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Post by harry on May 25, 2022 17:26:54 GMT
For anyone who's been, is there decent mobile/4G reception in there? I'm hoping to meet up with different sets of friends who are arriving at different times and are in different sections of the arena. Will we be able to communicate? Failing that, is there an obvious location where we could meet? A merchandise stall? Or are there several of them? Thank you! Phones weren’t allowed to be used inside the arena so hard to be certain but the front of house area had phone reception if I remember rightly. I think they were testing out how best to get people through security so the exact way they send you through might be different when it opens officially but basically outside the entrance we were split by dance floor / not dancefloor to go through one of two security check stations but then it all joins up again in a big open space with the bars/food stalls/merch shop etc. It’s not so huge that you won’t be able to find each other I wouldn’t have thought. At the back of this area is a big ramp up through a huge doorway to the arena (if I remember rightly, this is the only way in and you’re then sent off down different ways depending on exactly where you’re sitting/standing) so I guess arranging to meet at the bottom of that at a certain time is a pretty safe bet.
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Post by interval99 on May 25, 2022 17:59:29 GMT
Definitely avoid Twitter at the moment if you want to avoid seeing the set list before this weekend.
Any info on the merchandise they are selling, there a fair range on the voyage web site but there had been talk of the ABBA water bottle and a souvenir brochure for sale and be nice if they have some exclusive items there.
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Post by partytentdown on May 25, 2022 19:39:37 GMT
Definitely avoid Twitter at the moment if you want to avoid seeing the set list before this weekend. Any info on the merchandise they are selling, there a fair range on the voyage web site but there had been talk of the ABBA water bottle and a souvenir brochure for sale and be nice if they have some exclusive items there. There was a metal water bottle for sale at the bars that you could use to fill up from the water fountain. The brochure was £15 and looked A5 size but quite thick, more like a book.
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Post by callum on May 25, 2022 19:52:29 GMT
Bottle was £4.50… very reasonable and wish I got one tbh!
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Post by alece10 on May 25, 2022 19:54:27 GMT
I'm definitely getting a water bottle if it's that price. Going on holiday soon so will be great around the pool knowing no one else will have one.
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Post by fiyero on May 25, 2022 20:39:47 GMT
I saw the water bottle on the bar pre-ordering and am tempted. Looks like the logo is printed but otherwise similar to the Pantoland one I have!
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Post by Jon on May 25, 2022 21:20:10 GMT
Bottle was £4.50… very reasonable and wish I got one tbh! I saw the bottle on Scott Bryan's Instagram and I'd buy one as well!
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Post by callum on May 25, 2022 22:26:42 GMT
Setlist spoilers below based on some twitter discussion I’ve seen - please only read if you’ve been to a rehearsal performance. On Monday night’s rehearsal the biggest song omitted from the setlist was Super Trouper, alongside Take a Chance On Me and Money Money Money. Instead we had the less-famous and unexpected Summer Night City and When All Is Said and Done, for example.
I’ve read that these were done to test audience reaction, and there may be some switching around of the setlist with the band recording mo-cap for more songs.
Did those who attended another performance to Monday have a different setlist? Wondering how this will affect the final setlist for opening on Friday.
Additionally, I didn’t think The Winner Takes it All was necessarily the obvious choice for the encore (though didn’t mind it personally) - are different songs being tested as the final song too?
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Post by callum on May 26, 2022 9:08:50 GMT
Also - intrigued to see whether the no phone rule will continue. It's a cliche to say but enjoyed it so much more than other concerts I've been to where everyone has phones.
A lot of photos/videos wouldn't properly be able to capture the illusion - the marketing for this has been tip-top and very controlled so I wouldn't be surprised if they wanted to limit as much as they could.
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18,889 posts
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Post by BurlyBeaR on May 26, 2022 9:48:29 GMT
Also - intrigued to see whether the no phone rule will continue. It's a cliche to say but enjoyed it so much more than other concerts I've been to where everyone has phones. A lot of photos/videos wouldn't properly be able to capture the illusion - the marketing for this has been tip-top and very controlled so I wouldn't be surprised if they wanted to limit as much as they could. Already covered further up the thread. Phones are allowed and photos/recording is allowed “for personal use only”.
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Post by harry on May 26, 2022 10:12:59 GMT
I’d be v surprised if there are set list changes at this stage. I’d assume that all the “beta testing” of the set list happened long ago when they were still working from story boards or very basic ideas, way before ILM spent all the time and money making everything in the show look like it does now. Happy to be proved wrong but I think those “rehearsals” were much more about testing out how the audience move around the building (and getting some film footage of people watching the show) than making major changes to the show itself.
In other news, do we think the ABBA Voyage marketing strategy included scheduling a major news story involving their music 2 days before opening night?! The posters are EVERYWHERE in London, and just when I thought we’d reached saturation point the band name is splashed all over the headlines too. I wonder if Boris got an invite to the opening? And if he’d dare show his face at it!?
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Post by partytentdown on May 26, 2022 10:21:51 GMT
I think it was common knowledge that they have filmed a lot more songs that could be swapped in at a later date, but as poster above mentions it's unlikely they will be making major changes to this iteration this close to opening.
The 'rehearsals' were to capture footage for marketing etc and help raise word of mouth.
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Post by interval99 on May 26, 2022 10:35:24 GMT
Also - intrigued to see whether the no phone rule will continue. It's a cliche to say but enjoyed it so much more than other concerts I've been to where everyone has phones. A lot of photos/videos wouldn't properly be able to capture the illusion - the marketing for this has been tip-top and very controlled so I wouldn't be surprised if they wanted to limit as much as they could. Already covered further up the thread. Phones are allowed and photos/recording is allowed “for personal use only”. Ticketmaster sent an email last night advising update for tonight's show advising a policy change and stating to keep the ABBATARS a surprise for future audience they request phones are away for the concert but photos of the outside and concourse are ok. Should find out if this is a ongoing choice and how strictly it's enforced if they send emails to the board members going on Friday and this weekend. The preview audiences seem to have liked enjoying the show without the sea of screens so it's good if it happens but would have been better for them not to have promoted personal photography as an option for so long on the website in the lead into the launch.
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Post by anthony40 on May 26, 2022 11:52:07 GMT
I am London based and last night I attended an event at the British Library called ABBA in the Archives, which as also streamed online, and it was Carl Magnus Palm- author of any ABBA biographies in conversation with Kit Green. Not growing up in London, I had no idea who Kit Green was but being an ABBA fan, I was certainly aware of who Carl Magnus Palm was. So, surrounded by many die-hard ABBA fans, from America and Australia (as well as the UK)- all part of the ABBA fan-club who had flown over for tonight's concert I was there with my ABBA-The Album Tote bag, lots of fun it was and very interesting too. Even got my ABBA hardback book signed. Please click the following link to watch on your PC, laptop or mobile device. For the best experience, we recommend viewing on a PC or laptop. www.blplayer.co.uk/eventlink/438/NwSLJCNv8XLskcKThis event can be watched at any time until Friday 27th May at 19.00 BST, using the same link.
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Post by alece10 on May 26, 2022 12:46:03 GMT
Anyone going on Friday, I'd be grateful for any info on what merch they have.
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Post by Sam on May 26, 2022 14:49:19 GMT
Setlist spoilers below based on some twitter discussion I’ve seen - please only read if you’ve been to a rehearsal performance. On Monday night’s rehearsal the biggest song omitted from the setlist was Super Trouper, alongside Take a Chance On Me and Money Money Money. Instead we had the less-famous and unexpected Summer Night City and When All Is Said and Done, for example.
I’ve read that these were done to test audience reaction, and there may be some switching around of the setlist with the band recording mo-cap for more songs.
Did those who attended another performance to Monday have a different setlist? Wondering how this will affect the final setlist for opening on Friday.
Additionally, I didn’t think The Winner Takes it All was necessarily the obvious choice for the encore (though didn’t mind it personally) - are different songs being tested as the final song too? This was the same as Sunday. Noticed the same omissions and we had the same thoughts about the encore.
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Post by interval99 on May 26, 2022 15:54:09 GMT
Londoners you could have warned the out of towners how massive Stratford is. Just getting out of the station is a major walk. The Westfield mall next to it is best serviced with GPS and hard to think of a major shopping brand it doesn't have.
About 10 to 15 mins walk from Stratford to the ABBA arena, looks best to try and use the DLR and get to pudding mill lane station which is opposite it.
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Post by steve10086 on May 26, 2022 16:16:02 GMT
Londoners you could have warned the out of towners how massive Stratford is. Just getting out of the station is a major walk. The Westfield mall next to it is best serviced with GPS and hard to think of a major shopping brand it doesn't have. About 10 to 15 mins walk from Stratford to the ABBA arena, looks best to try and use the DLR and get to pudding mill lane station which is opposite it. I worked in Stratford from 1999 to 2016. It still surprises me to hear something like “how massive Stratford is”. It was a little $hithole before the Olympics and Westfield came along. Talk about a transformation! And yes, by far the easiest way to get to the ABBA Arena is Pudding Mill Lane DLR station, which is directly opposite the arena.
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Post by alece10 on May 26, 2022 16:33:39 GMT
Westfield is my local shopping area. It is massive but you get used to it in time. I tend to just go to the shops I need and home again. Gone are the days of browsing around shops. I want to be in and put. And yes it was a dump before the Olympics. The area is unrecognisable these days.
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Post by alece10 on May 26, 2022 16:36:07 GMT
For those who get London ITV just heard them say that they will be live at the ABBA Arena in the news tonight
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Post by richey on May 26, 2022 16:55:07 GMT
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Post by jek on May 26, 2022 16:58:22 GMT
Those interested in Stratford in the before times there is a newly published book called Before the Blue Wall by Homer Sykes, published by Fistful of Books. It has 44 photos of the Olympic site when it was full of car spares, small family run businesses, house churches etc. It is very good: fistfulofbooks.com/product/before-the-blue-wall/As someone who has brought up my children in Stratford - all attending local schools - and has known it since the 1960s/70s when I grew up in Stepney I will concede it is now a very different place from before the Olympics/Westfield. But I take exception to it being described as a sh*thole. I have spent this afternoon, like many others, in with my 90 year old neighbours who have lived in the same house for 67 years. Like many others in my street/neighbourhood they have made good lives in Stratford, kept their gardens well maintained and brought up their children to be socially useful members of society. I can't imagine that I will go to see the Abba thing - even though it is within walking distance for me. It's a bit pricey when there are other things I really want to see. But I am so enjoying seeing very excited people around my neighbourhood (special bonus points to the gentleman wearing the Abba Voyage t-shirt in Westfield today - he was practically levitating with glee). It's joyful to observe.
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Post by interval99 on May 26, 2022 17:47:25 GMT
I am in. It is packed Matt Lucas has tweeted the picture of all four on the red carpet ABBA are here!!!!
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Post by ptwest on May 26, 2022 17:56:58 GMT
I am in. It is packed Matt Lucas has tweeted the picture of all four on the red carpet ABBA are here!!!! Not in the least bit envious 😃
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Post by alece10 on May 26, 2022 18:07:37 GMT
I am in. It is packed Matt Lucas has tweeted the picture of all four on the red carpet ABBA are here!!!! Not in the least bit envious 😃 You lucky bugger.
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Post by d'James on May 26, 2022 19:30:38 GMT
The ad looks terrible, but sometimes these things don’t transfer well to a small screen. I can’t wait to hear first hand reviews.
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Post by anthony40 on May 26, 2022 19:51:47 GMT
This is ABBA Voyage
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Post by d'James on May 26, 2022 20:04:42 GMT
That’s the one I’m talking about.
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Post by karloscar on May 26, 2022 20:15:12 GMT
Poor interviewer from NME caught out by Benny: "NME? Are you still alive? I thought you were long dead. You always hated Abba...."
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Post by vabbian on May 26, 2022 20:53:26 GMT
I have standing tickets for this is it like a normal concert where you need to get there early for a decent view? Not sure how big the standing space is - if you turn up say 20 mins before will it be ok?
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