Yeah, the singers didn't handle that too well. Out of time. Also it's really missing the rich backing chord added to "Ode to freedom" in the original, so they even simplified the melody.
The official Voyage site has Q & A section for concert goers. Can I take photos or film the performance? Yes, for personal use only. However, please be mindful of the people around you – we want everyone to be able to enjoy themselves. So, Yes, they're okay with it as long as folk don't turn up with professional looking recording equipment. I guess it's going to be too much to expect but I really hope that people enjoy the show without having to watch it through a sea of camera phones held aloft.
That is exactly what will happen unfortunately, people don't believe they are actually watching a live show unless they are viewing it through their phone. Bizarre...
New from Rolling Stone magazine and Benny talks about seeing his avatar perform on stage in front of him: Rise of the ABBA-tars! Inside ABBA’s Groundbreaking Live Residency BRITTANY SPANOS After they broke up four decades ago, ABBA famously refused all kinds of money for reunion ABBA-tars and performances. But a few years ago, British entrepreneur Simon Fuller pitched an idea that piqued the Swedish superstars’ interest. “We got sort of turned on by the thought that we could actually be onstage without us being there,” ABBA singer-songwriter Benny Andersson says over Zoom. The band, along with Fuller and their producers Ludvig Andersson (Benny Andersson’s son) and Svana Gisla (music-video producer for the likes of Radiohead and Beyoncé), initially explored reproducing themselves by hologram technology, but that didn’t pan out. ABBA finally realized a grander dream: ABBA Voyage, the concert residency at newly built ABBA Arena in London’s Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park that begins May 27. Made with help from George Lucas’ Industrial Light & Magic, digital avatars (also known as ABBA-tars) embody the stars in their Seventies prime, performing a 22-song set alongside a flesh-and-blood backing band assembled by James Righton of the Klaxons and including U.K. singer Little Boots on keys. “It’s been a lot of uphill,” the elder Andersson says. “Brexit, the pandemic. It’s been a lot of stuff that hasn’t worked well, but we’ve been resilient.” The band and the team and ILM realized early on that an existing venue wasn’t going to work for the residency. There are 1,000 visual-effects artists on ABBA Voyage, making it the biggest project ILM has done, according to Gisla (and this is the company behind Star Wars, Marvel, and Jurassic Park). The roof of ABBA Arena was reengineered three times to fit the complicated lighting system. Where many concerts might use only one lighting rig, this one uses 20. There was a lot of work put into making the ABBA-tars — which, the band stresses, are not holograms, but digital versions of the members that look like real, physical performers. Not too long before the pandemic put things to a near-halt, the four members of ABBA met from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. each day, for four and half weeks straight, performing for 200 cameras and a crew of nearly 40 people while wearing motion-capture suits. They posted up in a sound studio within the Swedish Film Institute, playing all the songs they had carefully curated for their first show in 40 years. “It was really a pleasure for all of us,” Andersson says. Back in London, body doubles emulated the performances, but with a younger energy. “We are sort of merged together with our body doubles. Don’t ask me how it works because I can’t explain that,” Andersson continues. “If you’re 75, you don’t jump around like you did when you were 34, so this is why this happened.” “ABBA are onstage there physically, and we can say that with quite some degree of certainty because we are in rehearsals right now,” Gisla says. Andersson was impressed when he watched himself and the others “perform” for the first time in April: “I see myself standing onstage, talking to you. It’s absolutely believable. It’s not unbelievable. It’s believable!” During rehearsals, Andersson and bandmate Björn Ulvaeus were hit with a spark of creativity. They penned two new songs — “I Still Have Faith in You” and “Don’t Shut Me Down” — and asked Agnetha Fältskog and Anni-Frid Lyngstad if they’d record them for the show. “We recorded those two and found that we’re still good enough,” Andersson says. Eventually, they recorded a whole album, last year’s Voyage. “I Still Have Faith in You” was so well-regarded that it garnered the group its first Grammy nomination ever. There’s still much about the future of the production that ABBA and ILM still don’t know. They could end up touring years from now, or even change the set list. One thing’s for sure: Gisla and Ludvig Andersson have no plans to do anything like this again, and they point out that nothing like this should probably exist again in the future. As impressive as the tech is, they worry about how it could be used. “I personally don’t think that doing things posthumously with artists that are passed away, where they have no hand or opinion or say in the matter, is a good idea,” Gisla explains. “ABBA made this show, but had they not been involved, it wouldn’t be an ABBA concert.” Ludvig Andersson adds: “We hear often, ‘This is the dawn of a new era in live entertainment.’ I think that’s an incorrect statement. I don’t think it is. This is unique.” The London location was a no-brainer for the group, which is still based in Sweden. Not only is London a major destination for international travel, it’s also the place where the often-maligned group felt most at home when away from home. “The English people have always treated ABBA like we were their own, for some weird reason,” Andersson says. “They’ve taken ABBA to their hearts and they show us that.” In some ways, ABBA’s return is perfectly timed. Many millennials were exposed to the group through the tribute pop band A*Teens at the turn of the century, and later, the musical Mamma Mia! and its cult-classic film adaptation (as well as the original sequel Mamma Mia! Here We Go Again). For both millennials and Gen Z kids, the group is a musical fixture on the level of what the Beatles were for Gen X. There are ABBA-themed parties at venues across the globe, and songs like “Dancing Queen” and “Chiquitita” have become hits on TikTok. Andersson still doesn’t understand. “That’s pretty weird, isn’t it? It’s 40 years ago, and the corpse is still moving. I don’t know. Maybe it’s good enough. Maybe that’s the only answer.”
I'm curious how big a deal the opening of the Voyage concerts will be, in the press/internet. Lots of coverage you think? Maybe not? Presuming the 4 of them show up, that in itself would be newsworthy.
A few ABBA videos, some probably already seen, but good ones if you haven't. Older one: RARE ABBA INTERVIEW: Band members on songs, Mamma Mia and world tour | 7NEWS Spotlight Someone posted a video from "Bobby's Brother" earlier, but in case some have missed it, he's doing an excellent "mini documentary" on ABBA's tours. PT 1: ABBA’s Concert Tours – Part 1: 1970–1973 (A Mini-Documentary) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-e8B4XGRXEc PT 2, just released (which I think is better): ABBA’s Concert Tours – Part 2: 1974–1975 (A Mini-Documentary) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TVrCWSbDAvU
I can easily see it being newsworthy here in UK. The new album & arena announcement got front page news across tabloids & broadsheets the following day here, right across the political spectrum. Likewise across TV news. I'd be surprised if it wasn't covered in a big way on the 28th following opening night, ideally with the promoters themselves providing select clips and stills for promo purposes. Not to mention people being interviewed on camera for soundbite on their way out, ideally with a 'Best/Worst Thing Ever!' hot take. Popular interest is certainly there amongst the UK public at large. I can also see some primetime coverage in the Australian press & TV. Not sure about elsewhere in the world.
For those making their way to the ABBA Arena, the 'Voyage' people have kindly enlisted a sprightly young chap to show the way. https://www.facebook.com/video.php?v=1021661195222740
I think this is great. If I was worth a billion I don’t think I’d be hopping thru Pudding Mill Lane on the DLR. How much are the cheapest tix again?
Not exactly in depth, but new today: The Guardian view on Abba: still rocking the room 40 years on | Editorial It just occurred to me: given the use of a live band, especially in the era of COVID, I wonder what kind of contingency measures they have for musicians getting sick.
Can't help but notice, especially from comment sections in places like the Guardian, whenever ABBA is the subject it seems an excuse for some people to be exhibitionists with their deepest cynicism. "Naff euro-trash, why would anyone listen to them the first time, let alone as old fogies?" It's so tired.
You must be very young or new to online news articles, the readers comments are 90% negative about anything and everything. Just don’t read them.
As the person actually had to log on to an article about a group they supposedly dismiss rather than going on with their busy life with its amazing priorities, the comments might reflect more on them that on the subject?
Absolutely, most of us don't like or agree with things but we usually move on than leave some unconstructive comment, as it's pointless and we don't have anything to add. You see it on this forum and I'm sure any forum/Social Media/reddit etc where people chip in and declare something is a 'non subject' 'or 'the question is answered, close thread' when people are clearly discussing the topic at hand. Or the people that leave huge memes that take up half the page, It contributes nothing but clogs up a thread. It's a shame some people are unable to have a conversation and articulate themselves, and communicate with memes. Please leave a huge ABBA meme to troll me
Not wanting to pigeonhole a whole readership but The Guardian is often held up as the paper for 'left of centre' students and academics. So you're invariably going to get the same accusations that ABBA faced all those years ago from a few of them. 'Commercial' music, 'Bubblegum', blah blah, etc. It's sometimes amusing when it's revealed that their own heroes of 'serious music' are admirers of ABBA themselves. Musicians, who know how hard it is to construct classic songs that stand the test of time, tend to be more open-minded than many of the fans that follow them. The many instances of where someone has honed in on a particular article, presumably read it, then gone to the trouble of logging in to comment, only to say they 'Don't Care' about the said subject is a head-scratcher for sure.
By the way, it's wall to wall ABBA on Channel 5 tonight in the UK. Things are getting cranked up for the big day.
There was an invitation only dress rehearsal last night (May 20) of the "Voyage" concert. Here is a article about the evening from Retropop Magazine: ABBA fans share first reactions to ‘spectacular’ ‘Voyage’ concert following exclusive dress rehearsal 21/05/2022 ABBA Voyage ABBA fans have shared their first reactions to the group’s ‘ABBA Voyage’ concert following an exclusive dress rehearsal performance. The invitation only event took place on Friday, May 20, with lucky audience members taking to social media to share their thoughts on the groundbreaking production. The concert features digital recreations of Agnetha Fältskog, Björn Ulvaeus, Benny Andersson and Anni-Frid Lyngstad performing their biggest hits and fan-favourite cuts, alongside a live 10-piece band, with some calling it “the most amazing experience ever”. “One of the most spectacular shows that we have seen,” wrote one fan on social media. “Lighting and the set were amazing.” “The holo tech was OFF. THE. CHARTS,” agreed another. “Spectacular lighting, live band were amazing and a v chic arena to boot. “What a night,” added another. “Lots of open mouths at an unbelievable show!” A third user teased: “If that was a ‘rehearsal,’ then that was flawless. I laughed, I welled up…what a treat.” The group’s ABBAtars are the result of years of work from the band and Industrial Light & Magic, the company founded by movie mogul George Lucas, to perfectly capture each member of the band. It seems to work has been a triumph, with one fan commenting it was “as if their former selves travelled here from 40 years ago. Pretty spectacular!” In attendance for the dress rehearsal was Benny Andersson, who reportedly sat in the auditorium with the crowd during the exclusive preview. ‘ABBA Voyage’ opens to the public on May 27. See a round-up of early reactions to the concert below… This was the most interesting Instagram post: helienneofficial Sooo, we went to see #abbavoyage in dress rehearsal tonight. No photography allowed, to keep it in wraps before next week’s premier, so this is all we can show you. I got a bit emotional as the show started and I heard the first bars of one of my favourite songs ring out in the hall - and there they were, appearing from below the stage, avatars (sorry, abbatars ), as if their former selves travelled here from 40 years ago. Pretty spectacular! Oh, and I bumped into Benny Andersson as I went to my seat. He told me it was the first time it’s shown to the public. He was there to gauge the reaction, sitting in the audience. I don’t think anyone noticed him but me… Thank you @mikasellens for inviting us. Great to see you @bishiofficial - looking immaculate, as always, while Mika and I are almost literally blown away Also great to hang with @annanealemusic and @kevinbrennanmp The actual Instagram posts are at the link to the full article below.... I am SO jealous!! ABBA fans share first reactions to ‘spectacular’ ‘Voyage’ concert following exclusive dress rehearsal - Retro Pop | The Music Magazine: Latest News, Interviews, Reviews, Features & Exclusive Content
Apparently there is another dress rehearsal today. Looks like a select few were invited. Well, I've managed to secure a ticket for the opening night (for the public) on this coming Friday. On Thursday, there is performance for friends, relatives, VIP's, those connected with the whole project and media people. It's known the Swedish King and Queen will be attending. Kylie Minogue has been invited as a guest of Frida. Not surprising, many ABBA fans are going to turn up for this premiere though they haven't got tickets. Not simply to see the celebs on the red carpet but because it's not clear which dates all four of the actual ABBA group members will be attending. I think it's a safe bet that they will be there on Thursday. But will they be there on Friday too when the public have had their first chance to attend?
that one is one of her better German singles from around 1970 or so. She had a deal with a German record label called Metronome (I think) and her fiance/producer Zimmerman and his team were trying hard to "break her into the top" in Germany. Didnt work. Agnetha said she hated the songs they wrote for her and eventually called off her engagement with Zimmerman and the whole thing faded away. Personally I love most of the German singles, some of it is weird and kooky - but its still my favorite stuff any Abba member ever did. If somebody could ever dig up those masters and re-release them, I'd spring a pretty penny for it - but supposedly those do not exist.
So after a good many listens to Voyage, I've come to the conclusion that I was probably right about this all along - if they ever DID make another album, it wouldnt be all that great. Just my opinion, but I dont really like it all that much, a few songs, but its nowhere near h0w good they were back then. I suppose I was just being unrealestic - oh well.
A few bits of info from the rehearsals. MASSIVE SPOILER ALERT Spoiler The opening song is “The Visitors” Other songs confirmed, not in order and not the complete set: SOS Knowing Me, Knowing You Chiquitita Fernando Mamma Mia Does Your Mother Know Lay All Your Love On Me Summer Night City Gimme! Gimme! Gimme! Voulez-Vous When All Is Said And Done Don’t Shut Me Down I Still Have Faith In You Waterloo Thank You For The Music Dancing Queen The Winner Takes It All
