The Simple Reality

Full Eclipse

The rumble of the ground combined voices from people who were joined together from all around the world chanting "We Want ABBA!" brought on chills as the lights had dimmed out. The show was to begin and anticipation drummed within the chests of many. The arena was large, holding almost up to capacity on that remarkable evening, and seen from the back, the dance floor was filled with guests and fans whose eyes either wandered to find the four members who were also in the audience to watch the show for the first time together, or to the screen, eagerly awaiting the moment of the show's start.

Right at the first moment the melody had played, claps and "Woos!" were heard across the arena, almost like a wave sweeping across the place. It was finally time and it was happening at last; a long wait was over. The crowd silenced, taking in everything witnessed. The audience was a mixture of fans, celebrities, families and friends of ABBA and those who had worked with them on the project— and of course, ABBA themselves.

The four, seated in various spots in the back center of the arena, had perhaps the best seats for what they wanted to see: the show, which had already caused excitement to spread around the room, and the fans from the dance floor ahead of them, and views of both side sections. They could easily note the happiness they brought to their fans and only hoped that the show would not disappoint.

Agnetha's elation was quite obvious throughout the entire evening. No, she hadn't yet seen much of the show, nothing more than snippets and the concept of how it was envisioned to be, but she knew it was something very uniquely made. She recalled to herself that the recording was indeed a journey itself, not only the album, but the whole experience of ABBA coming together to put the show the way it is.

It was nothing less than a true concert, but the odd part is that this time all they have left to do is sit back and actually attend their own concert rather than performing. That job was already taken care of. It would take time getting used to for her, seeing their younger bodies sing, talk, and move, but knowing how it was produced, and to finally see what became of it was exciting to her. 

As for the other three who'd seen the show earlier that week, they knew what was to come of the performances, but not exactly how the audience reaction would turn out. They'd spent a few days the previous weekend and early that week doing test runs of the show to observe the audience reaction and now it was finally the night that they'd come to see the real show come to life for all that it is. And besides the fact it would now be an attraction available to absolutely everyone, those attendees that night included critics, journalists, and public figures like the King and Queen of Sweden, to say the least.

However, seeing the glee that lifted everyone in the room into the same combined feeling was something beyond. So many were joined together for the love of ABBA and somehow it always remained mysterious as to what is was with them that had them so loved. Good music, yes. Probably their great looks, too.

Whatever it was, it showed its effect. The screaming over even just minimal moments of the four interacting together was enough to drive an entire arena out of control. It really seemed like they'd not aged, as if the year was still 1977 and the four are in their happy era, in their prime, and rocking the world as they always had.

The four who were watching found the connection that was created between the performance of these abbatars and the people. Just because it had been all previously recorded material and a near entirely digitized show did not mean the audience would simply stand and stare. Clearly, that couldn't be the case. Not with ABBA. There wasn't a soul that stood without singing along, without dancing, or without screaming as if those four figures up on the stage were truly alive.

Agnetha's lips twisted as she watched one song fall into the next. Her arms were crossed and she watched very closely the entire arena being filled with sound of her and Frida's voices combined. Their dances that she remembered rehearsing with the motion suits were projected and it portrayed truthfully.