abbavoyage - Reviews and experiences

some real highs, but spoiled by poor enforcement and price.

We sat down excited the first time. The visuals hit exactly right — very slick, you can tell they put a lot into the production. But the setlist? That’s the problem. Both visits had the same slow openings and the same middles that flattened the room. Shows I’ve been to usually kick off with something loud to get people up. Here, they opened with two lesser-known tracks and the energy never fully came back. There are so many crowd-pleasers missing — Ring Ring, Honey Honey — and skipping I Have a Dream felt like a real miss. I would have gladly stayed an extra half hour for more hits, especially at these ticket prices. Enjoyed the tech and the look of it. Still left a bit deflated. Maybe try again next tour, but right now it’s a mixed bag.

not perfect, but manageable. Once inside I was pleasantly surprised. The show is slick, volume felt just right, effects are impressive. The band sounded great live — their take on Does Your Mother Know actually won me over. On the flip side, those close-ups can look a bit obviously AI sometimes, and some animated bits didn’t do much for me — I’d rather just watch the band, but maybe that’s me. We did stand for one song to dance — the venue sort of encourages it, though it’s tricky because people want a clear view. All in all I’m glad we went; my pre-show worries mostly faded and I left happy, a bit grateful that it turned out better than I’d feared.

the visuals and motion are top-notch and the ticket felt fair for that alone. On the flip side, a few things jarred. Song choices like 'Eagle' and 'Voulez-Vous' were paired with a weird anime segment that actually emptied a few rows; it just didn't land. The low point for me was 'Does Your Mother Know' where the band, not the avatars, sang lead — and it sounded sloppy, which was odd. On my second visit the drums were way too loud and distorted, ruining the mix a bit. Also, the set stuck closely to album arrangements so it lacked that spur-of-the-moment live buzz I expected. And yeah, I got told I couldn't bring a 500 ml sports drink in — security couldn't explain why. Mixed feelings, but I enjoyed enough to recommend with caveats.

the lights wrapped around you, the bass hit in your chest (maybe too much), and my coat still smelled like the venue an hour later.
But then there were flat moments that pulled you back to reality. The big screens turned the whole thing into a cartoon show sometimes, and that popped the bubble. A couple of songs were literally presented as animation, which felt like a different event altogether. So the experience was split between "whoa" and "huh."
I had a seat and that made a huge difference — the floor area was an ocean of bodies, people packed so tight dancing felt impossible. If you like to move, plan for the crush; if you like to watch, get a seat. Sound-wise it started off too heavy; the bass swallowed the nuances of the voices at first. By the middle of the set they adjusted things and the vocals came through cleaner, so my scepticism softened. Visually the ABBAtars are impressive up close, but relying on screens undermines the illusion.
A few practical notes: bring ear protection for kids (and maybe for yourself early on), consider a pre-show drink to take the edge off the first half, and be ready for odd set list choices — they opened with lesser-known tunes which left the room quiet for longer than you'd expect.
Would I recommend it? Yes, but with caveats. The concept is brilliant and when it clicks, it's magical. They need to sort sound balance, the big-screen presentation, and the crowd flow. If you go in with tempered expectations and pick a seat, you'll likely leave smiling — a bit puzzled, but smiling.