Is ABBA Coming To Melbourne?

Will Melbourne be the next home to ABBA Voyage, joining London as the second-ever city to host the spectacular holographic concert? It sure seems that way, with sources close to discussions telling The Age it’s looking likely.

According to a new report in The Age, Michael Bolingbroke, the CEO of ABBA Voyage, was recently in Melbourne and reportedly chatting with government officials and local music promoters to host the concert, which finds ABBA reprising their 1970s selves in hologram form as a live band plays the songs.

A source close to the discussions told the publication, “It was a very positive meeting. I would suspect there will be an announcement within weeks.”

London’s ABBA Arena, built specifically for this concert, has exclusively held the Voyage shows since May 2022. Since its inception, ABBA Voyage has sold over one million tickets. Last year, sources at Variety hinted that the hologram concert could go on a world tour.

Universal Music Group chairman Lucian Grainge said in a company meeting last year, “Plans are now in development to take ‘ABBA Voyage’ around the world.”

ABBA and Universal Music Group representatives didn’t offer Variety any further information. It's not much to go on, but neither was that inside information about Madonna's world tour, which is actually happening.

The proposed Melbourne-based ABBA Voyage concert would be held at Flemington Racecourse. It would involve building a “cutting-edge arena”, per 10 Play, which is estimated to cost between $60 and $100 million. The arena would feature state-of-the-art LED technology, which was developed in partnership with Industrial Light & Magic, the company that created the special effects in the Star Wars films.

Paul Guerra, CEO of the Victorian Chamber of Commerce and Industry, stated, “Melbourne gave ABBA its first #1 hit, and so it is only right that Melbourne continues its celebrated connection through the ABBA Voyage experience.” 

Local promoters are reportedly seeking a substantial contribution from the state government to help cover costs, aiming for 25% in support. Final approval of the event requires support from key government officials.

Discussing the emergence of the ABBA hologram tour in 2018, Molly Meldrum, who has campaigned for the iconic group to bring the show to Australia, said, “ABBA are going to tour again, but it’s with a difference, with a magical difference. So, I'll use the old saying - do yourself a favour and check it out!”