ABBA Voyage: The Concert Residency – CONTAINS MAJOR SET LIST SPOILERS

The arena is about 5 minutes from me, the amount of groups you see daily, with the matinee they do most days too is lovely to see. I know exactly when to avoid the DLR now with the timings :D This could carry on like the west end musical if they wanted it to. They can't tour it because of the overhead costs but they surely put the same thing in other cities. I can't wait to see it again, and see the show seated rather than standing :disco:
 
There are tentative plans for Las Vegas, Singapore, and Melbourne.

Hopefully, each city will enjoy a slightly different show. Even considering the remote chance that they wouldn't be able to coax Agnetha back into her suit, they still have motion capture recordings for another 5 or 6 songs.
 
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Saw it again yesterday - first time since last October (after the failed trip in February). Still completely astonishing.

Fairly confident it was a sell out, despite being one of the 'extra' matinées put on. We were standing again, and it didn't feel any less crowded, and I didn't notice a single empty seat.

This far in there are some things I've noticed more. I do think I Still Have Faith In You and (as much as it pains me to say) When All Is Said And Done result in a noticeable loss of energy, which Super Trouper and Money Money Money would fill quite nicely - just thinking of swapping Frida leads.

There's also just a second or two too much silence when the Abbatars speak now as well. The 'insert pause for applause here' is a little too long every time. I remember the first couple of times I went it didn't feel like long enough and I didn't always catch what they were saying, but now it's literally just a couple of seconds too long where the arena goes quiet and it felt to me like the energy briefly went and it could take you out of the experience.
 
Have you done the seats Lolly? When we went we were standing and I really want to try the seats just to relax and bit more and take it all in from up above
 
Yes, I did seating the first time. I'd probably prefer to sit again, but Mr L very much wants to stand right at the very front and centre.

You get more of a 'gig' type feel standing I'd say, but get more of a show - particularly in terms of the lights - if you're seated.

I really don't think one is better or worse than the other. Just different.
 
What does Mr L get out of standing at the very front as opposed to say further back in the standing zone?
 
Pingu said:
What does Mr L get out of standing at the very front as opposed to say further back in the standing zone?
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Mainly, nobody in front of him. And every time we've been, there is always more space at the front, so you're far less troubled by other people. Specifically pissed up groups of (usually) women dancing and waving drinks in the air.

There's also that bar/screen thing running along the very front and there is some sort of aircon there which keeps it cool.

Of course you do lose some of the additional screens which are used occasionally, and pretty much all the lighting effects. But I've noticed that although when a lot of those happen, I will turn around and look at them and around the arena, look at the crowd dancing etc, he doesn't- he's eyes fixed firmly forwards throughout.

To get the best overall view standing, I'd say it would probably be best to be about 15m back,
which is about where we placed ourselves the first time we went before the show started, but then moved forward when the throng got too densely packed for our comfort.
 
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lolly said:
When All Is Said And Done result in a noticeable loss of energy, which Super Trouper and Money Money Money would fill quite nicely - just thinking of swapping Frida leads.
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Motion capture has been recorded for both of these, so it's only a matter of time (and place).
 
Frida back at Voyage tonight

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Tickets now released up to January 2025. And there are some of the fabled £27.50 tickets available if you're quick. I've just got some for the Merrineum.
 
I’ve just booked another visit to this in June.

It will be my Opus 10.

I know this can’t go on forever but I hope this will be a big one. :disco:
 
This reminds me I have to book another visit soon, and this time I want to SIT
 
@Pingu (or anyone else who has booked tickets), have you had an email about the Abba Voyage Members Hub?

I had it yesterday and signed up, and it's worth it - there are various perks, I believe depending on how often you've been.

I've got 10% food and drink at the venue (doubt I'll ever use that), an apparently exclusive enamel pin, and most excitingly two free tickets for the Oceanbird lounge. I've never thought of buying those as I'm not at all convinced it's worth anywhere near the price they charge, but for free I'll gladly take it.
 
lolly said:
@Pingu (or anyone else who has booked tickets), have you had an email about the Abba Voyage Members Hub?

I had it yesterday and signed up, and it's worth it - there are various perks, I believe depending on how often you've been.

I've got 10% food and drink at the venue (doubt I'll ever use that), an apparently exclusive enamel pin, and most excitingly two free tickets for the Oceanbird lounge. I've never thought of buying those as I'm not at all convinced it's worth anywhere near the price they charge, but for free I'll gladly take it.
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Yes I signed up yesterday and am very excited about the Oceanbird tickets. Annoyingly I can’t use it next time as there’ll potentially be a fairly large group of us, but I’ll be taking advantage before long I’m sure.

I’m interested to know whether that is genuinely a frequent flyer benefit or if it’s just flattering us and it offers it to everyone who has been at least once.
 
We went again for the matinee yesterday. Got our free Waterloo Voyage pin badge and glass of prosecco to celebrate the 50th anniversary. The atmosphere was more like the first time we went on day 2, I assume because it was more fan heavy for the anniversary celebration. Even I Still Have Faith In You was a singalong.

Jenny Powell and some woman from Magic FM were doing am awful, earsplitting DJ set in the foyer. There were some D listers (SuRie amongst them) present, but we didn't see them.

 
I do wonder if they are EVER going to make a change to the setlist now, at least ahead of them opening it somewhere else. If they haven't done it for Waterloo 50 or perhaps the 2nd anniversary next month, I don't know why they would bother.
 
Looks like Rylan was there with Conchita last night.
 
lolly said:
I do wonder if they are EVER going to make a change to the setlist now, at least ahead of them opening it somewhere else. If they haven't done it for Waterloo 50 or perhaps the 2nd anniversary next month, I don't know why they would bother.
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Surely they’re saving it for when tickets start to slow? What’s the point if they’re still selling out easily every week…
 
Sheena said:
Surely they’re saving it for when tickets start to slow? What’s the point if they’re still selling out easily every week…
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But doesn't it have to move from London next year anyway?

I'm assuming by the new advertising around the underground network and back on buses, sales are slowing already.
 
Sheena said:
Does it have to move? I had no idea…
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That whole area is earmarked for redevelopment - I'm sure before it even opened it was said that it could only be there for a fixed period.

Certainly there has been considerable development and infrastructure changes around it since it opened. We've always walked there from Westfield and each time it has been a slightly different route with developments around the venue, diversions and new roads being built.
 
If it's a big fat hit and bringing in cash to the area SURELY there can be a way to kept it there?

Don't let ABBA down, Sadiq / future Mayor of London Susan Hall

:WhiffOfMisogyny:
 
They're surely going to have SOME sort of plan. It won't just close- it's bringing too much cash in.
 
Jenny did try and work out who the oldest audience member was. I think ninety was the oldest volunteered age.
 
Madíson said:
They’d have to get Newham’s permission or move. They don’t have planning permission for the Pudding Mill Lane site past 2025.
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Finn said:
If it's a big fat hit and bringing in cash to the area SURELY there can be a way to kept it there?

Don't let ABBA down, Sadiq / future Mayor of London Susan Hall

:WhiffOfMisogyny:
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Sheena said:
They're surely going to have SOME sort of plan. It won't just close- it's bringing too much cash in.
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Madison's post from a couple of years ago. I remember seeing signs around the development when we first went, and the Arena was within the zone.
 
Sheena said:
They're surely going to have SOME sort of plan. It won't just close- it's bringing too much cash in.
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The thing is they can't MOVE IT obviously - the next step for this money making cow is Oz i think - will it be in Sydney or Melbourne though?
 
Halli said:
The thing is they can't MOVE IT obviously - the next step for this money making cow is Oz i think - will it be in Sydney or Melbourne though?
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A lot of Vegas stories this week - none confirmed though.
 
Why can't they move it?

I thought that was the WHOLE POINT! That it's basically FLAT PACK!
 
Though I do think launching somewhere else and then relaunching here with a rejiggled setlist in a few years' time wouldn't be a bad idea.
 
Do you realise @Sheena that this means it was TWENTY YEARS since we met on the red carpet for the 5th Anniversary of Mamma Mia?
 
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