The iconic Swedish pop group ABBA is currently performing a concert residency at ABBA Arena in London. The show, titled “ABBA Voyage”, features ABBA performing as digital avatars alongside a live 10-piece band. Since opening in May 2022, the show has received widespread acclaim from both critics and fans.
ABBA Arena was custom built for the ABBA Voyage concert experience. The state-of-the-art arena has a capacity of 3,000 and features revolutionary motion-capture technology that brings ABBA’s avatars to life on stage. The show features ABBA’s Benny Andersson and Björn Ulvaeus performing alongside digital versions of themselves and their fellow bandmates Agnetha Fältskog and Anni-Frid Lyngstad. It provides audiences with a unique chance to see ABBA perform “live” again with a setlist packed full of their iconic hits.
Naturally, with such an innovative and highly anticipated show, many ABBA fans are curious just how long the concert experience lasts. Read on for a breakdown of the ABBA Voyage show length and setlist details.
ABBA Voyage Show Length
The ABBA Voyage concert at ABBA Arena runs for approximately 1 hour and 40 minutes, with no intermission. This allows the show to pack in as many of ABBA’s beloved songs as possible while still leaving audiences thoroughly entertained from start to finish.
Most reviews of ABBA Voyage note the show’s relatively brisk pace. While concerts for many legacy acts stretch on for 2-3 hours, ABBA Voyage has a tighter, more concentrated feel. Of course, this is likely intentional, as it may have been more difficult to sustain the illusion of ABBA’s digital avatars for an excessive amount of time.
The more compact show length also adds to the feeling of ABBA Voyage being an energized, lively show rather than an indulgent nostalgia act. At around 100 minutes, there is no room for filler or downtime. Audiences get hit with banger after banger, including many of ABBA’s biggest hits along with some deeper cuts.
ABBA Voyage Setlist & Song Count
ABBA Voyage contains 27 songs total. The setlist includes a mix of singles, beloved album tracks, and more obscure selections. Notably, every song included in the show was released between 1972–1982, which was ABBA’s prime hitmaking era.
Some of the highlights and fan favorites performed include:
- “Waterloo”
- “Mamma Mia”
- “S.O.S.”
- “Knowing Me, Knowing You”
- “Fernando”
- “Dancing Queen”
- “Money, Money, Money”
- “The Winner Takes It All”
- “Super Trouper”
The full ABBA Voyage setlist is:
Song | Original Release Year |
---|---|
“The Visitors” | 1981 |
“Hole in Your Soul” | 1977 |
“SOS” | 1975 |
“Knowing Me, Knowing You” | 1977 |
“Chiquitita” | 1979 |
“Fernando” | 1976 |
“Mamma Mia” | 1975 |
“Does Your Mother Know” | 1979 |
“Eagle” | 1978 |
“Gimme! Gimme! Gimme! (A Man After Midnight)” | 1979 |
“Super Trouper” | 1980 |
“One of Us” | 1981 |
“Waterloo” | 1974 |
Intermission Video | |
“Money, Money, Money” | 1976 |
“The Name of the Game” | 1977 |
“Thank You for the Music” | 1978 |
“Summer Night City” | 1978 |
“I Still Have Faith in You” | 2021 |
“Don’t Shut Me Down” | 2021 |
“I Do, I Do, I Do, I Do, I Do” | 1975 |
“Slipping Through My Fingers” | 1981 |
“The Day Before You Came” | 1982 |
“Me and I” | 1980 |
“Head Over Heels” | 1981 |
“Dancing Queen” | 1976 |
“The Winner Takes It All” | 1980 |
“Thank You for the Music (Reprise)” | 1978 |
As the table shows, the setlist draws heavily from ABBA’s late ’70s/early ’80s albums, especially 1979’s “Voulez-Vous”, 1980’s “Super Trouper”, and 1981’s “The Visitors”. These albums contained some of their biggest pop hits.
However, the concert does reach back to the band’s earlier work, including breakout Eurovision track “Waterloo” and signature single “Mamma Mia”. The two songs released in conjunction with the Voyage project in 2021, “I Still Have Faith in You” and “Don’t Shut Me Down”, are also included.
Costumes & Set Changes
Aside from the music itself, the eye-popping visuals and production value are major highlights of ABBA Voyage. The digital avatars of ABBA wear a multitude of colorful, campy costumes across the 27-song setlist, providing plenty of over-the-top visual flair.
In total, there are nine costume changes throughout the concert:
- Yellow ’70s jumpsuits
- White and silver futuristic jumpsuits
- Black and silver outfits with tall platform boots
- Shiny silver and blue suits
- Black lace dresses with black gloves and boots
- White and gold Grecian-inspired dresses and bell bottoms
- Striped unitards with knee-high socks and sneakers
- Black velvet suits with white ruffled collars
- Sparkling silver and gold dresses
The innovative set design also transforms throughout the show. Highlights include:
- A giant white piano emerging from the floor
- Disco balls descending from the ceiling
- Band members rising up on platforms from below the stage
- Giant photos and neon signs lit up as display screens
These elements, coupled with the rapid costume changes, ensure the show has an electrifying pace and high-energy atmosphere throughout.
Songs Per Decade
As prolific hitmakers throughout the 1970s and early 1980s, ABBA has a deep well of material to pull from for the Voyage concert. Here is a breakdown of how many songs in the setlist were originally released per decade:
- 1970s: 17 songs
- 1980s: 9 songs
- 2020s: 2 songs
The focus is overwhelmingly on ABBA’s imperial phase in the 1970s, which saw the release of mega-hits like “Dancing Queen”, “Take a Chance on Me”, and “Knowing Me, Knowing You.” The 1980s are also well-represented, as the group maintained their popularity in that decade. The two recently released songs help round out the set.
1970s Songs
ABBA were unmatched hitmakers in the 1970s. The ABBA Voyage setlist contains most of their major smashes from the decade:
Song | Year |
---|---|
“Waterloo” | 1974 |
“Mamma Mia” | 1975 |
“SOS” | 1975 |
“Fernando” | 1976 |
“Dancing Queen” | 1976 |
“Knowing Me, Knowing You” | 1977 |
“The Name of the Game” | 1977 |
“Take a Chance on Me” | 1978 |
“Eagle” | 1978 |
“Summer Night City” | 1978 |
“Chiquitita” | 1979 |
“Does Your Mother Know” | 1979 |
“Voulez-Vous” | 1979 |
“Gimme! Gimme! Gimme!” | 1979 |
1980s Songs
While the 1970s were their peak, ABBA still scored major hits in the 1980s before disbanding in 1982. Many of their ’80s classics are performed:
Song | Year |
---|---|
“Super Trouper” | 1980 |
“The Winner Takes It All” | 1980 |
“One of Us” | 1981 |
“The Day Before You Came” | 1982 |
“Under Attack” | 1982 |
“The Visitors” | 1981 |
“Head Over Heels” | 1981 |
2020s Songs
ABBA Voyage contains the band’s first new songs in over 40 years:
- “I Still Have Faith in You” (2021)
- “Don’t Shut Me Down” (2021)
These newly recorded tracks were released specifically to coincide with the launch of the Voyage concert experience.
How Does ABBA Voyage Length Compare to Other ABBA Shows?
For an ABBA show, a length of 100 minutes is relatively standard. Here is how ABBA Voyage show length compares to some of the iconic Swedish group’s past tours and performances:
- European & Australian Tour (1977) — Typically 120 minutes
- North American Tour (1979–1980) — Typically 120 minutes
- ABBA: The Movie Concert (1977) — Six songs performed, running around 25 minutes
- Dick Cavett Meets ABBA (1981) — Six songs performed, running around 25 minutes
ABBA’s 1970s and 1980s tours consisted of 20-25 song setlists, running around 2 hours including encore breaks. Their Voyage set clocks in a little under those marathon shows.
For one-off concerts like ABBA: The Movie and their Dick Cavett performance, shorter 5-6 song sets lasting 25 minutes were the norm. So at 100 minutes, ABBA Voyage provides a much more extensive musical experience.
How Long are Other Jukebox Musicals & Legacy Act Shows?
Compared to other stage shows promoting the music of beloved performers or groups, ABBA Voyage has a relatively standard length. For example:
- Mamma Mia! Broadway Show — 2 hours 30 minutes
- Jersey Boys Broadway Show — 2 hours 30 minutes
- Summer: The Donna Summer Musical Broadway Show — 1 hour 45 minutes
- Elton John “Farewell Yellow Brick Road” Tour — 2 hours 30 minutes
- Billy Joel Residency at Madison Square Garden — 1 hour 40 minutes
- ABBA Voyage — 1 hour 40 minutes
- Bruce Springsteen on Broadway — 2 hours
Many similar shows range from 1 hour 45 minutes to 2 hours 30 minutes. So at 100 minutes, ABBA Voyage comes in on the shorter side. But this allows the show to maintain a quick, vibrant pace.
Conclusion
The ABBA Voyage concert experience runs for approximately 100 minutes, or 1 hour and 40 minutes. Across the brisk 27-song setlist, fans are treated to ABBA’s iconic hits from the 1970s and early 1980s along with state-of-the-art digital avatars and dazzling theatrical production.
While some ABBA concerts in the past stretched as long as 2 hours, the condensed ABBA Voyage allows for an energetic show packed with nonstop hits. When compared to other Broadway musicals and legacy acts’ residencies, ABBA Voyage has a typical average show length.
Fans looking to dance the night away to ABBA’s fabulous catalog can expect a show around 100 minutes. That gives just enough time to include most of their most beloved anthems and fan favorites from across the peak years of ABBA’s career.