ABBA Voyage Concert Experience

Thank goodness I only have to wait until Friday. Couldn't stand it much longer!

I'm envious. I've got another week to wait.

Director and choreographer Baillie Walsh and Wayne McGregor gave an interesting interview on Front Row tonight which gives more detail of how they created the show than any other source so far. Well worth a listen.

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.

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.

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.

I saw the bottle on Scott Bryan's Instagram and I'd buy one as well!

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.

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!?

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.