‘I danced, sang, cried’
The Abba Voyage live performance is gorgeous. I danced, sang, cried and stood in jaw-dropping awe on the theatre. It's really an immersion of human emotion with hi-tech that I've by no means seen earlier than. Bravo to the band members, co-producers Svana Gisla and Ludvig Andersson, in addition to the complete workforce of singers, technicians and other people. Like thousands and thousands all around the globe, I loved dancing and singing to their tunes whereas rising up in Trinidad. As an grownup, essential celebrations with household and buddies at all times function their music. The Voyage album was the glue that held me collectively when my mum and pop died final 12 months, months aside. Sophia Nadur, London
‘The expertise is excellent’
I used to be blown away by the Abba Voyage present on Thursday evening. Beforehand, I wasn’t certain what to anticipate: whether or not it will really feel bizarre, what sort of Abba listener it would cater for, or how good the expertise can be. Protected to say, the expertise is excellent, particularly the facial actions and expressions of the feminine avatars. The usage of lighting results was excellent. I used to be glad to have the ability to see it with round 1,200 members of the Official Worldwide Abba fan membership. It did really feel like a present to say thanks to the followers who had been ready 40 years for this second. Seeing the actual 4 Abba members on stage on the finish, with Agnetha blowing kisses in direction of us, was very emotional. The songs carried out have been very attention-grabbing. The set record is approachable and fulfilling for anybody and everybody, no matter how effectively Abba’s catalogue. I used to be born in 1988, so by no means had the possibility to see Abba carry out collectively. Whereas now I can simply hop throughout to the opposite aspect of London and see them each time, to say thanks for the music. Shanika Ranasinghe, 33, PhD scholar, London
‘I simply misplaced the plot’
I used to be born the 12 months after Abba gained the Eurovision tune contest, so I’ve been obsessive about them since I used to be a toddler. Abba is a large a part of my life. Due to Abba, I’ve been to Sweden masses and now communicate a bit of Swedish and have a great deal of Swedish buddies. Seeing them was like a dream come true.
My favorite tune of all time is The Winner Takes It All, which relies on the divorce between Agnetha and Björn. It’s been my favorite since I used to be a bit of child. However because the efficiency went on, it was getting nearer and nearer to the top, and I started to resign myself to the truth that they weren’t going to do it. After which the avatars got here again on and did it as an encore. I simply misplaced the plot.
You’re on this purpose-built enviornment, with big 10-metre-high screens which pan spherical on both aspect. You realize they’re not actual, but it surely’s so detailed. It’s not similar to they’re taking part in the information and there are these pictures on stage. They’ve received a full 10-piece reside band, the man from the Klaxons because the musical director, and you'll hear the reside music and the vocals on prime of that. There may be an emotional connection between the viewers and the display screen.
I used to be dancing such as you wouldn’t imagine. All 4 precise real-life members walked on to the stage on the finish. They didn’t say something, however they bowed they usually waved for the group and blew kisses and the entire place erupted with cell phones taking photos. It’s such an immersive expertise. Right here’s your favorite band, taking part in your favorite songs and also you’re within the room dancing like nobody’s watching. I’ve been to so many gigs in my life and I can’t describe every other that made me really feel like this. I’ve already received 4 extra dates deliberate to go and see it as a plus-one of assorted buddies. Neal Wickens, 47, firm director
‘I’m glad I went, however you may’t beat the actual factor’
Sure, the world is gorgeous, the visible expertise is superb and the reside band is great. The primary three songs have been excellent and I used to be very excited by the present. Nevertheless, the songs with display screen footage alone are a little bit of a cop-out. And when you’ve seen the backing vocalists belt out Does Your Mom Know, interacting with the musicians, you realise what’s lacking. For me, Abba: the Film, with all of the reside 1977 footage of them of their heyday in Australia, is much better. I’m glad I went however you simply can’t beat the actual factor. Adele Clark, Brighton
‘It felt like going again in time’
Abba are my earliest reminiscence of music. Mendacity on the ground with my ear pressed onerous towards my mother and father’ audio system, I’d play report after report on their outdated Bang & Olufsen, reciting the lyrics from the sleeves. There was one thing so magical of their sound, like nothing I’d ever heard earlier than, nor have heard since.
As a result of I used to be born in 1988, I’d at all times felt like I’d missed the bus. On the age of 10, I used to be discovering what each different Abba fan had loved for round 20 years. If I might return now and inform my tiny self what I’d have witnessed on the Voyage present, I'd have cried my little coronary heart out in pleasure and disbelief.
The world felt particular, such as you have been going again in time. Individuals inside began chanting, “We wish Abba, we wish Abba,” as if we’d been teleported again to one among their well-known Wembley reveals. From the minute the “Abbatars” appeared on stage, they have been actual, alive and preserved, as if 45 years haven’t handed. I nonetheless can’t imagine I attended such a historic occasion – my childhood heroes performing once more after 40 years. I feel it’ll take a while to sink in. Natalie Jesudason, 33, account supervisor, Leamington Spa
‘The perfect day of my life’
I’m a instructor and I simply defined to one among my major college courses that it was one of the best day of my life. When Abba final toured the UK, I used to be 9, and my mother and father instructed me we couldn’t afford it, that I used to be too younger and I wouldn’t have the ability to see something. They didn’t even attempt to get me tickets – and I by no means forgave them for that!
In the course of the present, I broke away from my buddies to be as shut as attainable to the stage once they got here on. I ended up proper on the entrance. I used to be fairly comfortable to be by myself; I didn’t need my expertise to be influenced by these round me. Additionally, it meant I might dance my coronary heart out. The opposite followers round me instructed me that though they have been watching the present, they liked watching my reactions as a result of I used to be completely current within the second.
I feel most followers will actually say they have been nervous concerning the expertise as a result of there was no description of the way it was going to be carried out. In the event you observe such an iconic band, you don’t need them creating one thing terrible. Though they have been avatars they have been completely, believably reasonable. Once they got here off stage, individuals have been asking one another, “How was this attainable?”
When the actual band members got here on stage, Agnetha and Anni-Frid have been in tears. They have been realising that they’re closing the journey correctly, in a contented means. I’d been ready for that second for my entire life. I’d return each week if I might. I can lastly forgive my mother and father as a result of I’ve really seen them now, within the flesh. Simon Finn, 51, major college instructor, Brussels
‘I spent the primary quarter-hour with my hand over my mouth’
My earliest recollections of Abba have been within the mid-Nineteen Seventies: Mamma Mia, Dancing Queen, that sort of factor. I went to see them reside in 1979 at Wembley, after I was 12 years outdated. I used to gather a variety of Abba stuff after I was a baby, so I've an enormous assortment. Once I was about 16, I despatched my image off to the Abba journal: it’s a bit of bit embarrassing.
I joined up with a gaggle of fellow Abba fan buddies from all around the world. We get collectively and simply type of nerd out. One particular person got here from Australia, one got here in from New Zealand, a pair from the Netherlands and 4 from America.
I went to the primary 4 performances: the VIP evening on the Thursday, the opening evening on the Friday, after which twice once more on the Saturday. I spent the primary quarter-hour on the primary couple of nights with my hand over my mouth, considering, “What's it I’m really right here? What really is that this?”
You purchase into it fairly early on that it’s really Abba there, though it’s not simply the band on stage. There’s an entire lot of animation, too. Then you definitely’ve received different numbers that are purely carried out with screens. They don’t simply make you simply stare at avatars all through; they constructed a variety of selection into it. For me, the phantasm by no means actually dropped.
I've a daughter in England and a daughter within the US and we’re going to go see it collectively as a household in July. They like Abba a standard quantity – not a loopy quantity, like me – so I’m excited to see what their response might be. Mark Goodacre, professor of spiritual research, Durham, North Carolina
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