ABBA tribute band mesmerizes Goan fans

BAMBOLIM: Nearly five decades after Swedish troupe,

ABBA

broke into the global music scene, setting records and hearts on fire, Swedish ABBA tribute band, Waterloo recreated the ABBA magic in Goa. Playing with them was the legendary Ulf

Andersson

, the original musician who played the famous saxophone solo in ‘I Do I Do I Do I Do I Do’.

Even at 77, the sprightly Andersson shows no sign of fading and continues to tour with Waterloo as well as members of UK’s The National Symphony Orchestra.

Before going on stage at the

Shyama Prasad Mukherjee Stadium

in Bambolim, the band members spoke to STOI about recreating the ABBA magic to ensure that the ‘Show Must Go On’.

“I enjoy it (performing). Being on stage with this group is fun. As long as I have fun, I forget that I am tired. To play over and over again, is a feeling of déjà vu. Its very close to my heart. I can remember very well how it felt the first time,” says Andersson.

Even as the band sets up and the opening act complete their sound check, the mood of the audience is palpable; ‘Gimme Gimme Gimme’ is clearly on their lips.

“We want the audience to have the feeling of listening to the original ABBA. It is very important part of history to keep it going forward. It is wonderful because when you travel all around the world, you realize that ABBA was all over the world. People know the lyrics. They are happy to see us all because they can’t see the real ABBA,” singer Camilla Dahlin says.

Despite the tremendous success that “The Show - A tribute to ABBA” has received, for Andersson, the original ABBA remains special. He also bemoans the infusion of technology into music which, he says, has taken away the charm of vocal harmony and musical composition in new generation pop-music.

“What we did with ABBA back in the 70s, we recorded live. It was like a concert. The musicians and singers were there. The natural way of singing is always important. If you hear natural singing, without too much effects, you can really feel the soul and essence of the song,” he says.

Though Andersson does occasionally meet the original ABBA pop-stars, he rules out a reunion. “I doubt it. It’s been too long a time. Maybe they could come on stage to do something else, but not singing or performing,” he says.

The band soon sprinted onto the stage to thunderous applause. And as they went through the classics such as ‘Waterloo’, ‘SOS’, ‘Mamma Mia’, ‘Dancing Queen’, ‘Money Money Money’, ‘Knowing Me, Knowing You’ and, of course, ‘I Do I Do I Do I Do I Do’, for ABBA fans in Goa, this was a dream come true.