ABBA Voyage: The Concert Residency – CONTAINS MAJOR SET LIST SPOILERS

Apologies if it's been asked and answered before, but how many tickets are needed to be sold to recoup its cost? It's a phenomenal number and the reviews have been nothing but a sheer delight to read.
 
It can’t be far off can it? I mean the average price is about £80 or so isn’t it? That would mean around £50 million so far.
 
Yes, I'd say £80 was a good, reasonably cautious estimate at average price.

The cost has been reported (and I think officially) as £140m.
 
Lucille said:
Didn’t I read it needs to run for 5 years to break even?
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I doubt it's that long. It has to vacate its current location in 2025 as there are already plans for housing on the site.
 
I guess there is all the staff and running costs, but then the profits from drinks and merchandise probably cover a solid amount of that. I‘d guess that it had to be a profitable venture (assuming solid sales which it has) for them to do it in the first place. Will be interesting to see how they move forward, whether it’s something they then move elsewhere in London, or even setup in more temporary places in cites like Stockholm, Sydney etc.
 
Pleased to report it hasn't lost any of its lustre :disco:

Dance floor again, very central and standing perhaps 10m back from the railing at the front we were at last time. I think ideally another 5 - 10m back would be perfect, but the crowd seemed a lot more dense there and I was already enduring being bumped up against by enough people.

I'd prefer to sit for future visits, but he definitely wants to be in the crowd, right up front.
 
Booked to see this again with my parents in December, let’s see if it’s just as magical when I’m not off my nut on MDMA.
 
Per Sundin, CEO of Pophouse Entertainment (private company co-founded by Bjorn which co-developed and invested in Voyage) has given an interview in which he says this

We need to have 3 million visitors [pay for tickets] to the ABBA Voyage show for it to break even. We’ve had 134 sold-out concerts so far – and I say ‘concerts’ because it’s a live band that [accompanies the experience].
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We’ve sold 650,000 tickets so far. And we actually sold more tickets this week than when we have the premiere of the show.
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So yes, I’m very confident. And the other interesting thing with this show is that, simultaneously, ABBA can be [playing] in Las Vegas, in Singapore, in Sydney, in Sao Paulo.
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He also states that he has been in touch with a couple of other acts about producing a similar show, but it will take 3 - 5 years. So presumably Bjorn at least will make $$$ out of any other act who does it as well :D
 
My mum and sister are coming to London to see this next month, so obviously I’m going with them.

I see you can buy tickets on Klarna now which makes sense during the current climate, but is going to be dangerous for me.
 
Looks like Singapore may be the next destination. From the instagram of Per Sundin (CEO of Pophouse who I mentioned above), and Johan Lagerlof, the head of investments.



 
I went to this the other night and while I am still not on board with the puppetry nonsense and I honestly thought it was a bit of a gimmick that I stopped caring for about three songs in (I thought I was watching a bad PS3 game cutscene during Lay All of Your Love on Me with all those TERRIFYING CLOSE-UPS of robo-Agnetha trying to emote), I had a great time because of the sheer strength of the songs and the audience vibing to them.

It's quite TELLING that Waterloo, which is essentially a YouTube montage of them singing the song throughout the years, got the exact same reception as any of the other "performances". I'm glad I went (although at nearly 100 quid a pop it is VASTLY OVERPRICED) but in all truth if they had projected 4k videos of their performances on a big screen the audience would have had a great time nevertheless.
 
Also, and I presume this has been mentioned to DEATH, but it felt QUITE SHORT with some BAFFLING OMISSIONS, ending on The Winner Takes it All is a bit of a DOWNER and whoever thought SPAFFING Voulez-Vous up the wall with that FUMITO UEDA CUTSCENE nonsense was a good idea should be FIRED.
 
I think Waterloo works because of where it is in the setlist and because by that point you've surrendered to it totally. But it is my weak point after that cartoons, and I've seen griping about it.

I personally wouldn't have let Voulez-Vous anywhere near the set list, so am grateful if any of them had to have the cartoon treatment, I'm glad it was that.

Incidentally there are a lot of cheaper seats floating around for next year now. I think the £21 ones are all midweek performances. I've got weekend dancefloor ones for £70 in February.
 
Off back tomorrow with my parents, tickets were relatively cheap as it’s the SUNDAY MATINEE. But yes prime weekend tickets still seem a bit insane, but I’ve noticed the prices fluctuate wildly.
 
Also didn’t it cost something like £400 million to produce? We probably could’ve just CLONED Abba for less.
 
I will say, as a positive, that starting with The Visitors is a TOTAL MOMENT although I suspect for the general public less so as there were a few WTF faces around me. And when

they came onstage as their 2022 selves right at the end I thought for a split second THEY WERE THERE and got a bit EMOSH

And I did cry at Don't Shut Me Down but that's because that song is the best fucking thing to come out of their comeback :disco:
 
My friend thought it was them for 24 hours after, he had taken a lot of drugs though.
 
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If they make any changes to the setlist, I reckon it could be When All Is Said And Done that is first for the chop. I definitely felt an energy dip the last time I went.

I think The Visitors as opening number is fantastic (and don't imagine for a moment they would change it), but I'm not sure that following it with Hole In Your Soul is the best move.
 
I agree Voulez Vous is my biggest letdown. As one of my faves, to get the bloody cartoon treatment is awful, especially as (from memory?) it’s right in the middle of the big disco numbers. It’s not like they had to go offstage for a rest!
 
When All Is Said And Done will surely be kept in just to keep a big Frida moment, no?
 
As much as Chiquitita isn't near the top of any list of mine (and I think the presentation of it here one of the weaker ones), standing at the front of the dancefloor and looking back at the audience all singing and arm waving in unison really is quite a moment.
 
lolly said:
As much as Chiquitita isn't near the top of any list of mine (and I think the presentation of it here one of the weaker ones), standing at the front of the dancefloor and looking back at the audience all singing and arm waving in unison really is quite a moment.
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Exactly my thoughts. It’s the most I’ve ever enjoyed the song.
 
Article in The Times today. Bjorn states apparently Cher and Mick Jagger have shown an interest in doing similar shows, and he's also heard rumours about Metallica trying similar.

Svana Gisla (producer) has said that Voyage needs 'three million people through the doors to break even, based on an 80% capacity and average ticket price of £75'.
 
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