ABBA are back!

[CoRhona]

Is this a good thing?

YANBU - they are classic!

YABU - leave them in the past

(Definitely voting that IANBU!!)

I. Love. Abba! I’m going to play some now to celebrate

I am beside myself over this news!! So excited! Hope I can get tickets to see their avatar thing concert.

Link to BBC piece with the new songs: www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-58423452

Woah! 100% YANBU so far
(is it bad form to list the vote? probably...)

All together now:
'Wah wah wah wah, Waterloo...'

WHO are the 15% that want to leave them in the past? Bring them forth

Seriously though, it's about bloody time. They've been stringing these new songs out for three and a half years. But from what I've heard, I think it's been worth it...!

Me! I think thin abbatars are black mirror weird!
Listened to Don't shut me down - not a patch on their other songs and I still have faith in you, whilst nice enough as a tribute/look back/stand alone anniversary song (complete with highlights video) is decent enough; as a lead single for new music it is a strange choice. It does feel self-congratulatory - and they do have reasons to be smug! - but I don't like it (thank you for the music is my least favourite classic track for the same reason, humblebragging!)
I listened to Agnetha's solo album a few years back and also felt little.
As for the digital concerts, the tech is interesting but feels uncanny valley. Do fans really want to see youthful perfect mock-ups rather than an older, intimate live series of gigs, a one-off like Kate Bush's - the latter took real courage. Simulations are just a pale imitation.
They don't need the money (nor was monetisation Kate's intent or she'd have sold the dvd of Before the dawn. She is a perfectionist and didn't like the footage iirc plus did the concerts to show her son what she used to do/collaborate with him) so why are ABBA doing it? Because they like the tech? As a last hurrah? As PR for Voyage? As a final swansong? As a comeback (they never really went away given the musical and two movies)? Or just because they can?
Just because you can do something doesn't mean you should.

Tickets go on sale soon for the London gigs.
I guess it's the nearest you will get to experiencing ABBA live without seeing a tribute band (have seen two, both were good).
Talking of dead horse flogging, I did see Queen's Heaven multimedia show in a planetarium - even with surround sound and light and laser effects, it is still a different experience. The effects on this will be different7state of the art/lots of light used - look forward to hearing what the reviews say but still think the whole thing is, if not ageist, then strange - they can all still sing. It feels wrong, like lipsyncing performed 'live', but I cannot put my finger on why.

www.theguardian.com/music/2021/sep/02/abba-reunite-for-voyage-first-new-album-in-40-years

Go to 3.40 on the I still have faith in you, to see the abbatars - genuinely interested to see what you all think.
It's had over 2 and a half million views already so I guess I will have to accept IABU

Dammit. Been sucked in now.
I don't do London but in fairness, tickets from 21 pounds for a hologram experience isn't unreasonable pricing.
For those interested:
May 22nd - Sept 4th 2022 in custom-built arena in Olympic Park
M/T/F/S/S with matinees 3pm at weekends
100 mins 7.45pm

Tickets will be available if you pre-order the new Voyage album before 12pm (noon) on September 4, 2021 (Sat)

You'll then be able to purchase tickets when presale opens the following day (Sun 5th)

If you don't buy the album in time, you can register in the presale access via Ticketmaster on September 5, and you will receive a booking code to buy tickets on the day after.

That is all before they go on general sale from 10am UK time on Tuesday, September 7, 2021.

Wonder how the whole run will sell - a 3 month residency - I do think the premise is unusual but concede I may be a fun sponge!

As for the digital concerts, the tech is interesting but feels uncanny valley. Do fans really want to see youthful perfect mock-ups rather than an older, intimate live series of gigs, a one-off like Kate Bush's - the latter took real courage. Simulations are just a pale imitation.

THIS.

I'd pay good money to see them in real life, aged warts and all. But this??? No no no...

www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-58423458

Just watched the lyric video and it's quite amusing to hear the chorus in relation to their abbatar status.
So in half an hour I have been converted from yanu to possibly yabu but it feels petty to judge. Fair play to taking a leap of faith I guess.

Was my gut reaction flower but have been mulling it over. I think the cheaper price bracket has swung me into thinking for experimental experience/nostalgia's sake, it could be a laugh after lockdown depression.
Between genius and insanity.

Though I note the girls didn't turn up to the press promo.
Twist - they've been stepford wife robots for years designed by master-villains Benny and Björn and the originals are in a spa somewhere- The robots cannot be trusted not to malfunction so are only allowed out every few years hence the need for Spitting Image Puppets and abbatars before there's robot mutiny

One of the under the liners across at Graudian pointed out Gorillaz were doing similar. They played live behind the screens though didn't they?
I know there's a live band but won't the vocals here be a pre-record?
Night!

I was crying listening to the new songs!

I’ve not yet looked fully into the whole “ABBA release” concept, so can’t comment properly. I am interested to hear their new music. Am not so fussed about how performances are going to be done.

I just hope that some of the younger generation don’t only associate ABBA with the Mamma Mia films. Much better to listen to their albums through your EarPods (or, in my day, through giant headphones!)