Abba Voyage Review: Joyous celebration is a triumph

Whilst it was known that they would take the form of virtual ‘Abbatars,’ little else was known about how the band would reunite for this immersive, never-done-before experience.

But by the time you have picked your jaw up off the floor, and the opening strains of Knowing Me, Knowing You kicks in, you would genuinely believe that you have been transported back to the 1970s, complete with the exact same youthful pop icons that first graced the Eurovision stage in 1974.

The effect is truly uncanny. You sit (or boogie in the enormous dance floor space), watching fully realised three-dimensional human beings perform their hits, interact with the audience, and introduce the spectacular ten-piece live band (who are really there). This is fan-service of the highest order – if the top of your bucket list reads ‘See Abba before I die,’ then your wish can be fulfilled here, without feeling compromised or disheartened that they are not the real deal.

As the concert blasts through Abba's greatest hits, the show time-hops between the nostalgically retro and the far-flung future, with the purpose-built 3,000-seat London arena transforming into a spaceship that spans galaxies for numbers such as Voulez-Vous, and then returning to a multi-coloured disco wonderland by the time we are all weeping to Dancing Queen.

The setlist largely sticks to the hits and veers away from too many deep cuts – this is wise, given that the show is designed to run endlessly, and appeal to as wide an audience as possible across the globe.

However, the concert works best when the audience believe they are in the presence of Abba – a feat which is repeatedly achieved throughout, given the cutting-edge technology from Industrial Light & Magic.

Any detachment from that experience is due to the fact that it is just… too slick. The vocals have been souped up from studio recordings to make them seem live, but in prolonged video sequences or when songs accompany cartoonish animation, the show loses that special rawness that can only come with a live gig, and the experience becomes similar to that of going to see a 4-D film.

When the Abbatars speak to the audience, you are quickly reminded that it is a recording, as they cannot react to the fanatical crowd’s chanting or whooping.

Not that this matters by the time Thank You For The Music begins, and you are linked arm in arm with the person sitting next to you, swaying, and singing your heart out.

And this is the joy of Abba Voyage. You are encouraged to get out your flares, backcomb your hair and relive the music one of the greatest bands of all time, in the most unique way possible. The show is a triumph – a celebration of everything uncynical and joyous about music and live(ish) performance.

For more information and to book tickets, visit abbavoyage.com

Review by Alastair Norton