Abba’s music still as popular almost 50 years after Waterloo winner

GLOW sticks and glitter were the order of the day as summer entertainment continued in the grand surroundings of Stonor Park on Sunday.

As the night sky darkened, the stage was lit up with sequins and satin and the familiar refrain of Waterloo, the song that started it all, was heard.

It was easy to see why Abba Revival are a multi-award winning act and much in demand.

Hit followed hit, Super Trouper, Knowing Me, Knowing You, The Name of the Game. Pitch perfect singing and pinpoint musicianship to match.

Members of the audience were encouraged to follow the familiar, authentic choreography and sing back to the group and they enthusiastically obliged.

Then a brief breather as the pace calmed slightly for Fernando and The Winner Takes It All but not the gusto of the audience. Mobile phones were illuminated and at the ready in a sea of swaying arms.

Iconic costume changes, almost as impressive as the efforts of those in the crowd, added to a show that was so much more than a tribute act. This wasn’t just a concert, this was a party.

Abba Revival achieved the impossible as they turned up the tempo and turned back the clock to the days when disco ruled the dance floor.

Asked if they wanted more, the audience’s response was a definite, Gimme, Gimme, Gimme! and we were treated to an encore consisting, among others, of what else but Dancing Queen and Mamma Mia, giving the still-bouncing crowd everything they wanted.

Almost 50 years on, the music still resonates with those who remember that historic day in Brighton, when the original ABBA won the 1974 Eurovision Song Contest with Waterloo, and with those whp are just learning about it now.

Abba Revival were keen to acknowledge the musical legacy they are honouring so well.

Along with the near-exhausted disco dancing crowd, they sang Thank You For The Music and meant every word of it.

Andrea Olley

P.S. Did you know that the baseline of Abba’s SOS was the “inspiration” for one of punk’s most iconic riffs? The Sex Pistols’ Glen Matlock admitted decades later to lifting it for Pretty Vacant.