ABBA Voyage, London 6 January 2023
"A Concert Like No Other " read the tag-line.
When I first heard about this hologram avatar concert by ABBA, using new audio recordings but "rendering" the band as they were last time they played London in 1979 (which coincidentally I did see at Wembley Empire Pool at a cost of £7-50), I must admit I thought "Why?".
"They could fill a residency at the O2 for a month with no problem at all".
Then I realised that Agnetha, Benny, Bjorn and Anni-Frid are all older even than me, so maybe they had a point. Touring would be a huge toll on them.
I knew that their brand awareness and protectiveness would mean that if the project didn't come up to scratch, they would veto it.
ABBA has always been about quality and no filler.
"A Concert Like No Other " read the tag-line.
When I first heard about this hologram avatar concert by ABBA, using new audio recordings but "rendering" the band as they were last time they played London in 1979 (which coincidentally I did see at Wembley Empire Pool at a cost of £7-50), I must admit I thought "Why?".
"They could fill a residency at the O2 for a month with no problem at all".
Then I realised that Agnetha, Benny, Bjorn and Anni-Frid are all older even than me, so maybe they had a point. Touring would be a huge toll on them.
I knew that their brand awareness and protectiveness would mean that if the project didn't come up to scratch, they would veto it.
ABBA has always been about quality and no filler.
So now I thought about what the show would be like. I have seen holograms in various forms, so it might work - but they had often been projected onto a solid screen / object or curtain and seemed a little lifeless.
More than anything, I wanted to be NOT disappointed or underwhelmed.
When Jenny and I got tickets to go to ABBA Voyage, although excited I was also a bit concerned as to how it would be.
The strict video and photography rule meant that all I had seen were the adverts - and they looked absolutely great.
The purpose built venue ("The ABBA Arena") for 1350 seated and 1650 Dance Pit visitors was constructed on the Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park and will be dismantled and moved to the next venue in a few years time.
ABBA recorded their music for the concert and then the motion-capture performances (using George Lucas' special effects company Industrial Light and Magic).
I knew how good some CGI and effects could be, but just how would the digitally created imagery stand up at a full 90 minute staged event with no other focus?
To be blunt, any doubts I had were completely unfounded !
ABBA recorded their music for the concert and then the motion-capture performances (using George Lucas' special effects company Industrial Light and Magic).
I knew how good some CGI and effects could be, but just how would the digitally created imagery stand up at a full 90 minute staged event with no other focus?
To be blunt, any doubts I had were completely unfounded !
This show could have been just a concert film, but it was not.
It was so much more.
I would genuinely say to anyone who likes ABBA (as most people seem to these days) to give themselves a treat and see this show when it comes to your territory.
I was gob-smacked at the event's quality.
Jenny and I were talking about going again as we walked the 100 metres from the ABBA Arena to Pudding Mill Lane DLR station !
ABBA Voyage really is "A Concert Like No Other"
It was so much more.
- The sound is great.
- The visuals are stunning.
- The "ABBAtars" are so life-like and three dimensional that any disbelief that the group is not physically on the stage could easily have been suspended. The individuals interacted with each other as a band does. Just how do they do that ?
- The huge projections of the artists performing on stage are crystal clear and weirdly a little flat just like the 2D images camera captured images are.
- The light show in the arena is very exciting.
- The supporting band members are very, very good.
- I sat with a broad smile on my face from beginning to the end, while Jenny sang along to the songs.
I would genuinely say to anyone who likes ABBA (as most people seem to these days) to give themselves a treat and see this show when it comes to your territory.
I was gob-smacked at the event's quality.
Jenny and I were talking about going again as we walked the 100 metres from the ABBA Arena to Pudding Mill Lane DLR station !
ABBA Voyage really is "A Concert Like No Other"
Note regarding the pictures:
Credits as noted against each photo
(2024)
Credits as noted against each photo
(2024)