Sensational ABBA Voyage expertly blurs the lines of reality

Six years in the making, ABBA Voyage was created by a super group that continues to wow. How fans had dreamed of seeing Agnetha, Björn, Benny and Anni-Frid together again on stage.

But ABBA have always done things their way and this is the concert they always wanted, performing for their fans at their very best.

Digital versions of the hugely successful Swedish pop group, backed by today’s finest musicians help blur the lines between the physical and digital, as state-of-the-art technology helps bring the show to life.

I have to admit I was sceptical about the whole thing when arriving at the gates, but what followed was truly incredible.

It feels like a time warp when you first get to the venue, walking through large light tunnels until you arrive in the futuristic arena. Perhaps we will see other mega stars back in the digital flesh one day - sign me up if John Lennon and co ever reunite as The Beatles. There have been previous attempts at digital concerts but they have never quite worked. This does.

And even if ABBA aren’t your cup of tea (you’re lying if you say you don’t like at least one hit), groups are in for a magical experience.

When the digital band emerge from below the stage, it’s hard not to feel like you’re witnessing them in real life, and the show is definitely at its most lifelike when the foursome can be seen on stage together once more. Every now and again, large screens project the action on stage to a bigger scale where it’s easier to make out their electronic form, as if they’re in a computer game. But even so, it’s so easy to immerse yourself in the performance as if you’re seeing the band in their prime. 

A live band plays along to the digital projections which only confuses the sense further - voice recordings of the Swedish pop maestros even speak to the crowd between songs as if they’re there, explaining the meaning behind the tunes and even waiting for applause at specific moments - spooky!

The only piece of respite to your meddled brain is when the quartet disappear for certain hits and are replaced by large screens showing futuristic music videos, or even video clips from when the band entered Waterloo into the Eurovision Song Contest. 

The band hand-picked the 90-minute setlist themselves, which is full of upbeat numbers like Mamma Mia and Gimmie Gimmie Gimmie, when they can be seen dancing and interacting with the crowd. The are more emotive tracks too, like I Still Have Faith In You where Agnetha Fältskog’s projection dons a long white gown and brings calm before the encore.

Dancing Queen, as you would expect, comes with an almighty roar from the audience and is by far the highlight. What feels like thousands of stringed light orbs fall from the ceiling and transform the space into a sea of oranges, pinks, yellows and blues. It’s such a bright performance and one that has the audience on their feet and singing along.

It’s hard to describe the night without giving too much away and spoiling the performance for future visitors. ABBA Voyage really is something that has to be seen to be believed.

Groups of 15 or more can save Money, Money, Money on tickets so what are you waiting for? If you’re feeling up to it, there’s even private dance booths which hold up to 18 people to make the experience even more exciting.