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Thread: ABBA — 40 years younger again

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    Administrator Mark (Star Mariner)'s Avatar
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    Default Re: ABBA — 40 years younger again

    Quote Posted by Bill Ryan (here)
    Look at this brief clip from their new show... it's literally a little hard to believe.

    Wow, I don't quite understand what I'm seeing. What am I seeing? The large-screen projections I can understand - those are the avatars, the CGI recreations of the band de-aged to their younger selves - but who, or what am I seeing on stage, seemingly physical and solid performing in front of our eyes? Are these stand-ins or...holograms or something? If so, I've never seen anything like that out of science-fiction. Is that what this is? Because I'm not sure I can quite believe it.
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    UK Avalon Founder Bill Ryan's Avatar
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    Default Re: ABBA — 40 years younger again

    Quote Posted by Mark (Star Mariner) (here)
    Quote Posted by Bill Ryan (here)
    Look at this brief clip from their new show... it's literally a little hard to believe.

    Wow, I don't quite understand what I'm seeing. What am I seeing? The large-screen projections I can understand - those are the avatars, the CGI recreations of the band de-aged to their younger selves - but who, or what am I seeing on stage, seemingly physical and solid performing in front of our eyes? Are these stand-ins or...holograms or something? If so, I've never seen anything like that out of science-fiction. Is that what this is? Because I'm not sure I can quite believe it.
    Mark, here's some more... do click to watch this.




    Update:
    I'd downloaded the video before it was deleted, and it's now uploaded to the Avalon server. It's pretty impressive.
    https://projectavalon.net/ABBA_Voyage_29_May_2022.mp4

    Last edited by Bill Ryan; 30th May 2022 at 20:17.

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    Ireland Avalon Member JackMcThorn's Avatar
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    Default Re: ABBA — 40 years younger again

    Quote Posted by Mark (Star Mariner) (here)
    Wow, I don't quite understand what I'm seeing. What am I seeing? The large-screen projections I can understand - those are the avatars, the CGI recreations of the band de-aged to their younger selves - but who, or what am I seeing on stage, seemingly physical and solid performing in front of our eyes? Are these stand-ins or...holograms or something? If so, I've never seen anything like that out of science-fiction. Is that what this is? Because I'm not sure I can quite believe it.
    Here are two descriptions of what is involved:

    What the audience sees are "ABBA-tars" – not holograms but the result of weeks of motion capture and a team of animators and visual effects artists from Industrial Light and Magic, a division of Lucasfilm who have worked tirelessly to ensure every golden hair, sparkling sequin and keyboard-tapping-fingertip looks real. These are then displayed on enormous, 65-million-pixel screens aided by a peerless lighting design, moving mirrors, a live band and nearly 300 speakers throughout the auditorium.

    https://www.whatsonstage.com/london-...ram_56613.html


    We weren't just inside the Abba Arena, we were beamed to planet Abba, a mindblowing futuristic reality powered by 500 lights and lasers, a giant 65 million pixel wraparound screen and one billion hours of computer programming.

    https://www.express.co.uk/entertainm...ndon-live-show
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    United States Avalon Member WhiteFeather's Avatar
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    Default Re: ABBA — 40 years younger again

    Wow, sounds like the album. Are they lipsyncing?
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    Default Re: ABBA — 40 years younger again

    I've just arrived back from a long weekend in London and went to two shows.

    Very impressive to say the least.

    You will never re-create the actual "live" experience of seeing a band in-the-flesh, but this is something different.......... It's hard to put your finger on it.

    I've a feeling that we are going to be seeing a lot more of this emerging (publicly) tech in the "live" music industry.

    Abba & ILM are not the first to employ this, Tupac was brought to life on stage many years ago, but this is definitely a very, very clever use of animation, lighting, smoke and mirrors.


    I urge any music fan that gets the chance to see this show to do it.


    You will not be disappointed.
    May your Spirit stay unbroken, may you not be deterred.

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    Default Re: ABBA — 40 years younger again

    I'm sure it is amazing and I would love to see it but admit I still cannot get over the fact that three of their biggest hits 'Take A Chance On Me' (one of my favs!) 'Money Money Money' and 'Super Trouper' are missing from the setlist. After all they are the 'Beatles of Pop' and their farewell gig(s) should imv be a real 'Greatest Hits' concert then, moreover since it was actually promised that 'all the hits' would be featured, but this is not 'all the hits'.

    Here is some more critical review (but still fair) from the Rolling Stone mag (Germany, translated by googletranslate) which makes some valid points in my view regarding setlist as well as dramaturgical and also some technical issues.

    https://www-rollingstone-de.translat..._x_tr_pto=wapp

    Ok, enough of criticism.

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    Default Re: ABBA — 40 years younger again

    Quote Posted by Open Minded Dude (here)
    I'm sure it is amazing and I would love to see it but admit I still cannot get over the fact that three of their biggest hits...
    One of the articles I read said they recorded more songs than were on that initial set list so they could modify the later shows a bit.

    Quote There has also been plenty of talk on Twitter about different songs being used in different shows and in a different order, so no two shows are ever quite the same. Notable omissions on launch night included Take A Chance on Me One of Us and Money, Money, Money, while their were welcome places for Eagle, Summer Night City and The Visitors.
    https://www.chroniclelive.co.uk/what...songs-24087539
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    Germany Avalon Member Open Minded Dude's Avatar
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    Default Re: ABBA — 40 years younger again

    Quote Posted by JackMcThorn (here)
    Quote Posted by Open Minded Dude (here)
    I'm sure it is amazing and I would love to see it but admit I still cannot get over the fact that three of their biggest hits...
    One of the articles I read said they recorded more songs than were on that initial set list so they could modify the later shows a bit.

    Quote There has also been plenty of talk on Twitter about different songs being used in different shows and in a different order, so no two shows are ever quite the same. Notable omissions on launch night included Take A Chance on Me One of Us and Money, Money, Money, while their were welcome places for Eagle, Summer Night City and The Visitors.
    https://www.chroniclelive.co.uk/what...songs-24087539
    So there's still hope then.

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    Avalon Member holcaul's Avatar
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    Default Re: ABBA — 40 years younger again

    I am a sucker for top-notch musicianship. And ABBA baselines are so deceptively simple. Check these out...



    Especially the Gimme! Gimme! Gimme! bass groove. It is pure bliss.
    Last edited by holcaul; 31st May 2022 at 21:31.

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    Default Re: ABBA — 40 years younger again

    • How The Abba Voyage Concert Changes Live Music, Forever:
    No need to follow anyone, only consider broadening (y)our horizon of possibilities ...

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    Default Re: ABBA — 40 years younger again

    AGT Audition

    This is good.


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    Finland Avalon Member rgray222's Avatar
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    Default Re: ABBA — 40 years younger again

    I happened onto this story and thought the ABBA aficionados (which I include myself) might enjoy.

    ABBA Members: Where Are They Now? 2023



    Swedish supergroup ABBA catapulted to international fame in the 1970s with their hits "Dancing Queen" and "Gimme! Gimme! Gimme!"

    ABBA's members Agnetha Fältskog, Björn Ulvaeus, Benny Andersson and Anni-Frid Lyngstad enjoyed enormous success for a decade before the group's hiatus in 1982.

    In 2016, ABBA announced plans to reunite as virtual avatars for a live "entertainment experience." Two years later, the group revealed that they had also recorded new music. In a joint statement, they explained, "The decision to go ahead with the exciting ABBA avatar tour project had an unexpected consequence. We all four felt that, after some 35 years, it could be fun to join forces again and go into the recording studio. So we did. And it was like time had stood still and that we only had been away on a short holiday."

    The quartet released their ninth and final studio album, Voyage, in November 2021. And the following May, all four ABBA members attended the premiere of their virtual concert series in London.

    "When we got back together in the studio I had no idea what to expect," Fältskog said in a statement. "But Benny's recording studio is such a friendly and safe environment, and before I knew it I was really enjoying myself! I can hardly believe that finally, the moment has come to share this with the world!"

    Fellow bandmate Lyngstad added, "Those first sessions back in 2018 were such fun and when Benny called and asked if I'd consider singing some more I jumped at it! And what songs! My respect and love go out to these exceptionally talented, truly genius songwriters! Such joy it was to work with the group again. I am so happy with what we have made, and I dearly hope our fans feel the same."

    ABBA's comeback album Voyage has since earned four Grammy nominations.

    Here is a look into the lives of the members of ABBA, then and now.

    Agnetha Fältskog, 72



    ABBA's lead vocalist Agnetha Fältskog was known for her interest in music as a child, and she wrote her first song at the age of 6, according to ABBA's official website. Her first single, which she wrote as part of the band Bernt Enghardts, was released in 1967.

    Fältskog began dating fellow ABBA member Björn Ulvaeus in 1969 and the couple got engaged the following year. They wed on July 6, 1971, and welcomed two children together, daughter Linda Elin Ulvaeus and son Peter Christian Ulvaeus, before their divorce in 1980.

    Following her divorce from Ulvaeus and ABBA's subsequent split, Fältskog went on to release three English-language albums: Wrap Your Arms Around Me in 1983, Eyes Of A Woman in 1985 and I Stand Alone in 1987.

    She married her second husband, Thoms Sonnenfield, in 1990, though the pair quietly divorced in 1993. Over a decade later, Fältskog returned to the spotlight when she signed a solo record deal in 2004.

    Björn Ulvaeus, 77



    Björn Ulvaeus was born in Gothenburg, Sweden, and grew up in the small town of Västervik. Like the other members of ABBA, Ulvaeus was also interested in music from an early age. He began his career in the Swedish folk band Hootenanny Singers, which is how he was introduced to keyboardist Benny Andersson, a member of the band the Hep Stars. The two began collaborating, eventually working together and forming ABBA with their fiancées.

    Ulvaeus wed fellow bandmate Agnetha Fältskog in 1971 and they had two children together. After the couple split, Ulvaeus married his second wife Lena Källersjö in 1981 and had two more kids.

    He and Andersson continued to work together long after ABBA disbanded in the early 1980s. The duo wrote the musical Chess with lyricist Tim Rice, with the show opening on London's West End in 1986 and premiering on Broadway two years later.

    According to ABBA's official website, Ulvaeus was also involved in the staging of Mamma Mia, the musical — and later film series — based on ABBA's songs.

    In 2022, The Daily Mail reported that Ulvaeus and his wife of over 40 years, Källersjö, announced their plans to divorce.

    That July, he arrived at the premiere of his new musical, Pippi at the Circus, hand-in-hand with Christina Sas, a music manager for Universal Music Group. In December 2022, the couple attended the Stockholm premiere of A Man Called Otto, a film starring Tom Hanks.

    Benny Andersson, 76



    Born in Stockholm, ABBA vocalist Benny Andersson was introduced to music as a child, as both his father and grandfather played the accordion and taught him the instrument.

    Andersson was a part of several musical groups before the formation of ABBA. He started his career in the band for singer Christina Grönvall. (The two eventually started dating and had two children together.) Then, he joined Elverkets Spelmanslag before becoming the keyboardist of the Hep Stars.

    It was while he was with the Hep Stars that Andersson first met Ulvaeus and the pair wrote the song "Isn't It Easy To Say" for the band. They recorded their first album, Lycka, in 1970, on which their girlfriends, Agnetha Fältskog and Anni-Frid Lyngstad sang backup vocals. Andersson and Lyngstad were engaged for nearly nine years before tying the knot in 1979, however, they divorced two years later.

    Andersson continued to work in music following ABBA's 1982 hiatus, producing work with Anders and Karin Glenmark and his first solo album was released in 1987. He currently performs with the band Benny Andersson's Orkester.

    Anni-Frid Lyngstad, 77



    Anni-Frid Lyngstad was born in Norway in 1945 and moved to Sweden with her grandmother nearly two years later. According to ABBA's official website, Lyngstad's father was a German soldier and "thought to have vanished when his ship was sunk on the way back to Germany," though they were later reunited in the 1970s. Her mother died less than two years after she was born.

    As a teenager, Lyngstad performed with various bands. She married her first husband Ragnar Fredriksson when she was 18 years old and had two children, though the pair divorced ahead of ABBA's rise to fame.

    She met her second husband and fellow ABBA bandmate Benny Andersson in 1969 and the two quickly got engaged. Lyngstad also released a Swedish-language solo album in 1975 while a part of ABBA. She was already working on solo work before ABBA's 1982 hiatus, and she released her first English-language solo album, which was produced by Phil Collins the same year.

    Lyngstad was married to her third husband, Prince Henrich Ruzzo Reuss, Count of Plauen, from 1992 until his death in 1999. Her daughter died the year prior after a car accident.

    Today, Lyngstad is "devoting herself to charity work," per ABBA's official site.

    Source: https://people.com/music/abba-member...-are-they-now/
    Last edited by rgray222; 4th April 2023 at 00:57.

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