From .birminghammail.co.uk: "I went to see Abba Voyage and I felt like I was at a concert 100 years in the future rather than 2022"
I went to Abba Voyage and I felt like I was at a concert 100 years in the future
Rebecca Astill —
Abba Voyage is cloaked in a veil of mystery and anonymity, thanks to the no phone rule present inside. All I knew going in, was the vague concept that CGI makes it seem like you’re at an ABBA concert from their youth.
I didn’t know it took five years and cost £140m to make. Hopefully that gives you an idea of the magnitude of the concert.
There were vibrant light shows which expanded beyond the stage and above the audience, screens displaying short films and the Eurovision performance that started everything, surround sound and, of course, the avatars. I’ve never seen anything quite like it, Abba Voyage is the peak of human imagination.
The show started on a sombre note, as Anna-Frid appeared singing 1981 hit The Visitors. The audience were certainly expecting an exhilarating start and the slower number took a few people by surprise - though it turned out to be the perfect opener, a builder of suspense.
The middle chunk of the gig was dedicated to the classics on every family party playlist - Lay All Your Love On Me, Chiquitita, Fernando, Mamma Mia, Gimme Gimme and Waterloo. During each song I marvelled at the plausibility of the avatars on stage.
Abba Voyage
They were perfect, down to the movement of each strand of hair, to the 70s dance moves and Benny and Bjorn on the instruments. I was worried they’d be kind of Sims-esque, but instead I just couldn’t believe they weren’t real people. My mind was blown.
During interludes where the band ‘changed outfits’, one of the many gags to make the gig seem real, we watched projections of the band singing on the 65m pixel screen. During another interlude, the backing band, handpicked by Abba themselves, give an astounding performance of Does Your Mother Know.
Obviously, the highlight of the show was Dancing Queen. As soon as the keyboard glissando and chorus of ‘aaaaah aah aaaaaah’ started, the whole crowd was in uproar, and the security guards were encouraging everyone to their feet.
The scene was something from a pandemic lockdown daydream. Thousands of people, who had never met before were on their feet dancing, pointing and smiling at each other, and wondering at the hold that one song has over us.
The band came back for an encore of Thank you for the Music and The Winner Takes It All, before bidding farewell. But that wasn’t all, the final encore saw avatars of current day Abba come to stage, thank everyone for coming, and disappear to the sound of absolute euphoria.
There was a notable absence of Super Trouper, but other than that, it was the perfect night. Words don't do it justice, everyone says it but it needs to be seen to be believed.
How to buy Abba Voyage tickets
You can buy official Abba Voyage tickets on Ticketmaster. There is an option to only see tickets below £50, and the most expensive tickets cost more than £200.
Where is Abba Voyage
Abba Voyage takes place in the Abba Arena, a custom built concert venue in Stratford, East London, next to Pudding Mill Lane station. It has a capacity of 3,000, and, here’s the best bit, it can be folded away and shipped somewhere else, for when the show finishes in the UK.
The address is Abba Arena, 1 Pudding Mill Lane, London, E15 2RU.
Where to stay near the Abba Arena
I’d recommend staying at the Hyatt Regency London Stratford, as I did. It’s a short, and most importantly, safe 20 minute walk to and from the stadium, and right in the midst of Stratford’s Westfield shopping centre with plenty of restaurants and coffee shops nearby.
Inside are 225 guestrooms and 10 suites, so you’re always likely to find a room available. There’s a restaurant, bar terrace, gym, room service and breakfast.
If you’re visiting for the Abba Voyage concert, it’s worth getting the bed and breakfast deal on the website. The address is 10A Chestnut Plaza, Stratford City, London, E20 1GL.
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