How to have a fABBAlous time

By Jaz, November 29, 2010

Well, firstly I must apologise for the terrible integration of Eurovision’s most revered winning artists into the title of this post. Just thank your lucky stars that I didn’t say an ‘ABBAsolutely fABBAlous time’…that would have been disastrous.

Secondly, I’d like to bring to your attention a serious subject. I’ve been suffering with a peculiar disorder for a long time now, which usually rears its head at the end of May. It is called “Temporary Post-Eurovision Depression’ and its symptoms include sadness, mood swings, lethargy, anxiety, the feeling that you have little to live for, and of course, depression. Does anyone else experience the phenomena that is TPED when Eurovision is done and dusted? All that excitement, all that buildup and BANG BANG BANG – there’s the semi finals and the grand over for another year. I hope I’m not alone. I am slightly ashamed of the affliction and only brought it up because I have suddenly developed a case of it again now that JESC 2010 has passed us by, which has never happened to me before. I think it’s because JESC 2010 was so FREAKING AWESOME WOOHOO but I could be wrong. Anyway, let me know if you feel my pain.

Now for the actual interesting bit. I’m sure most of you are aware of the ABBAWORLD exhibition that is making its rounds of Oz at the moment (and naturally began some time ago in Europe). If you aren’t, find out more at www.abbaworld.com. It is currently on in Sydney, but until late October it was sparkling in Federation Square, Melbourne. I was fortunate enough to be on a mini-break in Melbourne in September (it was fABBAlous also) and so went along to the exhibition.

Three words: IT. WAS. BRILLIANT!!! Even if you aren’t the biggest ABBA fan, you should go along if you get the chance, because you can see authentic ABBA costumes, instruments and a heap more on loan from the band members and their cohorts; read up on their history with a big chunk devoted to Eurovision, as it should be (and therefore not end up like one woman I overheard there who, when asked by her granddaughter where ABBA where from, promptly replied, ‘Switzerland’); perform onstage with holographic Agnetha etc; have a dance-off, wail karaoke, mix an ABBA song or put yourself on a CD cover; and then, to top it off, head to the store where you can purchase a swag of exorbitantly priced (but wonderful) merchandise with the ABBA logo stamped on it. So, Eurovision fans, do I need to sell it any more??? I didn’t think so.

In case you don’t get to drop by, here’s a few snaps from my trip, which are not excellent due to the forbiddenmentation of flash photography in the exhibition area. Enjoy, while you proclaim ‘All heil ABBA!’.