ABBA Voyage review: ‘A musical showcase so mind-blowing I’m unsure if it really happened’

 ABBA Voyage review: ‘A musical showcase so mind-blowing I’m unsure if it really happened’

Nobody would believe me if I told them what happened, writes Lea Dzifa Seeberg

22:00, 3 AUG 2023

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My mind was blown by ABBA Voyage (Image: Lea Dzifa Seeberg)

ABBA Voyage has been in London for months, yet no one knows what it is. Billed as a "concert like no other" with ABBA's "digital avatars" performing, the whole thing is shrouded in mystery.

When I bought tickets, I didn't know what to expect. At best, I thought I'd get some old ABBA videos playing behind see-through holograms, and at worst I imagined an ABBA-themed club night.

As the day finally arrived and my DLR pulled up in front of the futuresque and rainbow-clad arena, fans mingled out front, taking pictures of the out-of-place concert hall. We made a peculiar bunch: half, like me, wore casual officewear or jeans, planning on ending their day with a solid sing-along.

I was already impressed by the atrium (Image: Lea Dzifa Seeberg)

The other half went all in, sporting sequinned berets, full-body flared jumpsuits, and more feather boas than Harries. Platform boots aplenty were paired with bell-bottoms and frilly 70s skirts, and I even saw two people wearing matching light-up angel costumes.

Being asked for ID to get into a concert was not on my 2023 bingo card, but once that ordeal was done - security told me they thought I was 16 - I was in. The atrium rose above me, wooden beams supporting a heaving, booze-fuelled anticipation.

With merch, beer, and food for sale, the crowd quickly outnumbered the oxygen and I hurriedly made my way into the auditorium. With strict notices to not record or photograph the performance, I took my seat below a ceiling of ethereal lights.

The stage hid behind screens decorated with moving Swedish forests blanketed in falling snow. They reminded me of my Norwegian childhood, and no doubt reflected ABBA's lives to the audience and to themselves.

As the lights dimmed at 7.45pm - with another reminder not to film, enforced as a woman tried to do just that and had her view blocked by a surly steward - the magic began. I'm not sure if I'm allowed to tell you what song came on first, but I honestly don't remember anyway.

The whole 90-minute show was a blur of Dancing Queen, Waterloo, Chiquitita, and all the other bangers we know and love. But for the most part, I was distracted from screaming the lyrics by the sheer artistry I witnessed.

The concert was so much more than a concert (Image: Lea Dzifa Seeberg)

ABBA were really there. At least, it seemed to me like they were; rather than holographs, the foursome twirled and danced across the stage in life-like projections complete with shadows and glittering sequins.

The band accompanying them were every bit as captivating, with the trio of backup singers rightfully getting their own solo moment to shine. Coupled with perfectly timed lights and mirrors, cartoon intervals, archive footage of the band, and huge psychedelic close-ups of the avatars, they made for an unforgettable experience more dopamine-inducing than anything I've seen before.

I won't reveal the twist at the end, but it did bring a tear to my eye and an almighty scream out of the crowd. I left the arena a changed woman, convinced I'd seen the real ABBA but completely unable to convince anyone of the magic I'd witnessed.

I cannot urge anyone to see the show enough. Even as a casual fan at best, I enjoyed every single moment and wish the whole thing could have gone on for hours. 

https://www.mylondon.news/whats-on/reviews/abba-voyage-concert-performance-review-27445753

ABBA guitarist Mike Watson on why he has no regrets about turning down world tour

ABBA guitarist Mike Watson on why he has no regrets about turning down world tour

Tuesday, 29 November 2022

ABBA guitarist Mike Watson on why he has no regrets about turning down world tour

ABBA guitarist Mike Watson has no regrets about turning down touring with the band.

The legendary bassist is part of the Arrival tribute tour which is about to touch down in Belfast.

And Mike has the edge on most ABBA tributes because he was in the studio when massive hits like Mamma Mia, SOS, and Super Trouper were recorded, and appeared as Napoleon on their Waterloo album cover.

He also had the chance to tour the world with the band but said no because he was already booked as a session musician.

“I was asked to do their first world tour and I couldn’t because I had other engagements, but I don’t regret turning them down,” says Mike.

“I did their PR tours and gigs like Top of the Pops when they released Fernando.

“They only did two world tours and in the last ten years I’ve done Arrival with 120 symphony orchestras around the world so I’ve played more of their music now than I ever would have then.”

Mike, from Sheffield had already started playing with Bjorn Ulvaeus and Benny Andersson before they formed ABBA with Agnetha Fältskog and Anni-Frid Lyngstad, and played on their first single as a foursome, People Need Love.

He was a studio regular three years before they won Eurovision in 1974, when they were dismissed in Sweden as bubble gum pop, and after they won the competition and became one of the biggest bands in the world.

In the studio with Bjorn and Benny the atmosphere was always the same regardless of their fame.

“I knew them before they were ABBA when they were in different bands and they were nice people. There were no divas,” says Mike.

“In the recording studio Benny would sit at the piano with Bjorn on acoustics and play a song and write a few chords down freehand and we’d do what we liked.

“We might play a song for a whole day until they got it the way they wanted, just playing and listening, and we had a great time.

“It wasn’t like any ordinary session where you’d come in at 10am with charts, count in and run through a few times.

“Their engineer was a very funny guy and they welcomed feedback. I’m proud to have been on those tracks and they were the biggest thing in my career,” he says.

Despite his long record with the band Mike says memories of playing on The Winner Takes It All still make him emotional with its description of the breakdown of a marriage. Both couples in the group later divorced but their tension of their marriage breakdowns never intruded on their performances.

“I didn’t know their marriages were ending until it happened, but it still hits me every time when we play that song,” he says.

He always knew the band’s songs were good, but he had no idea that five decades later they’d still have a worldwide audience.

The 75-year-old also never imagined that he’d still be playing their music following those music sessions in Stockholm.

“At the time I thought it was good, although the media in Sweden thought they’d be gone in a couple of years.

“I think it works because it’s something completely different every time. You could go from a beautiful ballad to rock ‘n’ roll to country to music hall.

“I absolutely didn’t think I’d still be performing their songs, and it’s fantastic when you see people in their twenties in the audience who know all their lyrics. We were in Belfast in February 2020 and there are a lot of fans there. We had a fantastic time.

“I never get tired of playing ABBA songs.”

He was also immortalised on the Waterloo album cover when the band needed a Napoleon stand-in.

“It was early ’74 before they did Waterloo at Eurovision and they phoned me one morning and said, ‘we need a little guy to stand in the background. Are you available?’

“It was a photoshoot in a castle outside Stockholm and they were taking pictures all over the place and they wanted me to stand looking like Napoleon looking out the window. I think they were my own boots because it was the middle of the winter.

“That was the beginning and end of my modelling career,” says Mike.

Arrival with the Ulster Orchestra will be at the SSE Arena in Belfast on January 7 and in the Mount Errigal Hotel in Letterkenny on January 8.

roisin.gorman@sundayworld.com

https://www.sundayworld.com/showbiz/music/abba-guitarist-mike-watson-on-why-he-has-no-regrets-about-turning-down-world-tour/1128235042.html

News at Christmas?

From BBC article: Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe, ABBA’s Björn Ulvaeus and Jamie Oliver named as BBC Radio 4 Today programme’s Christmas Guest Editors

Seven high profile figures will take over the Today programme during the festive period as Guest Editors. For nearly 20 years the Guest Editors have transformed Christmas on Today, creating some of the most memorable moments in the programme’s rich history along the way.

This year is no different and I’m enormously grateful these Guest Editors have given up their time to bring new stories, unexpected perspectives and a little festive cheer to the Today audience. — Owenna Griffiths, Editor of the Today programm

As part of BBC Radio and BBC Sounds Christmas plans, Radio 4’s Today programme has announced this year’s Guest Editors, with seven taking over the programme during the festive period, including Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe, ABBA’s Björn Ulvaeus and Jamie Oliver. They will each guest edit Radio 4’s Today programme between 26 December and 2 January. Each programme will include an interview with the Guest Editor.

Björn Ulvaeus will consider the future of Europe. He will also look ahead to Eurovision 2023 and, after the launch of the ABBA Voyage concert in London, explore why the song contest and ABBA mean so much to the LGBTQ+ community. Björn and fellow ABBA legend, Benny, are creating a new arrangement of a track from ABBA’s 2021 album, Voyage, which will be recorded with a choir and broadcast as part of his programme.

full article: https://www.bbc.com/mediacentre/2022/nazanin-zaghari-ratcliffe-abba-bjorn-ulvaeus-jamie-oliver-bbc-radio-4-today-christmas-guest-editors

Transmission details
Monday 26 December - Monday 2 January (no programme on Sunday)
Monday to Friday 6-9am; Saturday 7-9am

more about this news here: https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-11476621/BBC-R4s-Today-guest-editors-revealed-Jamie-Oliver-Bj-rn-Ulvaeus-stars-involved.html

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23, december 2022

 BBC Radio 4 Today Programme on 30 December @bbcsounds and Radio 4.

https://www.instagram.com/p/CmjAVuOqVLv/

ABBA and Workday Rising

Google translator: article: ABBA en Workday inspiren klanten en partners in veranderingen

ABBA y Workday inspiran a clientes y socios en el cambio: Jornada de trabajo, un jugador en aplicaciones de la nube empresarial para finanzas y recursos humanos, anunció el impulso continuo en la región de la EMEA durante su evento Workday Rising en Estocolmo, para más órganos Selecciona el día de trabajo para impulsar la transformación digital. Esto lo reportan Chano Fernández, Co-CEO Workday y otros altos directivos en el evento Rise. El personal editorial de Dutch IT Channel y Executive People también estuvo presente e hizo el informe que figura a continuación

Más de 3.500 clientes, socios y otros miembros de la comunidad de la jornada laboral se unieron para inspirar al público con sus historias y experiencias de transformación digital bajo el lema "Welcome Changemakers", haciendo que los clientes sean más exitosos Los negocios pueden cambiar. The Workday Rising fue inaugurado espectacularmente por el compositor, músico y cantante de ABBA Björn Ulvaeus. Habló de ABBA Voyage, una residencia de concierto virtual del grupo pop sueco ABBA. Los conciertos incluían avatares virtuales (llamados 'ABBAtars'), que representan al grupo tal y como aparecían en 1977. Los conciertos se llevarán a cabo en un lugar especialmente construido en el Parque Olímpico Queen Elizabeth de Londres, oficialmente llamado ABBA Arena.

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more here: https://abbaregistro.blogspot.com/2022/11/workdayrising-2022-conference.html

label: Workday Rising

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Satisfacción de empleados y clientes

Chano Fernandez, Co-CEO Workday, y otros directivos superiores luego discuten cómo las organizaciones están recurriendo cada vez más a las soluciones de la nube de gestión empresarial de la jornada laboral, usando el mismo núcleo de datos inteligentes y modelo de datos, ayudándoles a través de la comple La creación de entornos e integrar datos e ideas para lograr mejores y más rápidos resultados empresariales. Con la Gestión Financiera de la Jornada de Trabajo y la Gestión del Capital Humano (HCM), los equipos financieros y de RRHH pueden responder rápidamente a los cambios en el entorno empresarial y añadir más valor a la empresa, según el proveedor estadounidense de SaaS Otras aplicaciones interesantes incluyen la planificación adaptativa de jornada laboral, la voz de los empleados de Peakon Peakon, y el suministro estratégico de jornada de trabajo. Más también es posible con los módulos Análisis e Informes, Nómina y Gestión de la fuerza de trabajo, Gestión de Gastos, Gestión de Talentos, Automatización de Servicios Profesionales, Estudiante, el portal de experiencia del cliente Hoy y Extender, para construir personalizada Bajo -aplicaciones de código hechas.

La satisfacción de los empleados (experiencia de usuario) es primordial cuando se usan estas aplicaciones. Los empleados felices son clientes felices, dice el co-CEO. El día de trabajo también aprecia a sus empleados, tiene una puntuación NPS de 95 más con sus casi 10,000 clientes. Para mantener felices a los clientes, las horas de mantenimiento del software se han reducido a tres horas por semana.

Sostenibilidad

La cartera de la jornada de trabajo se ha enriquecido recientemente con sus propias innovaciones y con la adquisición de Peakon, Scout y VNDLY. Así es como la tecnología Peakon juega un papel en los desafíos ESG. "Un ejemplo de esto es Peakon Employee Voice. Esa es una herramienta que no solo te permite preguntar qué está pasando entre tus empleados a través de encuestas, sino que también les permite dar comentarios reales e interactuar; anónimo si lo deseas. Este tipo de herramientas es muy importante en este momento para asegurarse de que usted puede conectar y retener a sus empleados. Porque al definir los KPIs correctos y determinar cómo medirlos y enviarlos, proporcionamos información de dirección que dice mucho más que los datos financieros del informe anual", según Hette Molema Vicepresidenta Workday Benelux.

El Scout RFP adquirido en 2019 es una plataforma basada en la nube para el suministro estratégico y el compromiso de los proveedores. Esta plataforma es amada por los equipos de adquisiciones que hacen un gran cambio para optimizar mejor el gasto. La jornada laboral puede proporcionar a los clientes una solución moderna de fuente a pagar para la gestión de gastos. Pueden planificar, ejecutar, analizar y expandir negocios en un solo sistema.

El jugador VNDLYis adquirió 2021 en tecnología basada en la nube para personal externo y gestión de proveedores. Con VNDLY, Workday proporciona a las organizaciones una solución uniforme de optimización de RRHH que ayuda a las organizaciones a gestionar todos los tipos de empleados - asalariados, por hora, temporales y subcontratados - y sustenta una estrategia de talento holístico, incluyendo la visión en costos, necesidades de planificación de personal y cumplimiento.

Clientes y casos

Según Fernández, la jornada laboral sigue creciendo rápidamente en la región de la EMEA con más de 2000 clientes con sede en Europa, incluyendo Asda, Basic Fit, Franprix, Glovo, Mazars y Telpark. La empresa ha experimentado un crecimiento considerable en Francia, Alemania, el Reino Unido y otros países europeos. Durante el evento de la jornada laboral, PUMA presentó un caso sobre la racionalización de los procesos globales de RRHH con la PUMA racionaliza sus procesos globales de RRH con un sistema intuitivo de jornada de trabajo. Al combinar toda la información y las tareas en un solo sistema, PUMA cambió fundamentalmente la forma en que gestiona los recursos humanos. Esto es lo que informa PUMA durante el evento Workday Rising 2022 Estocolmo donde se habla del caso. Puma trabaja en un ambiente altamente competitivo donde tienen que innovar, evolucionar y lanzar productos rápidamente. Por lo tanto, es vital asegurarse de que tengan las personas y la tecnología adecuadas para apoyar su crecimiento. Eligieron la jornada laboral porque querían racionalizar sus procesos y reemplazar su HRIS obsoleto con una solución intuitiva con menores costos de funcionamiento.

Socios

El día de trabajo quiere crecer más con los socios. Ya se está realizando una estrecha cooperación con grandes partidos de la nube como Google Cloud, AWS, Microsoft Azure e IBM. También con grandes integradores de sistema como Capgemini, Deloitte y Accenture. A fin de atraer a los socios existentes y nuevos de la jornada laboral en los próximos años, se ha lanzado el Programa centrado en la industria para socios de la EMEA. La empresa quiere crecer en los próximos años con más socios que puedan vender a los clientes los servicios HCM de jornada laboral HCM, finanzas y ERP. Continuando con el reciente lanzamiento del programa de Aceleradores de la Industria de los EE. UU., la primera ola del Programa de Acelerators de la Industry Day en la EMEA tendrá como objetivo ayudar a los mercados bancarios y de capitales y a los sectores de seguros en el V K a acelerar su entrada transformación de nube de elevación con los socios del día de trabajo Deloitte y PwC. Se espera que se agreguen más países, industrias y socios a medida que la jornada laboral continúe expandiendo este programa en la región. Los clientes de jornada laboral en los mercados bancarios y de capitales y los sectores de seguros ahora pueden beneficiarse de la experiencia de la industria en profundidad de los socios. Los socios de la jornada laboral trabajarán en estrecha colaboración con los clientes para ofrecer soluciones aún más innovadoras y orientadas al propósito que ayuden a transformar las finanzas, los recursos humanos (H

Diversidad

Worlday finalmente publicó sus resultados de un estudio global que muestra que la mayoría de las organizaciones invierten en diversidad, igualdad e inclusión (DEI), pero que muchas organizaciones no tienen los datos requeridos o no los utilizan efectivamente para enviar Estrategias e impacto comercial. La investigación se llevará a cabo a finales de 2022 entre más de 3.100 profesionales de HR y ejecutivos de nivel C con responsabilidad de las iniciativas de diversidad dentro de la organización, para conocer las motivaciones, actividades y avances en relación con DEI. Realizado en colaboración con Sapio Research en 23 países, el estudio de la jornada de trabajo muestra que se están haciendo avances, pero todavía hay oportunidades claras, incluyendo la necesidad de medir el impacto de las empresas DEI y utilizar los datos para progresar más eficazmente a Ack.

El estudio muestra que a pesar del clima económico actual, la mayoría de los encuestados informan de un aumento en el número de papeles específicos DEI dentro de su organización y que las inversiones para las iniciativas DEI en los próximos años aumentarán (35%) o al menos seguir siendo el mismo (45 %).

Pero mientras que la mayoría de las organizaciones tienen ahora algún tipo de enfoque estratégico para DEI, el 39% de los encuestados en todo el mundo dicen que no hay un enfoque estratégico actualmente en marcha, lo que hace difícil pasar de la fijación de objetivos a la fila de objetivos por delante. Esto es particularmente frecuente en la región de Asia-Pacífico y Japón (APJ), donde el 52% de los encuestados informaron tener un enfoque estratégico bajo o emergente a DEI, mucho más que en Australia y Nueva Zelanda (35%), Europa (39%), América del Norte (34%) y S Sudáfrica (22%). Casi un tercio (32%) de los encuestados mundiales afirmaron que su empresa necesitaba liderazgo y compromiso en la cima de la organización para impulsar el progreso.

Una de las otras razones clave de la falta de enfoque estratégico radica en los datos y la presentación de informes sobre las actividades de DEI: sólo el 20 % de los encuestados miden el impacto comercial y el valor de las iniciativas DEI El 60 % también observa que mantenerse al día con el progreso es un desafío, que requiere nuevos sistemas y software que apoyen plenamente la estrategia y la implementación DEI.

Por: Witold Kepinski

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ABBA en Workday inspiren klanten en partners in veranderingen: Workday, speler in enterprise cloud-applicaties voor finance en human resources, kondigde tijdens zijn Workday Rising vent in Stockholm een aanhoudend momentum in de EMEA-regio aan, naarmate meer organisaties Workday selecteren om digitale transformatie te stimuleren. Dit wordt gemeld door Chano Fernandez, Co-CEO Workday en andere topmanagers op het Rise event. De redactie van Dutch IT Channel en Executive People was ook aanwezig en maakte het onderstaand verslag.

Ruim 3500 klanten, partners en andere leden van de Workday community kwamen samen om het publiek te inspireren met hun verhalen en ervaringen over digitale transformatie onder het motto ‘Welcome Changemakers’, die klanten succesvoller maken door zaken te veranderen. Het Workday Rising werd spectaculair geopend door ABBA componist, muzikant en zanger Björn Ulvaeus. Hij vertelde over ABBA Voyage, een virtuele concertresidentie van de Zweedse popgroep ABBA. De concerten bevatten virtuele avatars (genaamd 'ABBAtars'), die de groep weergeven zoals ze in 1977 verschenen. De concerten worden gehouden in een speciaal gebouwde locatie in het Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park in Londen, officieel de ABBA Arena genoemd.

Tevredenheid van werknemers en klanten

Chano Fernandez, Co-CEO Workday en andere topmananagers bespraken daarna hoe organisaties zich vaker wenden tot de Workday Enterprise Management Cloud oplossingen, die zelfde Intelligent data core en datamodel gebruiken, die hen helpen door complexe omgevingen te navigeren en gegevens en inzichten te integreren om betere en snellere bedrijfsresultaten te behalen. Met Workday Financial Management en Workday Human Capital Management (HCM) kunnen financiële en HR-teams snel reageren op verschuivingen in de zakelijke omgeving en meer waarde leveren aan het bedrijf zo meldt de Amerikaanse SaaS leverancier. Andere interessante toepassingen zijn Workday Adaptive Planning, Workday Peakon Employee Voice en Workday Strategic Sourcing. Meer is ook mogelijk met de modules Analytics and Reporting, Payroll and Workforce Management, Spend Management, Talent Management, Professional Services Automation, Student, het Today customer experience portal en Extend, voor het bouwen van op maat gemaakte applicaties met low-code.

Bij het gebruik van deze toepassingen staat de tevredenheid van werknemers (user experience:) voorop. Tevreden werknemers zorgen voor tevreden klanten, aldus de co-CEO. Workday koestert ook zijn werknemers, het heeft een NPS-score van 95 plus bij zijn bijna 10.000 klanten. Om de klanten tevreden te houden is het aantal uren voor software onderhoud tot drie uur per week teruggebracht.

Duurzaamheid

Het portfolio van Workday is de afgelopen tijd verrijkt met eigen innovaties en door overnames van Peakon, Scout en VNDLY. Zo speelt Peakon technologie een rol bij ESG uitdagingen. “Een voorbeeld hiervan is Peakon Employee Voice. Dat is een tool waarmee je niet alleen middels enquêtes uit kunt vragen wat er onder je medewerkers leeft, maar waarmee je ze in staat stelt om ook echt feedback te geven en de interactie aan te gaan; desgewenst anoniem. Dergelijke tooling is op dit moment heel erg belangrijk om ervoor te zorgen dat je medewerkers aan je bindt en kunt behouden. Want door de juiste KPI’s te definiëren en te bepalen hoe je daarop meet en stuurt, leveren wij sturingsinformatie die veel meer zegt dan alleen maar de financiële gegevens uit het jaarverslag”, aldus Hette Molema Vice President Workday Benelux.

Het in 2019 overgenomen Scout RFP is een cloudgebaseerd platform voor strategische sourcing en leveranciersbetrokkenheid. Dit platform geliefd is bij inkoopteams die een belangrijke verschuiving ondergaan om de uitgaven beter te optimaliseren. Workday kan hierdoor klanrten een moderne source-to-pay-oplossing leveren voor uitgavenbeheer. Ze kunnen zaken plannen, uitvoeren, analyseren en uitbreiden in één systeem.

Het in 2021 overgenomen VNDLYis speler in cloudgebaseerde technologie voor extern personeel en leveranciersbeheer. Met VNDLY biedt Workday organisaties een uniforme oplossing voor personeelsoptimalisatie die organisaties helpt bij het beheren van alle soorten werknemers - in loondienst, per uur, tijdelijk en uitbesteed - en een holistische talentstrategie ondersteunt, inclusief inzicht in kosten, personeelsplanningsbehoeften en naleving.

Klanten en cases

Workday blijft volgens Fernandez snel groeien in de EMEA-regio met meer dan 2.000 klanten met hoofdkantoor in Europa , waaronder Asda, Basic Fit, franprix, Glovo, Mazars en Telpark. Het bedrijf heeft een aanzienlijke groei doorgemaakt in Frankrijk , Duitsland , het VK en andere Europese landen. Tijdens het Workday event toonde PUMA een case rond het stroomlijnen van wereldwijde HR-processen met Workday. PUMA stroomlijnt zijn wereldwijde HR-processen met één intuïtief systeem van Workday. Door alle informatie en taken in één systeem samen te brengen, veranderde PUMA fundamenteel de manier waarop het HR beheert. Dit meldt PUMA tijdens het Workday Rising 2022 event Stockholm waar de case wordt besproken. Puma werkt in een zeer competitieve omgeving waar ze moeten innoveren, evolueren en producten snel op de markt moeten brengen. Het is dus essentieel om ervoor te zorgen dat ze over de juiste mensen en technologie beschikken om hun groei te ondersteunen. Ze kozen voor Workday omdat ze hun processen wilden stroomlijnen en hun verouderde HRIS wilden vervangen door een intuïtieve oplossing tegen lagere bedrijfskosten.

Partners

Workday wil verder groeien met partners. Er wordt al nauwe samengewerkt met grote cloud partijen zoals Google Cloud, AWS, Microsoft Azure en IBM. Tevens ook met grote system integratoren zoals Capgemini, Deloitte en Accenture. Om de komende jaren met bestaande en nieuwe Workday partners aan te trekken is er het Industry-Focused Programma voor EMEA Partners gelanceerd. Het bedrijf wil zo komende jaren doorgroeien met meer partners die de Workday HCM, finance en ERP IT services toepassingen aan klanten kunnen verkopen. Voortbouwend op de recente lancering van het Industry Accelerators-programma in de VS, zal de eerste golf van het Workday Industry Accelerators-programma in EMEA gericht zijn op het helpen van bank- en kapitaalmarkten en verzekeringssectoren in het VK om samen met Workday-partners hun enterprise cloud-transformatie te versnellen Deloitte en PwC. Naar verwachting zullen meer landen, industrieën en partners worden toegevoegd naarmate Workday dit programma in de regio blijft uitbreiden. Workday-klanten in de bank- en kapitaalmarkten en de verzekeringssector kunnen nu gebruikmaken van diepgaande branche-expertise van partners. Workday-partners zullen nauw samenwerken met klanten om nog meer innovatieve en doelgerichte oplossingen te leveren die helpen bij het transformeren van financiën, human resources (HR) en planning.

Diversity

Worlday maakte tot slot zijn resultaten bekend van een wereldwijd onderzoek waaruit blijkt dat de meerderheid van organisaties investeert in diversiteit, gelijkheid en inclusie (DEI), maar dat veel organisaties niet over de benodigde data beschikken of deze niet effectief gebruiken om strategieën en zakelijke impact te sturen. Het onderzoek is eind 2022 uitgevoerd onder meer dan 3.100 HR-professionals en C-level leidinggevenden met verantwoordelijkheid voor diversiteitsinitiatieven binnen de organisatie, om inzicht te krijgen in de motivaties, activiteiten en vooruitgang met betrekking tot DEI. Het Workday-onderzoek werd samen met Sapio Research uitgevoerd in 23 landen en toont aan dat er vooruitgang is geboekt, maar dat er ook nog duidelijke kansen zijn, waaronder de noodzaak om de zakelijke impact van DEI te meten en data te gebruiken om vooruitgang effectiever te volgen.

Uit het onderzoek blijkt dat ondanks het huidige economische klimaat, de meerderheid van de respondenten een toename rapporteert van het aantal specifieke DEI-rollen binnen hun organisatie en dat investeringen voor DEI-initiatieven in het volgende boekjaar zullen toenemen (35%) of in ieder geval gelijk zullen blijven (45%).

Maar hoewel de meerderheid van organisaties nu enige vorm van strategische aanpak van DEI heeft, zegt 39% van respondenten wereldwijd dat momenteel nog geen strategische aanpak bestaat, wat het moeilijk maakt om van het stellen van doelen tot het bereiken van doelen te gaan. Dit komt vooral voor in de regio Azië-Pacific en Japan (APJ), waar 52% van de respondenten aangaven een lage of opkomende strategische aanpak voor DEI te hebben, fors meer dan in Australië en Nieuw-Zeeland (35%), Europa (39%), Noord-Amerika (34%) en Zuid-Afrika (22%). Bijna een derde (32%) van de wereldwijde respondenten verklaarde dat hun bedrijf leiderschap en betrokkenheid in de top van de organisatie nodig heeft om vooruitgang te boeken.

Een van de andere belangrijke redenen voor een gebrek aan strategische aanpak ligt bij data en rapportages over DEI-activiteiten: slechts 20% van de respondenten meet de zakelijke impact en waarde van DEI-initiatieven. 60% merkt daarnaast op dat het bijhouden van voortgang een uitdaging is, waarvoor nieuwe systemen en software nodig zijn om de DEI-strategie en -implementatie volledig te kunnen ondersteunen.

Door: Witold Kepinski

https://www.facebook.com/dutchitchannel/posts/pfbid0Xg658kXJcXMVPJs5Xru8jnddPbcdJ3VzdYFLFCS4TZEJVfgbhTGupECiNHnAkbEwl

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You have to see futuristic ABBA Voyage to believe it could be possible

 You have to see futuristic ABBA Voyage to believe it could be possible

An initial feeling of disappointment had completely dissipated by the end of the first song

ABBA is one of the most successful pop groups of all time. No matter what age you are - I think just about anyone would be shocked if you weren't able to sing along to at least a Gimme! Gimme! Gimme! or a Dancing Queen chorus.

But fan or no fan, if someone told you the Swedish pop group would be performing in London decades after their last tour (and still looking 30-something no less) you'd think they were absolutely bonkers. I still do and I've seen it with my own eyes.

One of the most successful pop groups of all time, ABBA are back on stage with a revolutionary new concert that sees Agnetha Fältskog, Björn Ulvaeus, Benny Andersson and Anni-Frid Lyngstad performing as digital avatars of their younger selves with a live ten-piece band - 30 years after they parted.

On stage in their very own purpose-built ABBA Arena, at Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park in London, this is literally the only place you can see ABBA in the world. The concert features virtual avatars depicting the group as they appeared in 1977 - with occasional funny commentary from their now 70-something selves.

The residency, named after the group's latest album Voyage, is currently taking over Pudding Mill Lane at the ends of east London and is nothing short of a miracle. It's making dreams come true for thousands of people across the world who thought they would never see anything like it and has been extended to continue well into 2023.

Imagine growing up in the 70s - a huge fan of the Swedish foursome - and now being able to see them perform almost as if they were really there. Even little me watching Mamma Mia! for the first time in cinema might have died at the thought of this.

On arrival at the venue the letters forming ABBA are unmissable - lighting up the futuristic building with every colour of the rainbow. Inside, ticketholders are directed to either their seats or a huge dancefloor. There are also a number of bars serving up everything from pints to cocktails. You're spoiled for choice over food options and there's very little queuing for the toilets (a common concert dread if you are anything like me).

You can stay at the nearby Hyatt Hotel, on Pudding Mill Lane, which is perfectly situated for easy access to and from the venue if you're travelling from afar. As for the actual show, I'm not going to pretend it wasn't a little weird at first.

Understandably the whole production is very much a mystery with limited media available to see what you're in for. As they explain at the start of the show - it's to keep the magic alive and that it does.

The avatars are a little uncanny to begin with. Think PlayStation or Xbox characters. But that soon dissipates and by the end of that first ballad any sense of confusion or disappointment you feel is completely swept away by the spellbinding serotonin levels that come naturally when any ABBA song plays. It's also made that much better by a room of fans and the fact that ABBA really do look like they are onstage performing.

Every detail from the hair swishes to the shimmering of the glitzy outfits as the avatars 'leave the stage' was spellbinding. It's also the little details in which they move around each other or stare into one another's eyes that bring it to life. The lights, the production; I could go on.

"So, what did you think?," asked the gentleman behind the merchandise room tills as we made our way to the exit. "Did you see the bit where they pass the microphone to each other," he continued giddily.

It was in that moment we discussed how this could really be the future of the music. Generations of people will one day be able to see and enjoy many of the greats that entertained us in the past, but no longer are able. ABBA Voyage might be the first of its kind, but I highly doubt it will be the last. You really do have to see it to believe it could be possible.

Everything you need to know about ABBA Voyage

The 95-minute concert is directed by Baillie Walsh and produced by Svana Gisla and Ludvig Andersson, and sees ABBA re-imagined as 21st century pop stars, with choreography by Wayne McGregor CBE and costumes designed by B Åkerlund in collaboration with designers Dolce & Gabbana, Manish Arora, Erevos Aether and Michael Schmidt.

Alongside some of their greatest hits the concert includes songs from Voyage, the band’s first album in 40 years. The digital ABBA’s were created in collaboration with legendary vfx company, Industrial Light & Magic following weeks and months of motion-capture and performance techniques with the four band members and an 850-strong team from in what is the company’s first foray into music.

https://www.cornwalllive.com/whats-on/reviews/you-see-futuristic-abba-voyage-7855431

ABBA Voyage, offering you a live music experience like no other

 abba Voyage - article

ABBA Voyage, offering you a live music experience like no other

OPINION
ByPete Price
07:30, 24 NOV 2022

The Eurovision competition is coming to Liverpool.

ABBA were Eurovision song contest winners in 1974 and they got Nul points for Waterloo from the British judges, yet the British people were the first audiences to embrace them after the won.

They went on to become the most famous winners ever.

Together, the awesome foursome have a net worth of over £1 billion.

They have sold over 400 million albums - just behind the Beatles.

I am an ABBA fan, and I love their music.

I told you back in February that I went to the Mamma Mia Party in London, which was a wonderful experience.


You entered, and left your worries behind you.

You became part of that fabulous film, with great food.

When I heard that ABBA were doing a concert together, I was ecstatic.

When I was told that it was a virtual concept, I will admit I was sceptical.

It was going to depict the group as they were in 1977.

The event was at the Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park - a purpose built venue, called the ABBA arena.

Word started to get out that it was spectacular.

Shame on me for doubting.

This mega group would never put anything out that was second-rate.

It’s reputed to be the most expensive live music experience in history, with a budget over £150 million.

I arrived, and could not believe how many people were dressed for the occasion, in costumes.

We got tickets for the dance floor, what’s the point of sitting down when they are playing ABBA music?

What happened in front of me I have never seen before, and likely never will again.

It was gripping, outstanding, impressive - just phenomenal.

While we were watching the experience, there was also a ten-piece live band, I would have paid just to see them.

All through the concert I kept pinching myself, as I started to believe it was them in person.

The light show was breathtaking, it was all just a jaw-dropping experience, and a triumph of a production. 

  https://www.liverpoolecho.co.uk/news/liverpool-news/abba-voyage-offering-you-live-25588626

illustrative photo

I got a front row ticket to ABBA Voyage & I'm still questioning reality days on

I got a front row ticket to ABBA Voyage & I'm still questioning reality days on

Bethan Shufflebotham

ABBA are, undeniably, one of the most successful pop groups of all time. I’m not just saying that as a huge fan who’s seen Mamma Mia! countless times and is obsessed with the theatre production - because you try listening to Gimme! Gimme! Gimme! without singing along and doing a little Tony Manero disco jive. It’s impossible.

And now, 40 years since their last London show, they’re back on stage - sort of - with a revolutionary new concert: ABBA Voyage.

Set in the magnificent purpose-built ABBA Arena in London’s Pudding Mill Lane, the intimate 3,000 capacity venue sees Agnetha Fältskog, Björn Ulvaeus, Benny Andersson and Anni-Frid Lyngstad perform digitally with some of the most sophisticated cutting-edge CGI technology first seen in the likes of Star Wars and Marvel films. And I got a front row ticket.

Arriving at the venue, ABBA’s name was lit up across the futuristic building - one designed to be collapsible and easy to ship across the country relatively sustainably. Perhaps that means we could potentially see it have a Manchester residency in the future - I certainly hope so.

Inside, ticketholders are directed to their seats or the ‘dancefloor’, which is a very apt name for the standing area, because not a single person in that room could resist tapping their toes and swaying their hips to Voulez-Vous or Waterloo.

I sidled up to the barrier where the gentleman beside me told me it was his second time seeing the show this year. It gave me confidence that the show was one that people would want to see time and time again, from different perspectives and corners of the room. He pondered: “I don’t know if we’re too close?” However, I wanted to be as close as possible to see this unusual avatar technology and like many others, see if I could find the faults from the front row.

When the lights dimmed and the four iconic 70s musicians began to rise up from out of the stage floor, my jaw dropped. Is this the real life? Is this just fantasy? Despite being way ahead of the curve back in the 70s, ABBA’s latest venture feels lightyears ahead of its time, much like Bohemian Rhapsody or David Bowie’s extravagant performances.

Directed by Baillie Walsh and produced by Svana Gisla and Ludvig Andersson, ABBA are re-imagined as 21st century pop stars that look as real as ever. You could almost reach out to touch them, with their avatars - dubbed ABBAtars - appearing unimaginably realistic.

The digital ABBA’s were created in collaboration with legendary vfx company, Industrial Light & Magic following weeks and months of motion-capture and performance techniques with the four band members, and it really is next level stuff.

They opened with The Visitors, followed by Whole In Your Soul and a crowd-pleasing SOS complete with EastEnders intro before bursting into Knowing Me, Knowing You, where the bedazzling stars headed ‘off-stage’ for a costume change, making it all the more realistic.

Those like me who spent the first two songs looking for faults in the fabric of the performance give up within minutes, aside from the slightest blur during an energetic rush across the stage, you’ll not find one. If you’d had a beer, you’d never notice.

It doesn’t take long to find yourself fully immersed in the experience singing to Chiquitita, Fernando and Mamma Mia as the astonishingly believable musicians glide across the stage, interacting with each other, and sharing personal stories with the audience, with Benny even making well-timed jokes as they headed into Does Your Mother Know.

By the half-way point, any doubts about the technology dissipates and you truly feel as though you are in the presence of the Eurovision song contest winners. If you hadn’t already been told the hologram-style performers weren’t human, you’d probably never have noticed that they weren’t really there on stage and in the flesh.

Further bringing to life this masterpiece of a production is a live 10-piece band, who during the 95 minute concert are on stage the entire time, including three fantastic backing vocalists, with almost 300 speakers projecting sound in every direction.

ABBAs choreography was carried out by Wayne McGregor CBE, with 70s velvet jumpsuits, embellished glittering capes and video-game-esque LED bodysuits designed by B Åkerlund in collaboration with designers Dolce & Gabbana, Manish Arora, Erevos Aether and Michael Schmidt. This really is a no expense spared show to make it look and feel like the real deal, rather than a doppelganger waxwork.

ABBA Voyage was everything I wanted from an ABBA concert and more, full of energy, hits and surprises. The fact that you’re banned from taking photos and filmings means those experiencing ABBA Voyage for the first time can do so without spoilers, because there is nothing that can prepare you for this extraordinary experience.

ABBA Voyage has opened up a world of possibilities for the musicians of the past, present and future. This technology could be used to resurrect lost artists like David Bowie, Elvis Presley and Amy Winehouse, allowing their live performances to live on forever. Which other artists can we immortalise for decades to come?

All that’s left to ask is - when is it coming to Manchester? Well sadly, it won’t be any time soon, as ABBA Voyage is now booking until 27th November 2023 with more dates to be released. However, I am very hopeful for this incredible spectacle that feels both nostalgic and futuristic to venture up north, because I believe that everyone needs to experience ABBA Voyage at LEAST once.

For more information, or to book tickets to go to and see ABBA Voyage, visit abbavoyage.com .

How to buy Abba Voyage tickets

You can buy official Abba Voyage tickets on Ticketmaster. Tickets can cost anywhere from £50, with 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 can be folded away and shipped elsewhere.

The address is Abba Arena, 1 Pudding Mill Lane, London, E15 2RU.

Where to stay

I’d recommend staying at the Hyatt Regency London Stratford , which is a 20 minute walk to and from the stadium, or just one tube stop from Stratford to the DfL. Located in the midst of Stratford’s Westfield shopping centre, there are plenty of restaurants and coffee shops nearby, and shops to check out ahead of the show.

Inside are 225 guestrooms and 10 suites, so you’re always likely to find a room available. The rooms themselves are stunning and spacious, with smart modern bathrooms and a wealth of facilities available throughout the hotel, including 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 - and trust me, it’s worth it. The address is 10A Chestnut Plaza, Stratford City, London, E20 1GL.

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ABBA Voyage was a spectacular night that I will never forget: review

 ABBA Voyage was a spectacular night that I will never forget: review

Darcy Robertson19 November 2022

It’s 1977 – your sequined silver dress reflecting off the ceiling of the disco ball as you dance the night away in a spacious arena to electrifying, thrilling ABBA hits.

But it’s not really 1977, it’s 2022.

On Monday evening (November 14th) I took my beautiful mother to watch ABBA Voyage – a live show that drew thousands to see one of the world’s most popular bands, ABBA, perform as digital avatars.

I’ve seen the reviews – ABBA Voyage has been called ‘groundbreaking’ and ‘stunning’ by national news organizations; but I was a bit skeptical when I thought that avatars – or abbatars – could really do justice to these powerful adjectives.

But Mamma Mia, was I wrong.

My mom and I definitely donned the part – I was dressed head to toe in silver sequins, sparkly makeup and white go-go boots – a perfect look for an ABBA extravaganza, if I do say so myself.

We arrived at the Pudding Mill Arena at 7pm and enjoyed a cold glass of white wine while taking in the atmosphere of our surroundings and waiting for the show to begin.

At 7.45pm sharp, the stage came alive and we were greeted by Agnetha Faltskog, Anni-Frid Lyngstad, Bjorn Ulvaeus and Benny Andersson, who rose off the floor to their 1981 song The Visitors.

I was shocked; The resemblance of the avatars was amazing – every ABBA star looked like they were standing right in front of me on stage.

Hair, eyes, skin color, costumes and even hand movements were imitated to perfection; and in a bizarre, dreamlike way, I felt transported back to the seventies.

It really felt like the Swedish supergroup was standing in front of me.

The Visitors was then mixed into the track Hole in Your Soul and then into the iconic 1975 song SOS

At that point, me, my mother, and the hundreds of spectators beamed with smiles and sang along with each song’s lyrics.

The surrounding stage also transformed – glowing lights flashed constantly throughout the show, revealing many glittering disco objects hanging and swinging from the ceiling.

We were soon taken on a journey through the music of ABBA – Knowing Me, Knowing You, Chiquitita, Fernando and the most famous of them all, Mamma Mia echoed through the arena as we sang, cheered and danced along.

I know it goes without saying, but ABBA really knew (and still do) how to create an archetypal pop song that will stay in the spotlight for decades to come.

Bjorn Ulvaeus’ Abbatar then appeared solo on stage as he introduced the next song (my personal favourite) Does Your Mother Know.

The audience was soon greeted by a very real (and vibrant) band consisting of a guitarist, a pianist, a drummer and three very impressive backing vocalists, who took the lead on my favorite ABBA hit.

In the middle of the set, Eagle can be seen guiding us viewers through an anime story while the four stars “changed outfits” – something that avatars seem to take four minutes to do.

We had such a great time – although it probably wasn’t the best idea to wear my white go-go boots as my feet felt like they were about to fall off – but I wanted to look like it and I wasn’t letting it It keeps me from dancing the night away.

The avatars of Agnetha, Anni-Frid, Bjorn and Benny then returned to the stage wearing advanced glow-in-the-dark bodysuits that flashed to the rhythms and beats of each song, including Lay All Your Love On Me, Gimme! Give me! Give me! and Voulez Vous.

Unsurprisingly, our throats started to hurt because we HAD to sing along to every song – but can you blame us? We watched ABBA. LIVE. IN. CONCERT.

The night ended on an emotional high with an avatar encore of The Winner Takes It All – I was really so sad that the show ended; I could have stayed there for hours (if I had taken my shoes off).

The disco grooves rushed through our veins, the energetic music pumped and the atmosphere was indescribable – it was a night I will never forget.

Tickets for ABBA Voyage’s spectacular performance start from £21, but if you want to feel like a real dance queen for the night make sure you get dance floor tickets.

ABBA Voyage is booking now through November 27, 2023 at the ABBA Arena in London.

https://ukdaily.news/london/abba-voyage-was-a-spectacular-night-that-i-will-never-forget-review-86878.html