There was something in the air tonight...

Monday 29th August - 2022

I honestly thought that l have seen most things in entertainment up until l had the pleasure to attend the new ABBA Voyage concert at their specially built ABBA Arena in Pudding Mill Lane (don’t you just love that name) in the vibrant east end of London, only a stone's throw from the Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park Stadium.

Little did l realise that 10-years ago when l attended the 2012 Summer Olympic Games here in London that Pudding Mill Lane is only one train station away from Stratford on the Docklands Light Railway (DLR) network.

Never in my wildest dreams did I think that l would ever return to this particular part of London. Just before arriving into Pudding Mill Lane train station as l was looking out of the train window there right before my very eyes was the Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park Stadium with the signage on the stadium 'West Ham United'. More of that coincidence later.

(Above) Some local ladies, outside the ABBA Arena, all dressed up for the ABBA Voyage performance tonight. Ready to go ballistic singing & dancing when 'Give me, give me, a man after midnight' comes on.

Many of you are to young or too old to remember way back to Eurovision 1974 when this new group ABBA burst onto the world scene when they won Eurovision ‘74 the same year that I was accepted as a Qantas ‘Trolly-Dolly’ only a mere 48-years ago.

Who ever would have thought that 48-years later l would still be bopping along to their wonderful music all these years later. Well l am here to tell each & every one of you, yes! l was doing just that yesterday afternoon, maybe not in the Mosh Pit but definitely in the aisles of this purpose-built ABBA Arena stadium.

(Above) At the West Ham Stadium as a side attraction, they are operating The Slide at the ArcelorMittal Orbit (that's it on the left) the world's tallest and longest tunnel slide.

This futuristic venue where digital avatars of the stars perform has 160 cameras scanning their movements & expressions. They appear (Agnatha, Frida, Benny & Bjorn) on a huge 65-million pixel screen.

During the Concert, l had to keep pinching myself 'that this is not real' this show is only one step away from Star Trek. The holograms, music sound quality, laser lighting, & everything else that went along with this performance actually blew my mind.

In one of my photos (see photo below) you can actually see the screen behind me, however that is only part of the screen, they created a sort of a wrap around screen that was shown half way around the arena like half an iMax screen, very hard to describe, however brilliantly done.

(Above) Me, inside the purpose-built ABBA Arena and my wonderful vantage point of the stage and the performance.

This bespoke Arena only holds 3,000 people, 1,650 seats & 1,350 standing. The show went for 90-minutes without an interval.

They performed some of my favourite songs including Waterloo, Dancing Queen, & Mamma Mia as well as their new ABBA Voyage songs like ‘l still have faith in you’ & ‘Don’t shut me down’.

(Above) The holograms, music sound quality, laser lighting, & everything else that went along with this performance actually blew my mind.

The Arena erupted in song & dance when they sang 'Give me, Give me, Give me a man after midnight' the ladies in the audience went ballistic dancing and singing to their hearts content. I have no idea why, do you?

During the 90-minutes performance you could here the whole audience including the 'Old Squire' singing along to the songs, it was absolutely sensational, to be quite honest with you.

All the original members of ABBA are now aged in their seventies, Frida (75), Agnatha (71), Bjorn (76), Benny (74). ABBA the group performed together from 1969 -1981. I will let you all into a little secret of mine, not only can they sing especially the two ladies in the group, Agnatha & Frida they are also good sorts.

(Above) The Pudding Mill Lane Station - don't you just love that name.

As a more humble spritely young man back in the '70s I was completely infatuated with Frida (Red head) she could have placed her slippers under my four-posted double bed at any time.

Finishing off now on yesterday’s concert l need to tell you the last two songs that they performed, second last song 'Dancing Queen' (see bright pinky coloured photo) even though there was no photography allowed, last but not least one of my favourite ABBA songs 'Winner takes it all'.

All l can say is. “Thank you for the Music”.

(Above) Though the Swedish pop band has not played London since 1979, holographic “Abbatars” of the band, modeled in their likeness from that year, are currently filling up a custom-built arena for a 90-minute concert of their greatest hits. A combination of motion-captured performance, animated sequences and a live 10-person band make up the spectacle, which makes a floor-thumping case for the music’s continued relevance.

Now getting back to the West Ham United Stadium (Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park Stadium).

I am a staunch West Ham United EPL (English Premier League) supporter, as a matter of fact l was hoping to see one of their games on this trip at their new home ground (Queen Elizabeth Stadium). Unfortunately it did not happen due to other commitments, I even brought all my supporters gear with me like, footie jumper, scarf & hat so that l would fit into the scene & feel at home.

The footie season is only just getting under way here in the UK so l did not have too many options with dates, etc.

Ten years ago when I was visiting London for the 2012 Olympics a friend of mine took me to one of West Ham's home games at their old Boleyn home ground in Upton Park, East London that they had occupied for 112-years. They vacated that ground in 2016, because that property was redeveloped into a housing estate & then they moved into the 'Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park Stadium' (see photos).

If you ever get the opportunity to go to any EPL Soccer match here in the UK just do it, the atmosphere is electric, ever since that memorable day 10-years ago l have been a loyal fan of West Ham just like I am a loyal fan of the 'Cronulla Sharks' NRL team back in Australia.

Seeing that I was so close to the West Ham United home ground I decided to take a casual 1km walk after the ABBA concert to check it out (see photo). Not only that it was like a walk down memory lane going over my footsteps when I was here 10-years ago attending the London Olympics.

Walking around this East End of London as they call it now, it has turned out to be a very vibrant part of the old Canary Wharf area that used to be the pits.

In 10-hours from now l will be in the waiting room at LHR airport waiting to board my Qantas A380 aircraft for the 24-hour flight back home to Australia. Undoubtedly l will feel a tinge of sadness because this will probably be my last visit to the 'Old Dart'.

As l have previously mentioned in my stories, that I first arrived here in England on the 6th July 1971, (51-years ago) at Liverpool on the day that Louis Armstrong passed away. I landed with Pam, my girlfriend, in our VW-Camper Van. We had sailed from Montreal, Canada with our van as hand luggage on the ship to start the European part of our round-the-world trip in our camper.

That my friends is all she wrote. I need to get myself packed because as you all know a Qantas aircraft does not wait for anyone. Speak to you all again from Sydney.

Warmest regards,

Warbo