Lauren Heath-Jones | Planet Attractions | 01 Jun 2022
ABBA Voyage opened at the end of May and sees realistic avatars take to the stage for a 95-minute performance of the band’s greatest hits
Pop supergroup ABBA has revealed that they will need to earn £140m (€164m, US$175m) to cover the cost of their virtual London residency; Voyage.
Opened at the end of May 2022, Voyage sees realistic 3D holograms of the group, dubbed ABBAtars, take to the stage for a 95-minute performance of the band’s greatest hits, including classics such as Mamma Mia, Dancing Queen and The Winner Takes It All, accompanied by a 10-piece live band.
The show, crafted by George Lucas’ special effect company, Industrial Light & Magic used motion-capture technology to create the performances, with “every mannerism and every motion” of the band, who are now in their 70s, captured as they performed.
“Agnetha, Frida, Benny and Björn got on stage in front of 160 cameras and almost as many VFX geniuses and they performed every song in this show to perfection, over five weeks,” explained show producer Ludvig Andersson.
“When you see this show, it’s not four people pretending to be ABBA, it’s actually them,” he added.
Despite the significant investment, the band has shunned corporate sponsorships, opting for a single partnership with Swedish environmentally-conscious maritime company; Oceanbird.
Andersson told The Telegraph that the reason no other band had tried to do something similar was “Because it’s so bloody expensive.” Adding: “We also need lots of people to come and see it for a very long time.”
The show, which is currently scheduled to run until May 2023, could run in London for an additional three years or be moved to a new location. A world tour is another possibility, with the custom arena, designed by architecture firm Stufish, being both demountable and transportable.
Speaking to Variety ABBA band member Benny Andersson said: “I think we’re exactly in the right spot here in London.”
“The English people have always treated us like we were theirs for some odd reason, for which I’m very humbly grateful.”
ABBA Voyage opened at the end of May and sees realistic avatars take to the stage for a 95-minute performance of the band’s greatest hits
Pop supergroup ABBA has revealed that they will need to earn £140m (€164m, US$175m) to cover the cost of their virtual London residency; Voyage.
Opened at the end of May 2022, Voyage sees realistic 3D holograms of the group, dubbed ABBAtars, take to the stage for a 95-minute performance of the band’s greatest hits, including classics such as Mamma Mia, Dancing Queen and The Winner Takes It All, accompanied by a 10-piece live band.
The show, crafted by George Lucas’ special effect company, Industrial Light & Magic used motion-capture technology to create the performances, with “every mannerism and every motion” of the band, who are now in their 70s, captured as they performed.
“Agnetha, Frida, Benny and Björn got on stage in front of 160 cameras and almost as many VFX geniuses and they performed every song in this show to perfection, over five weeks,” explained show producer Ludvig Andersson.
“When you see this show, it’s not four people pretending to be ABBA, it’s actually them,” he added.
Despite the significant investment, the band has shunned corporate sponsorships, opting for a single partnership with Swedish environmentally-conscious maritime company; Oceanbird.
Andersson told The Telegraph that the reason no other band had tried to do something similar was “Because it’s so bloody expensive.” Adding: “We also need lots of people to come and see it for a very long time.”
The show, which is currently scheduled to run until May 2023, could run in London for an additional three years or be moved to a new location. A world tour is another possibility, with the custom arena, designed by architecture firm Stufish, being both demountable and transportable.
Speaking to Variety ABBA band member Benny Andersson said: “I think we’re exactly in the right spot here in London.”
“The English people have always treated us like we were theirs for some odd reason, for which I’m very humbly grateful.”
