please empty your brain below
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Your ebullient write-up nicely conveys how much you enjoyed the event. The suggestion that it's "a wonderful way to say thankyou to the fans" made me splutter with laughter into my morning tea!
Frank F | 07.08.22 - 7:51 a.m. | #
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Sounds supertroupertastic, nice write-up.
Kevin | 07.08.22 - 7:57 a.m. | #
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I thoroughly enjoyed it recently, while thinking to myself, 'this is a film on a screen with a very good live band.' A very good film though.
Sneaked a few photos near the end on the basis of "seen most of the show. Does not matter if I get slung out now" Even the photos looked live.
The programme was expensive but was stuffed full of information.
Wish teenage me had tried harder and I had seen the original.
scrumpy | 07.08.22 - 8:06 a.m. | #
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Glad you and others enjoyed it so much. Me, I'm waiting for a Beatles version.
Malcolm of Kent | 07.08.22 - 8:15 a.m. | #
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After being to a few less than impressive “immersive” events, I decided to wait for a trustworthy review before spending money and time on this one. It’s on the list now. Thank you.
Renata | 07.08.22 - 8:18 a.m. | #
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I'm pleased you enjoyed it.
Given that you knew it wasn't real yet still got sucked into the reality means that the set-up works, I strongly suspect other bands with substantial back catalogues are looking on.
Still Anon | 07.08.22 - 8:30 a.m. | #
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Malcolm raises an interesting point. There are many historical musical artists who most people have never seen live, eg Jimi Hendrix, a 60s Motown Review.
Scientist | 07.08.22 - 8:31 a.m. | #
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Good review, one which definitely has "sold" the show to me.
Mikey C | 07.08.22 - 8:44 a.m. | #
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As a local resident, shout out to ABBA Voyage's excellent soundproofing. Can't hear a thing!
Snoozebox on the other hand - the same super loud ABBA tracks every night until 11pm...
James Scantlebury | 07.08.22 - 8:49 a.m. | #
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To stress how 'not cheap' these tickets are, I've made a graphic to show minimum prices even if booking a midweek performance in six months' time.
diamond geezer | Homepage | 07.08.22 - 9:02 a.m. | #
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I am so glad you enjoyed the show.
Michael | 07.08.22 - 9:05 a.m. | #
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In my gig-reviewing days, the hardest ones to review were the ones that totally dazzled you, blew you away, knocked you sideways etc etc. So I must commend you for such an admirably level-headed, informative and accurate account of one of the most extraordinarily well conceived - and most surprisingly of all, genuinely emotionally affecting - shows I have ever seen. In the words of one of ABBA’s newest songs, my own experience was “like a dream within a dream that’s been de-coded”… and it was an experience that was well worth the wait.
mike | 07.08.22 - 9:08 a.m. | #
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Great review. I share scrumpy’s thoughts on the show, got caught up in the emotion early on and on the first song that didn’t grab my attention spent analysing how it was working & struggled to get back to the engagement level from the beginning. Still enjoyed it though.
It did generate some post gig discussion with my partner about what bands could pull off a similar experience. Our conclusion was that there was no band or singer with the legacy (music & musicals) and the anticipation of not having played live for 40 years that could possibly repeat this. Plus also the fan base to make a profit.
The issue I think many would have with Malcolm & Scientist’s requests is that some of the artists mentioned have passed so any representation (and motion capture) of them would have to be generated from past performances (and also miss the emotional point at the end of the ABBA gig) thus reducing the impact of the gig.
The other issue is that the venue for ABBA is part of the show, immersing one in the experience. They were canny in building a bespoke venue for this to give the best experience possible on their terms. I don’t think it would have worked in a touring venue with the variables of old infrastructure, set up, sight lines etc. The only alternative would have been a permanent residency in a West End or Vegas venue. (Probably not popular enough across the pond for Broadway).
That’s not to say that bands or the estates of singers will not try, I loved Cirque Du Soleil’s Beatles Love in vegas but it’s a different experience. But for every one of those there are plenty of touring ‘holographic elvis’ which don’t work.
Chris | 07.08.22 - 9:28 a.m. | #
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I don’t necessarily see high prices as an issue compared to west end show prices nowadays. I have generally balked at some shows with worse seats at higher prices. You can see where the investment went and they need to recoup that investment.
I don’t think we will see the show tickets being offered on groupon discounts any time soon if at all if the demand stays as it appears to be.
If ABBA did record more songs than played and are canny enough to change the set list by a few songs I’d consider going again.
Chris | 07.08.22 - 9:38 a.m. | #
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Glad you enjoyed it. Funnily enough I was gazing out over a spectacular view of the arena and its locale yesterday morning on a hard hat tour of the new UCL building in the Olympic Park. The top floor academics' common room and balcony has the most amazing outlook. This was a postponed tour from the London Festival of Architecture in June. If you get a chance to go on any other ones they are running I would recommend it.
Joan | 07.08.22 - 9:44 a.m. | #
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It’s a shame this technology didn’t exist for Michael Jackson which might have avoid the end outcome from him preparing for 50+ shows at the O2.
I feel this sort of set up would benefit artists who are less well suited to the rigours of touring. Britney Spears and Adele come to mind.
I heard that the new Sphere music venue at Stratford will be better set up for this type of performance.
David | 07.08.22 - 9:51 a.m. | #
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In my opinion its successful because it's in a bespoke venue, don't try to adapt an existing building.
I'm not so sure about the artist being dead is that big of an issue, to a large extent we can only experience them through media in the first place, Jimi Hendrix has been dead 52 years, the motion capture would be done from someone the same build, ideally an actor who could 'live the part'. Also the technology could be used sympathetically, imagine a Bowie concert with all the transformations between his different personas done in front of the audience.
Still Anon | 07.08.22 - 10:50 a.m. | #
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It's odd the Micosoft "Character Map" has strings of obscure hieroglyphs, but no mirror image of a letter "B". This would be more-used than some of the things that are on there, I think.
cau1khead | 07.08.22 - 11:03 a.m. | #
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I went on the 3rd day of opening and was really impressed with everything. It was a great show and <spoiler> at the end.
The no photography bit was interesting and anyone that decided to video a bit had a bright light shined on them from above. Not sure how they did that either!
PiccDriver | 07.08.22 - 12:10 p.m. | #
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One unexpected bonus for me was stumbling across the famed bus stop M on the walk back to Bow Road station.
Seeing two legends in one afternoon is a rare treat.
Al C | 07.08.22 - 12:55 p.m. | #
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Our Newham-based friendship group have coined
‘the ABBAtoir’ for the venue and are very pleased with ourselves. Please consider this contribution for your London neologism collection even if the performance is too good to render the nickname entirely fair.
TomH | 07.08.22 - 1:40 p.m. | #
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“ I'd love to know whether it was just our performance that decided to wave collective arms in the air from early on or whether every audience spontaneously does that.”
I ran into a friend earlier today who reported the same thing, starting during the same song.
mike | 07.08.22 - 3:35 p.m. | #
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I think the artist being dead is an issue (comments from above) - as they never gave consent in their lifetime. Obviously their estates can do as they please - but it's like seeing Donald O'Connor and Gene Kelly advertising VW cars - how do we know if they would have wanted this, and is it a slippery slope. Having said that, because ABBA are alive and actively endorsed this, I loved the show. I was an audience member who wished they'd been alive during 1974 but watching the show was like amazing time-travel.
(Thinking more on my comment above, would I go to see The Beatles if they did this, despite John and George not being able to say yes? I guess if Ringo and Paul agreed it, I would in a heartbeat, as they speak for their band. But if Ringo and Paul never do, then I think all hail YouTube.)
Jayne | 07.08.22 - 4:12 p.m. | #
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Anyone who can afford to spend over £100 on a pair of standing tickets for a virtual Abba concert, congratulations, you should breeze through the energy crisis this winter.
likeitis | 07.08.22 - 4:25 p.m. | #
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"as a joyful consequence of old school blogging". Is this DG making a rare exception to his rule of not accepting marketing freebies however tempting and however few strings are attached? Not a criticism as it's well deserved if it was. Maybe it was just someone with a last-minute spare ticket.
dg writes: no, and no.
Andrew S | 07.08.22 - 5:13 p.m. | #
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Brilliant write up. If I had an ABBA record to put on in the background while I read it, I would have thought I was there.
Detective Witch reckons that you and mike went together. How else would he have known when the described arm waving started?
Blue Witch | Homepage | 08.08.22 - 6:53 a.m. | #
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