By Sarina Forsyte | Special to the NB Indy
The musical group ABBA once sang, “You can dance, you can jive, having the time of your life.”
Nothing could be truer at the Pacific Symphony’s Summer Fest concert last month, featuring the group ABBA: Arrival From Sweden. The show featured a perfect mix of tunes from the beloved musical “Mamma Mia!” as well as many of ABBA’s most danceable 70s hits.
As the band performed, the symphony, conducted by Evan Roider, played the backing tracks, offering a full, well-rounded sound that often adding extra ornamentation to the familiar tunes. The symphony also had the spotlight when the band members would step offstage for a costume change, playing a short instrumental version of one of ABBA’s songs.
The concert took place at Great Park Live, Orange County Great Park’s outdoor venue, which was packed with food vendors, such as Wetzels Pretzels and Chick-Fil-A, picnic areas, and seating for the concert.
The venue turned the concert into an experience worth remembering, offering families and guests the opportunity to have a picnic dinner or socialize before the concert started, creating an all-evening event. The outdoor venue also provided room for concertgoers to get out of their seats and dance to the music, curating a more interactive concert experience.
ABBA: Arrival from Sweden took to the stage in a variety of replica ABBA outfits, transporting audience members back to the 1970s with the look and feel of the original group. These included white outfits adorned with gold accessories, knee-high boots, and their iconic oversized T-shirts and mini shorts. In return, audience members also wore costumes, with many decked out in full 70s garb, such as sequined jackets or bell-bottom jeans.
As the concert progressed, the front of the Great Park venue lit up into a dance floor, inviting people from all corners of the venue to come dance to their favorite ABBA songs, ranging from “Voulez-Vous” to “The Winner Takes It All.” A notable aspect of the song choices was the utilization of medleys to create a more exciting listening experience. One instance was a medley of the songs “Kisses of Fire,” “Angeleyes” and “Lay All Your Love on Me.”
Another unique feature of the concert and group was that Arrival from Sweden sang certain parts of the original songs in Swedish, highlighting not only Arrival’s origin as a group, but also the fact that the original group, ABBA, was formed in Stockholm, Sweden.
Hearing the music in ABBA’s native language and by the tribute band was a unique experience, with familiar lyrics translated into Swedish. There was even a portion of the exchange where the audience was taught a few words in Swedish, which added to the overall connection and experience of hearing the songs in the language.
One of the most distinctive aspects of the show, however, wasn’t the costumes or dancing, but the fun facts about ABBA shared by the group’s lead performers throughout the show. After every few numbers, the lead singers would share a tidbit of ABBA’s history, providing context for the dynamics between different band members, including how two ABBA band members were married, as well as the backstories behind many of their famous songs. This allowed the audience to become engaged in the onstage chemistry of the performers and learn about the cultural relevance of the songs, as well as how they contributed to the overall success of the group.
There were also many interactive aspects to the show, including during the final number, “Dancing Queen,” when the band brought up a few young members of the audience onstage to dance and sing with them.
Overall, the concert was memorable and enjoyable because of the unique experience of hearing the combination of retro ABBA music and traditional symphonic sound.
The Pacific Symphony summer season has ended, but more musical fun is on its way this fall when Pacific Symphony launches its Pops season at Segerstrom Concert Hall November 6 and 7 with Idina Menzel (“Rent,” “Frozen”). That will be followed by Cody Fry Christmas in December, Pink Martini in January, Clouds in my Coffee: The Music of Joni Mitchell, Carole King, and Carly Simon in March, The Music of James Bond in April, Sci-Fi Showdown: A Galactic Journey in May, and “Chicago: The Musical” in concert in June.
For more information, visit www.PacificSymphony.org.
