ABBA Voyage - A groundbreaking concert experience: Tickets, venue and setlist revealed

9 May 2024, 14:51

ABBA Voyage begins in 2022. Picture: ABBA Voyage

By Tom Eames

ABBA Voyage is a concert like no other.

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The ABBA Voyage live show is a groundbreaking concert experience that seamlessly blends cutting-edge technology, spectacular lighting, and some of the most beloved songs ever written.

ABBA Voyage takes place in the specially constructed ABBA Arena near Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park in London and showcases virtual avatars of ABBA, referred to as 'ABBAtars.'

These avatars represent the group as they appeared in 1979, featuring vocals the group re-recorded in a Swedish studio specifically for these performances, supported by a live band on stage.

How can I get tickets and where is it?

The ABBA Voyage live show takes place in a custom-built arena in London, UK. The purpose-built ABBA Arena in Stratford provides the perfect setting for this extraordinary concert experience.

You can choose from various ticket types, including standard seats and Dance Floor tickets (which offer a closer view of the stage and more room to dance).

Tickets start at around £61. You can book your tickets online via Ticketmaster. Availability varies, but shows run twice a day (at 3pm and 7.45pm) on Saturdays and (at 1pm and 6pm) on Sundays. It plays once a day at 7.45pm on Mondays, Thursdays and Fridays.

How was it made?

These digital representations were crafted using motion capture and performance technology, in collaboration with the visual effects giant Industrial Light & Magic, marking its first venture into the music industry.

The production team for ABBA Voyage includes producers Svana Gisla and Ludvig Andersson, director Baillie Walsh, co-executive producer Johan Renck, and choreographer Wayne McGregor.

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Pophouse, a Swedish entertainment company, played a crucial role as co-developer and principal investor. With a reported budget of $175 million, it stands as one of the priciest live music projects ever.

ABBA unofficially disbanded in December 1982, and despite a resurgence of interest in their music from the 1990s onward—sparked by the success of their greatest hits compilation ABBA Gold, the musical Mamma Mia!, and its subsequent film adaptation—the group consistently declined offers to reunite.

In 2000, they famously rejected a $1 billion offer to perform again. In 2008, Björn Ulvaeus firmly told The Sunday Telegraph: "We will never appear on stage again. There is simply no motivation to re-group."

In 2016, reports surfaced in American media that British entrepreneur Simon Fuller had pitched the idea of creating a virtual reality version of ABBA using cutting-edge technology. Fuller was seen meeting with ABBA in London in November of that year.

Abba reunite in London for first time since 1982 for Voyage concert

By September 2017, Benny Andersson revealed to the Swedish newspaper Expressen that there were discussions about a "virtual" tour featuring digital avatars of the band members. In April 2018, ABBA announced that they had reunited in the studio during preparations for the virtual tour, resulting in two new songs, 'I Still Have Faith in You' and 'Don't Shut Me Down'.

During the development of their virtual concert, the members of ABBA (Bjorn, Benny, Agnetha Faltskog and Anni-Frid Lyngstad) donned motion-capture suits and performed a 22-song set over five weeks, captured by around 160 cameras.

Industrial Light & Magic later enhanced these recordings with graphics. The choreography for the digital band reflects the real movements of the ABBA members, although these were initially captured from younger body doubles.

In the concerts, the avatars perform to the original vocal tracks of the songs, while a live band provides the instrumental accompaniment on stage.