40 years ago ..... ABBA's 1979 concert tour

Discussion in 'Music Corner' started by GoodKitty, Sep 11, 2019.

  1. B. Bu Po

    B. Bu Po Senior Member

    I was there!: September 21, 1979 Anaheim CA - ACC Arena

    The Anaheim Convention Center, site of many great performances I attended. Unfortunately, non-musical aspects of the show are clearer in my mind than the performance itself: it was the first concert I attended where I saw parents with their children. :( We were afraid to smoke pot there! That said, we did attend it with my friend's father, the late Rev. McNeil (and we smoked the pot).

    Even though I understand that extra singers are needed to replicate the studio productions, I was a bit bugged they were there. Who are these non-ABBA people sharing the stage with the pop gods?

    And don't get me started on their stage attire! So dorky, but then my #1 musical heroes, The Beach Boys, are not exactly fashion plates.

    Our seats were approximately 1/4 back in the large convention center, so pretty darn good. I feel I have a recollection that the sound could have been a bit better, but it was probably pretty decent. I also feel I might recollect them doing the non-ABBA member song. Is there a record that they did? ...they did!, see below.

    Ha! I just found my notes from the show! Really just the setlist and it matches that above, except no "Thank You For The Music" (!). Did I just forget to write it down? It's one of my favorites. Also, "Waterloo" and then "Dancing Queen" are shown as encores.
    And a couple of extra notes are seen: after "9. I HAVE A DREAM" is "9 1/2. …& AGAIN (KIDS R OK)". Maybe a reprise with kids singing? I can't recall. Also, after "14. EAGLE" is written "FLURRIES & FLARES". Perhaps a flashy lighting display? Or maybe an ending instrumental flourish. Or both.

    I know I very much enjoyed the show, just wish I could remember more musical detail. But, I was there!
     
  2. GoodKitty

    GoodKitty FloydM Thread Starter

    Location:
    Pacific
    Yay ! so rare to hear from someone who actually knows first-hand what an ABBA concert was like.

    You took notes ! and you still have them ! excellent.
    You should have recorded the show!

    Ahhhhh yes ..... haven't mentioned this yet, as it is (arguably) the most nauseating aspect of their show. In each city a local children's choir was used to sing on "I Have A Dream" ..... a tough pill to swallow for anyone who wanted a "rock show" .... And just when you thought it was over, Björn says "Wonderful kids .... would you like to hear some more ?" ..... and then they'd reprise the song for another minute ! :hurl: yes, that's your "9 1/2".
    Okay, I understand from a parental standpoint it was probably very cute and heartwarming, but ..........This G-rated aspect of ABBA was a tough-sell/deal-breaker for many .....

    Glad you were able to smoke the pot ! :agree:
     
    Last edited: Sep 21, 2019
    Billy_Sunday and B. Bu Po like this.
  3. GoodKitty

    GoodKitty FloydM Thread Starter

    Location:
    Pacific
    Anaheim Convention Center 9-21-79
    Orange County, CA

    Among those attending the show were Ron Wood, Donna Summer, and fellow-Swede Britt Ekland (pictured below at the after-party) ......
    [​IMG]
    [​IMG]
    [​IMG]

    that yellow shirt seems to be one of Agnetha's favorites...

    [​IMG]
    [​IMG]
     
    Last edited: Sep 21, 2019
  4. B. Bu Po

    B. Bu Po Senior Member

    A mystery solved! But have you no information about visual/auditory pyrotechnics following "Eagle"?
     
  5. GoodKitty

    GoodKitty FloydM Thread Starter

    Location:
    Pacific
    Nope, no idea ..... don't think I've ever heard about that .... but now I want to know !

    "Eagle" live was noteworthy for having the most open-ended guitar-solo section of any ABBA song ever, featuring Lasse Wellander ..... not Björn, as it would be in my more idealized version of ABBA.
    [​IMG]


    [​IMG]
    [​IMG]
    better version than the one in post #1
     
    Last edited: Sep 21, 2019
  6. chacha

    chacha Forum Resident In Memoriam

    Location:
    mill valley CA USA
    Wow fantastic photos! Love it
     
    GoodKitty likes this.
  7. chacha

    chacha Forum Resident In Memoriam

    Location:
    mill valley CA USA
    Happy 40th Anniversary!
    I celebrated mine a couple of days ago.
     
    Mazzy, GoodKitty and B. Bu Po like this.
  8. B. Bu Po

    B. Bu Po Senior Member

    You know, I used to have a giant (but not quite life-size) record store stand-up of that photograph on the bottom:
    [​IMG]
     
    Billy_Sunday, GoodKitty and chacha like this.
  9. B. Bu Po

    B. Bu Po Senior Member

    Oh my god! I didn't put the dates together! Wow, what a coincidence!
     
    GoodKitty and chacha like this.
  10. chacha

    chacha Forum Resident In Memoriam

    Location:
    mill valley CA USA
    Yes it’s hard to believe- 40 years ago...
     
    B. Bu Po and GoodKitty like this.
  11. GoodKitty

    GoodKitty FloydM Thread Starter

    Location:
    Pacific
    the 40th anniversary of my first big concert is coming up fast ..... Eagles/Jimmy Buffett at Aloha Stadium (Honolulu) Sept. 30, 1979 ..... I was 14 .
     
    Last edited: Sep 21, 2019
    B. Bu Po and chacha like this.
  12. GoodKitty

    GoodKitty FloydM Thread Starter

    Location:
    Pacific
    It just occurred to me ..... Isn't Concord CA more in the zone of the Oakland Raiders ?
     
  13. chacha

    chacha Forum Resident In Memoriam

    Location:
    mill valley CA USA
    Technically yes but all the Bay Area teams are very close by. And San Francisco is obviously one of the most famous cities in the world.
     
    GoodKitty likes this.
  14. chacha

    chacha Forum Resident In Memoriam

    Location:
    mill valley CA USA
    Cool. I have a copy of ABBA The Album signed by all four.
     
  15. GoodKitty

    GoodKitty FloydM Thread Starter

    Location:
    Pacific
    nice ! How did you score that ?
     
  16. B. Bu Po

    B. Bu Po Senior Member

    Yes, but I mean to come upon this thread on the exact date of the show in question: spooky!
     
    chacha and GoodKitty like this.
  17. GoodKitty

    GoodKitty FloydM Thread Starter

    Location:
    Pacific
    Too bad there isn't a recording to listen to.

    - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -


    I think ABBA should've been able to do 2 shows in the Greater L.A. Area .... Why didn't they do that ?? Another show that would service L.A. proper/San Fernando Valley (maybe Universal Amphitheatre ?) .... or one for the Inland Empire (San Bernadino) ..... Suburban kids were their main target .... and there was a lot of suburbia around there ....... plus I bet a lot more celebrities would've shown up for a show closer to Hollywood. Despite whatever stigma ABBA might've had, their musical quality was evident to those who actually paid attention.

    but no, just Anaheim ...... which was basically synonymous with Disneyland ....
     
    Last edited: Sep 22, 2019
    Billy_Sunday likes this.
  18. chacha

    chacha Forum Resident In Memoriam

    Location:
    mill valley CA USA
    What was also wild was a friend of mine asked me to go see a touring ABBA tribute band on Thursday September 19 which was 40 years exactly after I saw them! He ended up not feeling well so we didn’t go but it was curious nonetheless .
     
    GoodKitty likes this.
  19. chacha

    chacha Forum Resident In Memoriam

    Location:
    mill valley CA USA
    A record collector friend of mine gave it to me around 35 years ago. It’s an original Swedish Polar copy. It looks to me like all the signatures were written separately at different times shortly after they broke up but definitely authentic.
     
    Jarleboy, Billy_Sunday and GoodKitty like this.
  20. ABBAFANUSA

    ABBAFANUSA Forum Resident

    I was there 40 years ago tonight at The Anaheim Convention Center (That's MY yellow ticket stub pictured above) I just turned 13 the month before and 3 tickets were my B-day present. My standout memories of the night was Björn introducing the band.. I'm Björn, he's Benny, the Red Head is Frida (she flipped her hair about) and now I'd like to introduce to you my former wife who I assure you is as good as new. He never said her name. I saw Agnetha being helped into the skirt portion of her costume at the back of the stage. Björn Introducing "Gimme! Gimme! Gimme!" which I immediately loved and watching Agnetha run up and down the staircase. Björn & Frida performed "Why Did It Have To Be Me" then Benny played "Intermezzo No. 1" After that he then introduced Agnetha who walked out onstage and he held out his arms and gave her a kiss before she played "I'm Still Alive". For "Money Money Money" I remember Frida initially sitting on Benny's piano (there are photos out there where she is sitting on a stool?) and she was holding one of those long cigarette holders acting sophisticated. I purchased many items at the show and ordered more from the flyer included in the Voulez-Vous album. I'm still so grateful I was able to see them. I'm still a die hard fan & collector.

    My 3 ticket stubs and parking pass[​IMG]
    I recently was able to purchase a complete ticket. I never thought to ask the usher If I could keep the part that said ABBA after her ripped it off.[​IMG]
    The original T-shirt I purchased.[​IMG]
    A sew on patch [​IMG]
     
  21. chacha

    chacha Forum Resident In Memoriam

    Location:
    mill valley CA USA
    Great Memories!
     
  22. GoodKitty

    GoodKitty FloydM Thread Starter

    Location:
    Pacific
    Wow, that's awesome .... a physical connection ..... what a trip !
    and it was a gift, sweet !
    post a pic maybe ?
     
    aarsonbet and chacha like this.
  23. GoodKitty

    GoodKitty FloydM Thread Starter

    Location:
    Pacific
    Wow ! that is fan-tastic ! for "just 13" you've remembered quite a good bit of details ..... and to still have that awesome memorabilia too all this time later !
    I wanna like your post repeatedly :laugh: well done, and thanks !

    and the complete ticket ! amazing you could find that. :righton:
     
  24. ABBAFANUSA

    ABBAFANUSA Forum Resident

    Some years ago I was at a local bar/club. I wear an ABBA Logo necklace and this guy noticed it. He then proceeds to blow my mind by telling me that he sang with ABBA. He was in the children's choir that got to perform with them that night. He asked if I could come back to the bar the following week. I did and he gave me his newspaper article. [​IMG]
     
  25. ABBAFANUSA

    ABBAFANUSA Forum Resident

    I have both of them
    [​IMG]

    [​IMG]
     

Share This Page

molar-endocrine