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ABBA the Concert
Regency Ballroom
San Francisco, CA
March 10, 2013
ABBA the Concert: Meta-ABBA
It’s a dilemma. When
reviewing a tribute act, do you review the source material or the tribute? How can I review ABBA the Concert without
discussing the relative merits (or lack thereof) of ABBA? Certainly, both ABBA and A-the-C were in turn
cheesy, catchy, fun, compelling, touching, ridiculous, sublime, trite,
earnest. It’s amazing that a band, that
has been essentially defunct for over 30 years, can inspire enough devotion for
several hundred people to show up to see essentially an historical
re-enactment. However, ABBA’s songs are
so well-crafted and catchy, I could see ABBA the Concert continuing to be performed
for new generations to come. Of
course, most of the members of ABBA the C were, at best, in diapers at the time
of ABBA’s heyday- with the exception of the bass player who had actually been a
member of ABBA and, though often in the background, was very clearly a high
caliber player. Still the remaining
members of A-the-C were not slouches. They are definite fans and their re-creation was certainly enthusiastic.
Of course, most people are aware that ABBA is one of Sweden's most proud exports and going to ABBA the C with your Swedish girlfriend is a unique experience. Not many know that Waterloo was originally performed in Swedish nor can sing along with gusto nor do many know that Dancing Queen was first performed for the royal couple in Sweden. If you think that ABBA was popular world-wide that is a drop in the ocean compared to the Swedish hysteria for ABBA in the 1970s where every little girl fancied themselves an Anni-Frid or Agnetha. Appropriately enough, ABBA the C is also fronted by four Swedes. However, if you think the audience at ABBA the C was just Swedes and their reluctant boyfriends or gay men, not quite. ABBA may have been from Sweden but they have long been claimed by the rest of the world as their own and the audience was very diverse.
ABBA the Concert broke no new ground but that was entirely
the point. From the outfits to the songs
to the wigs, this was strictly a nostalgic show. But ABBA the Concert definitely showed great respect for the
source material and performed fairly faithful renditions of most of the biggest hits. They performed
particularly energetic versions of Mama Mia, Take a Chance On Me, and Does Your Mother Know? There were plenty of opportunities for sing-alongs
and the crowd was quite excited to participate in this celebration of
ABBAtasticness. |
| The original ABBA |
Side Note: On the way home, JL and I checked out the new art installation- the Bay Bridge Lights and (no pun intended), it is spectacular. I'm envious of people with a Bay Bridge view. If you haven't already, go see the light!
