I am not sure about this but she is I believe Princess Anni-Frid, Dowager Countess of Plauen
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Just scanned through most of the posts. I probably missed out on more disturbing quotes but the above stopped me in my tracks and made me stopped reading. Actually, I was going to write more but why bother. I will just love and leave you with “concert”. Please 
I guess it takes time to hype up enough certainty of ticket sales for a 3D film before launching…
One last thing, I just listened to the new songs prompted by this topic. Wow. Terrible. I couldn’t even finish them. Middle of the road elevator music with lyrics.
I have an old Abba album that I do throw on once or twice a year, and very much enjoy.
Let’s remember them as they were or go on tour with a few select dates because this avatar …. is just another reason to squeeze more money out.
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This whole ABBA venture looks like ending in a fiasco. I don’t feel the quality of songs from their new Album will redeem them. Abba of the past was a superb era with iconic songs, why spoil it all now…?
We have tickets for the first Saturday in May of the live show. I have the green vinyl on order, already purchased the new songs in hi-res which I think are superb. After the horrendous last couple of years we need ABBA back in our lives and the right kind of nostalgia to propel us into a new era of hope and expectation. Bravo to Benny and Bjorn I say and I will happily take holograms of Frida and Agnetha as a reminder of the carefree 70s and 80s that my daughters will never experience…
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Growing up in the 70s/80s seems such a far cry from today’s social media obsessed crazy world. Things seemed far more natural and less stressful then. Kids could be kids and enjoy themselves. That said, many things have changed for the better, and there are so many modern things which are no simply a part of life for them.
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That sadly was my first impression, will have to wait to see if they ‘fit’ in the context of a whole album and its theme.
It does bring other people’s tastes out into the open somewhat. Objectively both new songs could never be described as anything other than bang average. Bland, well produced daytime radio 2 music of a routine sort. At best a poor management ABBA tribute band. Then you hear others banging on as though it were the second coming. The hoo hah over the shows simply serves to mask that.
Much as I loved them first time round there is really nothing much to see here. Of we’re lucky the new album will have maybe 2 or 3 songs which aspire to rise above. I won’t be holding my breath though.
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Sorry but you need to do a little more seaarching for new music to entertain yourself and your daughters haha For example, prior to the pandemic here I went to Shannon and the Clams. Cool, youngish, inspired by 50s music and excellent. The place rocked. What I found amazing beside their great music was 80% of the audience were in their 20s. Bought one of their albums. Best part was they were live human beings, playing and singing to the delight of everyone 
There is lots of live footage etc of Abba out there. Really no one needs holograms especially young kids. Bring them to a good concert of an up and coming band and support them. Maybe even try meet the band after. Imagine your daughters excitement at meeting the band.
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Really, the Abbatar thing will be just one big party venue. The auditorium is basically a dance floor. At least initially the first few weeks will be a blatant excuse for fancy dress for many. You have to judge it for what it is and there will be nothing else like it 
In terms of searching for new music I also have tickets for Dua Lipa which I I would obviously file differently and would never compare the two…
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I’m starting to think you are either a promoter of this fantasy, investor or work for them because you are defending it like it’s your very wayward only child 
By the way, I don’t real care about them trying to squeeze the life of out it to earn few more pounds (although it is very sad) and employ some people so I’m not even sure why I’m even writing on this thread other than I waiting to watch the soccer.
I had a 1 minute listen to Dua Lipa which you mentioned. No comment. I gave you Shannon and the Clams for you to try. Musicians with edge, none commercial and you gave me pretty girls dancing that’s as much as I could tolerate. I would put my house on that some hip hop rap followed that introduction 🥲
Anyway that’s my part done. Off to my soccer and some tunes after.
Elvis has left the building. Best of Luck.
Really??? 
Nice one ABBA, here’s to the fun of music 
… oops, forgot the heart at the end of my message, here goes…
Indeed. The more I read in this it sounds like those horrendous singalonga Sound Of Music. Given a choice between karaoke and music I’ll choose music.
Oh dear, hope I haven’t touched a raw nerve…Enjoy your Shannon and the Clams and your hip hop rap and I’ll stick with my pretty girls dancing then everyone’s happy. Glad that Elvis has left the building, and hopefully “A little less conversation”, but doubt it…
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Sorry for resurrecting an old thread but I don’t frequent here as often nowadays. While I can totally understand the healthy debate on here about the merits or otherwise of Abba’s Avatar show, what I find very dispiriting indeed is seeing people being castigated for liking a particular artist by people who see themselves as arbiters of fine taste.
Frankly I and clearly millions of others like the new Abba material and are overjoyed to hear those amazing girls voices and Benny and Bjorn’s melodies again. I have no problem with others not liking them, but what I won’t accept is myself and others being derided for liking the new Abba songs by some kind of judge and jury on here. Frankly Abba at 75% of their potential is better than 99% of the best songs ever written by most artists.
Fortunately on this forum most people here are broad minded enough to embrace a very wide spectrum of music and that has permitted many of us to learn from each other and to embrace artists who are unfamiliar and to discover some real gems. Personally my taste encompasses everything from the Beatles to Shostakovich with everything inbetween and that’s certainly the norm here - long may it remain so!
I haven’t booked tickets for the Abba ‘gig!’ lol yet, but I am seeing Genesis and Del Amitri (twice!) in the next 2 weeks. I haven’t seen Genesis before but love the later stuff (and pretty much loathe the early stuff!) but it will be great to finally see one of the true supergroups of my era and in particular to hear Collins incredibly soulful voice live.
Of course you cannot beat live music, but in the absence of that possibility and having seen most of the Abba cover bands down the years I’m curious to see the genuine Abba show and just how convincing a spectacle it is. It’s not live of course, but you might as well level that accusation at the new Bond film - Daniel Craig didn’t shoot those people or drive that Aston martin off a cliff for real did he? It won’t stop millions from enjoying the film though if it’s done convincingly enough.
Jonathan
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Congratulations on your press release.
We are all “arbiters of taste”. It’s how we build a music collection.
To steal a quote from elsewhere “never has so much been written in support of so little”.
Happy you’re enjoying the sullying of the legacy 
I think I commented earlier in the thread that I didn’t like the two tracks I’d heard. My understanding is they’re going to be the first two singles from the album and IMO they’re nowhere near as strong as Abba singles of old.
I was 10 when Abba won the ESC and I grew up with, and loved, their music. While the world fawned over Agnetha I crushed on Ani Frid. They were a massive part of my young life but personally I’d rather remember them as they were.
I will at some point listen to the new album but from what I’ve heard so far I doubt I’ll buy it.
That’s like comparing apples with pears.
Bond is not and never was real…unlike ABBA.