Money. Money. Money: ABBA to Go on a VR Tour in 2019

When you think of cutting-edge technology in music entertainment, it’s probably thoughts of holographic performances by artists who are either dead or never existed in the first place.

I tell you what I don’t think of: ABBA. The Swedish pop group got together in 1972, when vinyl was the peak of musical technology snobbery. Since now in 2017 we seem to have come full circle on the vinyl thing I guess it’s not so weird that ABBA is making headlines again.

Since the reason they’re making headlines in 2017 has to do with VR it also means that for the first time I have to write something about ABBA, which almost feels like an act of musical anthropology.

So yes, ABBA is going on tour, but instead of a traditional romp around the world the Scandinavian foursome will be touring virtually using VR technology.

Keeping the Meatball Rolling

It’s not as if ABBA have been toiling their immaculate platform shoes off non-stop since 1972. While the band never officially called it quits, the last time they actually performed together was in 1982. That was 34 years ago before their announced reunion at the start of 2016. At the end of 2016, after a handful of group appearances on TV, it was announced that the group was working on a “digital entertainment experience”. Now we know what it is.

Mamma Mia! It’s a VR Tour

So this motley group of dancing queens have decided what they want to do with their big comeback is jump on the VR train and have a (probably) last hurrah. The project is backed by Idols creator Simon Fuller. Fuller says that the ABBA VR experience will be a “previously unimagined” form of digital entertainment.

Beyond the fact that all of ABBA will be involved and that it’s going to be some sort of digital VR experience not much more has been said. We know that it’s happening in 2018 and that the group have promised to say more later in 2017.

Given their respective ages and the harsh realities of touring, a VR reunion is probably the only way these super troupers are going to live up to their fan expectations and perform again.

What a brave new world we live in.