The Music. The Memories. The Magic.

January 26, 2010 11:27 AM

It started with, 'How do we give the visitor a big hug in each room?' Ladies and Gentlemen, AbbaWorld is now open for business.

"The phenomenon of ABBA will be brought to life in over 25 spectacular environments and with many interactive highlights including ‘Perform with ABBA’, which will allow fans to get up on stage with their idols as part of a stunning 3D holographic illusion. The ‘Tretow MIX Challenge’ gives visitors a chance to mix songs and re-create the ABBA sound while the ‘ABBA Quiz’ which will test the fans’ knowledge. There is also the opportunity to sing along and dance with ABBA, plus a chance for fans to see themselves in an ABBA video."

Photos.

And YouTube videos for those who can't afford the ticket to London, but still want the Abba experience:
Mamma Mia
Dancing Queen
Take a Chance on Me
Fernando
And from the Eurovision contest that started it all: Waterloo.

posted by mudpuppie (17 comments total)

*considers persuading the wife London will be better for our honeymoon than Venice*
posted by kmz at 11:32 AM on January 26, 2010 [1 favorite]

Thank you for the music.
posted by Mayor Curley at 11:34 AM on January 26, 2010 [1 favorite]

This picture is kind of frightening. It's like ABBA gets redone in Reboot.
posted by GuyZero at 11:35 AM on January 26, 2010

How could I ever refuse?
posted by The Whelk at 11:40 AM on January 26, 2010 [3 favorites]

I've been accused of being an Abba fan that takes all of the fun out of like Abba. They had a great run of catchy singles that still sound good despite some very dated production. I really like the songs as great pop songs, but am not a big fan of kitschy baggage that seems to come with them now. The museum part sounds interesting, but the theme park side frightens me.
posted by Slack-a-gogo at 11:50 AM on January 26, 2010

One corner holds the helicopter pictured on the cover of the 1976 album "Arrival."

Alright, maybe I am a little giddy after all. I used to draw this thing as a kid - over and over again. Sometimes with Abba in front of it, sometimes not. A helicopter by itself - not so bad. But once you draw a helicopter with Abba in front of it, you're pretty much asking for a swirlie. Stupid Kiss and Ted Nugent fans.
posted by Slack-a-gogo at 11:56 AM on January 26, 2010 [2 favorites]

> This picture is kind of frightening. It's like ABBA gets redone in Reboot.

I had a similar first reaction when I saw Beatles: Rock Band. The production values are good and the art is, on its own terms, well-done. The problem is in seeing people I've seen many times for many years, in photos and moving pictures, rendered as synthesized animatrons. They look off and there's no way around it. (And stuff the uncanny valley talk; I'd have the same reaction if these were carefully hand-rendered animated pencil drawings.)
posted by ardgedee at 11:59 AM on January 26, 2010

If it wasn't for ABBA, I'd never have finished Ikari Warriors.
posted by Dr-Baa at 12:02 PM on January 26, 2010 [2 favorites]

If it wasn't for the nights, I think that I could make it.
posted by Melismata at 12:43 PM on January 26, 2010

Will Alan Partridge be there?
posted by cmoj at 12:47 PM on January 26, 2010

I have declared war on AbbaWorld. At an unnamed date in the near future, an odorless, colorless chemical will be released which, when it reacts with polyester, will melt human skin. There are no demands. There is no escape. The suffering will only end when I have the head of Bjorn on a platter.
posted by DecemberBoy at 2:29 PM on January 26, 2010

My first inklings about my future sexuality (if I had been aware enough as a kid) should have been my endless fascination with Benny Andersson. I still find his ABBA-years-look to be a total trigger for me. I ran into a guy once who was a dead-ringer for Benny in his 30s, and lost all power of speech and fell just short of stalking the guy.

All that aside, I really do love ABBA's music, too. Pretty much every word to every song has been stuck in my head for decades now, and few things make me as happy as encountering their music with others who also like it. For once, one side of my inner geek can shine through as we all sing together.

I also cannot stand Mamma Mia. It's cute and clever, but it just gets my hackles up in unexplainable ways.

Now, how do we get Benny Anderssons Orkester to come do a US tour??? I'll even revive my polka skills, if that's what it takes...
posted by hippybear at 3:54 PM on January 26, 2010 [1 favorite]

Have you ever seen the movie, "ABBA?" The costumes worn Agnetha and Anni-Frid in the concert sequences are positively pornographic (as is the dancing). Seeing it recently gave me the last inklings of my now-past sexuality.
posted by Faze at 4:06 PM on January 26, 2010

ABBA iis like shooting raw grade sunshine into your veins. The Scandinavians are tops at that kind of Unrelenting Aural Cheerfulness. You need it to survive the 7 months of Ice And Doom.
posted by The Whelk at 4:58 PM on January 26, 2010

yessssssssssssssss!!!

On New Year's Eve 1999-2000, I was on the Berlin Wall. As in "on top of." With bottles of champagne and a way too short dress and some crazy assed heels. My feet were practically falling off. There were no taxis to be found. My (American, yet resident in Berlin) friend made some total boy-crack about how I should have worn more sensible shoes, and I shot back "Yeah, well if I'd known we were going on NAZI DEATH MARCH, maybe I WOULD HAVE."

Suffice to say they found me a taxi.

I got back to the apartment first.

Ring the bell. (ring! ring!)

Our friend Torsten's girlfriend leans out, sees it's me, and yells "SCHNELL! GET UP HERE! THE ABBA MOVIE IS ON!" as she drops me the front door keys.

I spent the first 90 minutes of the new millennium with ABBA. Awww hell yeah. I will get to ABBAworld if it kills me!
posted by bitter-girl.com at 6:21 PM on January 26, 2010 [1 favorite]

I need to visit this. : )
posted by SisterHavana at 9:04 PM on January 26, 2010

I WANT TO GO TO THERE!
posted by paddbear at 6:57 AM on January 27, 2010