Emma Pritchard
The Saraton Theatre in Grafton was rocking and rolling on August 25 as hundreds of people clapped, danced, and sang along to the lyrics of their favourite ABBA songs, expertly brought to life by famed tribute band Bjorn Again.
An entertaining and light-hearted parody of the Swedish supergroup that encompassed plenty of colourful flare, humour, and vivacity on stage, the sensational vocals of Agnetha Falstart, Benny Anderwear, Frida Longstockin, and Bjorn Volvo-us, delighted the crowd, who readily joined in with the performers and their hilarious antics.
After opening the show with a stirring performance of ABBA’s smash hit Waterloo, Bjorn Again faithfully recreated a string of popular releases including Super Trouper, Honey Honey, S.O.S., Does Your Mother Know, Gimme! Gimme! Gimme!, and Fernando, which earned them widespread applause.
Demonstrating their boldness and easy playfulness as they artistically delivered impressive dance synchronisations while staying true to the powerful stage presence ABBA was renowned for, several members of the audience agreed Bjorn Again was as much a visual experience as an impressive musical act, with many complimenting the band for their engaging personas and ability to laugh at themselves throughout the night as their comedic talents shone through.
The crowd cheered loudly as they were also treated to an epic cover of Bon Jovi’s Livin’ on a Prayer, in keeping with Bjorn Again’s co-founder John Tyrrell’s promise that “a lot of things will happen in the show that the audience won’t be expecting.”
Throughout the performance which ran for 120 minutes, the audience was transported back to the 1970s, when ABBA dominated music charts across the world, and captivated the hearts of millions of adoring fans.
After a brief intermission following the performance of one of ABBA’s most recognised classics Mamma Mia, a standing ovation saw the band return to the stage to finish their first show in Grafton with Thank You For The Music and Dancing Queen.
Following the concert, several attendees told the Clarence Valley Independent they were awestruck by the performance and look forward to welcoming Bjorn Again back to Grafton in the future.