Trust me, the legacy (nay, the phenomena) that is ABBA is still alive and kicking in Australia |
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Post by singingbird on Aug 16, 2022 18:03:09 GMT
Not so sure Abba are still as popular in Aus after seeing sales of the Voyage album in Aus are only 35,000.UK sales are 435,000. Germany has the highest sales at 500,000. Trust me, the legacy (nay, the phenomena) that is ABBA is still alive and kicking in Australia I walked to the venue from Stratford tube with 2 young Australians when I went. They were saying how jealous their mums were. I felt so happy when I heard this was launching in London but immediately realised just how hard that'd be for all the devoted Australian fans, who were the first to properly adopt Abba outside Sweden. |
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Post by theatreian on Aug 16, 2022 21:48:56 GMT
Trust me, the legacy (nay, the phenomena) that is ABBA is still alive and kicking in Australia Glad to hear it. I was just surprised at seeing these figures how little Voyage had sold. |
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Post by anthony40 on Aug 17, 2022 8:06:56 GMT
(Trust me) in time, this will travel to Australia.
When they launched Voyage their images were projected onto the pylons on either side of the Harbour Bridge- a nod to their time in Australia.
The hysteria in Australia (I still remember it) was comparable only to that of The Beatles.
That hysteria is something that is captured in ABBA-The Movie.
It is during this time that the phase 'sexy bottom' was first referred to about Agnetha- a phase that she still refers to today. She oftern says 'I'm more that a sexy bottom!'
It is also during this time where Agnetha's mental health issues started. She didn't like travelling and leaving their child. In the film she states about the fans, something to the effect 'they were hot, sweaty and frenzied and I feared they were going to get to me'.
Given that this concert is designed in such a way that neither of them have to physically be there- except Benny & Bjorn (if they're still around) to launch it, it will travel.
When ABBA first came to Australia, it took them 56 hours. Now (thank God!) from London, it's only 23- that's 23 hours actual flying time- but that's still a long way
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Post by TallPaul on Aug 17, 2022 10:33:32 GMT
Now on Seatplan. If you've been, and have a 'view from' photo, double points are available for the first 200 reviews.
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Post by alece10 on Aug 21, 2022 16:12:58 GMT
Now on Seatplan. If you've been, and have a 'view from' photo, double points are available for the first 200 reviews. I've got a couple of photos as sat in different locations each time. What does the points bit mean? I'm not that familiar with seat plan. Do you get a discount or something? |
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Post by TallPaul on Aug 21, 2022 16:45:10 GMT
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Post by alece10 on Aug 21, 2022 17:10:25 GMT
Thanks. I'm going to trawl through my photos now. |
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Post by interval99 on Aug 25, 2022 22:27:44 GMT
Three months later and is the show still as good as new. Absolutely!
The air of awe and unknown feeling of what the show would be has cleared and the Monday crowd were in full on party mode. Much more dancing during the show in the seats and a far more arm waving, dancing and singing dance floor crowd. Weekend crowd must be even more hyped.
I was seated on the side this time and it's a pity they did not use the swivel seats they have at the royal Albert hall as the angle is sharper than it looks and you do need to turn to get face on view. Dance floor seemed to have a lot of tall people in on the night. Its not sardines packed but not the spacious area they first advertised where you were meant to be able to walk around freely.
Cameras are now banned and the intro voice says filming will get you asked to leave whereas first weekend while it was announced no cameras it was open season with them.
Lots of people in homemade 70th and ABBA gear and if you could capture the electric buzz and vibe of people going in and the anticipation we would not be having an energy crisis.
Former cloakroom b is now a fully stocked shop and with several other pop up and walking sellers it was quicker to get merchandise.
You can now get vinyl version of all the album's and CDs of voyage and gold as well as an exclusive bright orange vinyl of voyage only available at the show.
On the negative side
T-shirts have gone up £5 to £35
Security and entry delay still not sorted and in the seated entry door it's a 20mins plus queue once crowds build due to badly organised security check. The same Guard has to explain to open bags and check it, then ask for person to empty pockets of metal items before doing a wand body check. Crowds good natured and the current warm dry nights is making this just about acceptable at the moment but as it gets colder and wetter I expect people will be less tolerant of waiting in the rain.
The lack of cover until you are in the foyer does show an issue with the building design, I love the look and the main arena part is great but the foyer is not much more than a wooden gazebo structure and will be a wind tunnel and freezing in the next few months unless they have some changes to come. The are also four corners where where the structure does not cover the inside allowing rain to come straight into the building.
The shows success has allowed them to increase prices and all the tickets I have brought are now between 20 to 40 higher on future shows.
London tube still filled with posters and advertising boards. Especially loved the lit up giant build board above the escalator for bakerloo line at Piccadilly tube where you can gaze up at the glowing faces of the group as you glide underneath them.
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