ABBA Voyage: A must-see experience. A light and sound extravaganza where you literally can’t believe your eyes.
From the moment ABBA rise slowly to the stage, in sharp silhouette, you won’t believe you’re not in the presence of the supergroup themselves.
ABBA Voyage is described as a ‘virtual concert residency’ on the booking site, which in no way explains just quite what you will see and experience should you go. And let me get this clear from the outset – you should go. I’m not going to get into technical details here, you don’t need to know, but trust me when I say it takes no effort at all to suspend all disbelief and accept that you’ve stepped back in time to the 70s ABBA heyday, and found yourself enjoying the concert of a lifetime. Technology has of course moved on since 1979, and as well as seeing and hearing the band, in 3D, we are treated to a son et lumière show of a lifetime, providing an immersive, wraparound experience that will have you singing all the way home.
The show takes place in a purpose-built mini-stadium right across the road from Pudding Mill Lane DLR station. It has an immediately Scandi feel to it, with spacious log cabin-style construction providing plenty of room for multiple bars, dining outlets and, of course, merchandise shops. Despite the auditorium having a capacity of 3,000, not once does it feel overwhelmingly crowded before you head to your seat, or space on the dancefloor. And the atmosphere is joyous, with everybody there sure they’re about to have a great time, sing along to their favourite tracks and see something wholly outside of day-to-day life.
No member of the audience, whatever seat you book, finds themself very far from the action. The stage is vast, and as well as the 3D renderings of the super-group (created by CGI genius firm Industrial Light & Magic (ILM), of Star Wars and Marvel films fame) a live band, with a trio of backing singers, ensures you still get the live experience we’re used to in a concert setting. Screens to the side, the front and indeed from the vaulting roof above deliver close-ups of ABBA as they perform, building an intensity of experience you’d be hard-pressed to find anywhere else.
The show starts with ABBA’s 1980s hit, The Visitors, which I admit took me by surprise, but although I am pretty sure I hadn’t heard it before, was unmistakeably ABBA, led by Anni-Frid Lingstad in super-real form. It’s still hard to believe that what we’re witnessing is super-clever CGI, digital renderings of real people as they were almost five decades ago. This, I confess, really threw me for a short while – how could I be looking at the real ABBA, when they looked younger than me? I knew, of course, they weren’t the ‘real’ ABBA, but oh my, it all feels so very real. Every flick of the hair, every smile, every casual sway and every choreographed dance step was so wholly, truly, absolutely real it takes a few moments to accept what's really going on.
From The Visitors we move swiftly into all the hits we came for, from Fernando to Does Your Mother Know via Chiquitita, Waterloo (with a gentle, richly deserved dig at the British Eurovision jury of 1974) and, of course, Dancing Queen, with many more besides. The atmosphere rises, the energy levels pulse and while I am not prepared to throw out any spoilers, I think it’s fair to say you won’t be surprised that they come back for an encore...but to sing what?
We travelled from Manchester to see this show, requiring, of course, an overnight stay – and what better way to round off what we were already sure would be a fabulous experience than a stay in a rather nice hotel just one stop away from the stadium? The Hyatt in Stratford is located on the edge of the shopping centre, directly opposite a churros street food van. Or perhaps the other way around... It’s a little bit of high-end comfort and style in a very British shopping centre, with excellent service, a bar that serves an excellent White Negroni and a bedroom clearly designed by a woman. If you know, you know. Just 2 minutes stroll from Stratford station, the ABBA Arena is within walking distance, or just one quick stop along on the DLR.
ABBA Voyage is a joyous, astounding, glorious step back in time only made possible by the most now of technology, allied with the imagination, drive and energy of the Swedish super group. I cannot recommend it enough. Round up your husband, partner, best friends or even your cat sitter – just find someone to go with and go. You won’t regret it.
