Well I have to chip in here - I was at that first concert in Edmonton, Canada on September 13th, 1979. At the time it seemed rather a routine event, another stadium concert, another European band. Now, when I think about it, it seems like a such a big deal. I saw Abba live!! What do I remember about the concert? It was the first indoor stadium gig I had ever attended (I'd been to loads of concerts but never one in a hockey arena!). It was packed, very loud, very colourful. Great songs (of course), great singing, great energy. I don't remember the setlist but I do recall a thumping Voulez-Vous and, perhaps as a finale, a rousing Chiquitita. Hard to forget those stage outfits too.
Fantastic -- glad to hear from you ! Do you remember anything about "One Man, One Woman", or the absence of "Waterloo"? I gotta think thousands of people left that night wondering why that song didn't happen ....
here is the tour's standard setlist. Gammal Fäbodpsalm (instrumental intro by Benny) Voulez-Vous If It Wasn't For The Nights As Good As New Knowing Me, Knowing You Rock Me Not Bad At All (sung by backing singer Tomas Ledin) Chiquitita Money Money Money I Have A Dream Gimme Gimme Gimme (A Man After Midnight) S.O.S. Fernando The Name Of The Game > Eagle Thank You For The Music Why Did It Have To Be Me Intermezzo No. 1 I'm Still Alive Summer Night City Take A Chance On Me Does Your Mother Know Hole In Your Soul The Way Old Friends Do Dancing Queen Waterloo Ha ! in typing this up I just realized a few more very significant things that were revealed at the first show.... Agnetha performed -- on piano -- a new song called "I'm Still Alive" .... highly unusual ! It was never recorded as a studio piece, but finally got an official release on the Live At Wembley album in 2014 ..... And another new song, "The Way Old Friends Do", was premiered as the first encore .... Benny joined the others at the front of the stage with his accordion .... The Way Old Friends Do (Live) A further enhanced recording of this song ended up as the final track on their next album Super Trouper ......
Thanks for posting the setlist. 'Waterloo' is the last song on the list, so did they, or didn't they, sing it? I can't remember, to be honest! I had bought the album 'Voulez-Vous' earlier in the year and those were the songs I knew best at the time.
That's a great setlist! And quite a bit longer than what was released from London. It really is a shame that more live recordings haven't survived, not only from this tour, but ANY tour...
Actually, the ONLY song from that set list that wasn’t released on the “Live at Wembley” set in 2014 was Tomas Ledin’s “Not Bad At All”. Having heard the song, I can’t say that I’m disappointed by its absence! Lol That being said, I would love to hear ANY recording of “One Man, One Woman” love from Edmonton, and I wholeheartedly agree that not performing “Mamma Mia” on the 1979 tour made for a rather large omission.
Allegedly, there are tapes from the '77 tour which Benny Andersson's son Ludvig proposed to release but the project was rejected by his father. Ludvig reportedly was also the driving force behind the release of the Wembley concert.
He has said that he listened to the tapes but the recording quality was not of a standard that would allow them to be released.
Ha - yes, you should've gone ! Thanks for the newspaper post ! excellent contribution ..... there's some good info in there. It says the Edmonton show sold out in 3 hours, matching Rod Stewart's recent show there. Can you possibly identify what that scarf-thing is that Frida is wearing ? Is it Oilers related, or another Edmonton sports team ? I don't know if she did it in every city but Frida did put on many local sports jerseys on this tour ....shameless pandering !
....thanx! I can't really make out any detail in that scarf .... Frida's sports jerseys will be coming soon... - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Vancouver BC 9-15-79 made the list for top-grossing concerts. Again, supposedly "Waterloo" was not performed there either. strange. (@Jrr -- notice the BeeGees too, probably on their biggest tour ever in 1979.) notice The Who's return to America, now post-Keith Moon.... speaking of which ..... worlds collide in 1978 ! I wonder where this happened.
Images taken from on-line sales/auction sites, with the top image being the relevant item for Frida. Agnetha’ scarf seems to be a blue version of one in the lower grouping of three. For Keith Moon scroll down to February 1978 (Warner Theatre, Leicester Square) The Who This Month! 1978
Thank you ! now I know Moon attended the London premiere of ABBA: The Movie with his girlfriend Annette....... Great WHO website.
WOW - fantastic !!! but but but but but .... it just suddenly ends after 3 minutes ?? love the symmetry designed into the ladies' outfits, they are mirror images of each other. Madonna paid tribute to those outfits in 2006.
Seattle Center Coliseum 9-17-79 Abba's first show in the United States, and supposedly where "Waterloo" was now finally in the set, closing the show ..... All I have is this tiny photo, with Frida in a Seahawks jersey.
I've just been listening to the Wembley show from this tour and it truly is a band on top of their game. You can tell they're tired, but somehow they remain tight and focused. Those harmonies on Voulez-Vous... wow.
oops ..... I probably should've already posted a link up front for the full Live At Wembley album .... rather than save it for later when the date (11-10-79) comes around near the tour's end .... I suppose/hope some would like to hear it now . I like how the show starts with a mysterious and somber vibe .... then into "Voulez-Vouz", an urgent minor-key song .... 25 videos Play all sorry it's broken up with youtube ads, I don't know a better alternative. Live at Wembley Arena - Wikipedia
here is some info on the band..... the first two guys appeared on every ABBA album. Lasse appeared on a few too. bass : Rutger Gunnarsson • Rutger Gunnarsson - Wikipedia drums: Ola Brunkert • Ola Brunkert - Wikipedia keyboards: Anders Eljas • Anders Eljas - Wikipedia guitar: Lasse Wellander guitar: Mats Ronander • Mats Ronander - Wikipedia percussion: Åke Sundqvist backing vocalist: Tomas Ledin • Tomas Ledin - Wikipedia backing vocalist: Birgitta Wollgard backing vocalist: Liza Öhman
Portland OR 9-18-79 Paramount Theatre now known as the Arlene Schnitzer Concert Hall... a rather small venue compared to what they'd just done in Canada. (btw... I was in that theatre to see The Police in Oct. 1980... I attended one year of high school in Portland.) Apparently the tour programme said that they were to be at the Portland Opera House. Carl Magnus Palm is one of the world's foremost ABBA authorities, and he said a little something about that recently. ABBA played the Paramount Theatre, not the Portland Opera House
Concord Pavilion CA 9-19-79 ABBA in California ! their third show in three nights. there's more to this article but I don't have it. Concord Pavilion opened in 1975 so it was still new-ish ..... I've been there twice in the 90s, after it had been enlarged a bit. @chacha any more memories of this show ?
