I thought I would write in regarding last weekends convention in Sydney that was put on by ABBAMAIL. Titled, The ABBA Generation, it was an intriguing weekend had by all.

Arriving around 11am on the Saturday, I found the Hotel with so much ease that I surprised myself. Paid $10 for the day's parking (very cheap, most impressed) and got myself upstairs. I was greeted by an empty registration table, and the ominous sound of ABBA... or was it A*Teens...

Graeme and Ian Cole came bounding out and I berated them in a nice way about not being there to receive myself and my friend Samantha, and then we went inside where we were led to our assigned table (with Graeme assuring me he had made a large concession by seating Samantha and I together). Sat down and glanced at the programmes we were given, before doing a bit of a walk around.

Briefly looked at the Agnetha shrine, lingered at the Dhani Shrine (the table of A*Teens I mean, oops!), the 1979 tour display as well as all the 1999 stuff. The room was much better than the previous hotel, I guess the 11th floor with balcony was very good in my mind. Joel arrived, and finally there was someone good to chat to. Said Hello to familiar faces all about the place, and then settled into our table. I had the sheer delight to discover I was seated with the Newcastle contingent - Greg, Jolanda and some guy who I don't know the name of.

Soon after, Steve Jasper, Joel and Damien Spanjer came in sporting Agnetha shirts with the title, "The Agnetha Armada". Well I was hoping for a ship motif, perhaps with a cannon, and a fat woman on a boat sinking to the depths, but I was disappointed. On the back, there was an Agnetha quote... yes, ms sweaty obsessed crowds was back. This was the beginning of the Armada's assault on Frida fan conversion.

Graeme welcomed us all, and then we were to start the A*Teens Video Extravaganza. Unfortunately, the projector decided at that moment not to work, so we all got up and had a cigarette or a look around (or beseiged Fiona at the Merchandise Stall to buy videos, CD's and ABBA Reports) before Graeme told us that is was working again, but a replacement was on express order to us.

Video clips for Mamma Mia, Super Trouper and Gimme! Gimme! Gimme! followed, as well as assorted A*Teens items were then shown. It is nice to hear them speak, and the assembled masses of die hard fans didn't seem to take it to badly at all. I could sit and watch Dhani talk all day, though the dark haired girl with the big mouth made me wince a bit (and by that, she literally has a gaping chasm of a thing!)

Next up was the usual Graeme Read team "get to know you" exercise. I was of course the person writing, cause I always like to have control of the pens, and we were asked questions about where we were born, worst car accident, etc, provoking some amusing responses when a selection of the answers were read back.

Lunch followed. Now if you have ever seen an elephant stampede through the African wilderness, well, there's your analogy. Plates of sandwiches disappeared quicker than my hair is, and that's saying something. We all groaned when it seemed the food had run out, but the chef downstairs was madly preparing more, so we were eventually satisfied. Throughout, much joking and silliness. Lucky most food managed to get into people's mouths, rather than all over them, so it was fine.

Next up we had a lacklustre discussion forum on the 25 year celebration of ABBA, featuring Graeme Read, Mark Hannam and Ian Cole. It was interesting vaguely, but it didn't excite my interest overly much due to what I have read on ABBAMAIL.

We had a short break, then we saw some footage from Australia in 1976/1977, which was quite interesting, prior to the highlight of the weekend for me.

Shelley Bension, who was the production assistant for ABBA - The Movie came in and talked to us. For over an hour and a half she told of her experiences making ABBA - The Movie, and then she took questions. Some of the tidbits she told us were that Robert Hughes was very shy, and didn't know exactly what he was doing in the movie. The members of ABBA, though knowing he was acting in the movie, often forgot, due to the sheer amount of stuff they were doing at the time.

The car scenes in the movie were shot in Perth, as was the majority of the concert footage. How harrowing it was shooting in the rain in Sydney. How good the Sydney and Melbourne concerts were compared to those in Western Australia, since ABBA were very tired by then. How herself and Annie Wright had to keep Agnetha and Frida apart towards the end of the tour because they were very testy with each other. How she helped Frida and Benny unpack when they first arrived in their hotel (she was assigned to them when they initially got here).

How the sexy pink car was found. How much of a slave driver Lasse Hallstrom was. How the bedroom scene in the movie is not fake at all. How the part of the movie where there are two camera crews and a lot of scuffling was actually real, cause a Channel 9 camera crew got in - and the look Agnetha gives is because she is pissed off at Lasse Hallstrom for filming. The Perth bomb scare. What it was like working for Grundy's until 1978, then RCA till 1982. The woman was a goldmine, and absolutely brilliant.

She had nothing but praise for the crews she worked with, and she said ABBA were happiest when on long flights, when they could wear their jeans and t-shirts and sit and relax away from everything. Also, she said that the group were completely amazed at how Australian audiences had taken them to their hearts. Another thing she mentioned was how pissed off they were when Airport Management wouldn't let them greet their fans at Sydney Airport.

So many things!!! Straight after, she answered questions from the floor, without being asked too many excruciating questions from idiots, which I find some fans tend to ask. You know, the, "So what kind of toilet paper did Bjorn wipe himself with? Do you have any left? Can I buy it?" type stuff that the person can not be expected to know.

It was an amazing insight to ABBA, the Australian tour and how it all fit together, the difficulties, and also how movies are made and that kind of stuff in general.

Just on a bad note... the other people at my table left at the beginning of it, having consumed some alcohol, and god knows what else. They came back 3/4 the way through, rustled lots of paper, made noise, then one said, "Is she STILL talking?!". The left again soon after, and I made a mental note to nuke them as soon as possible. Christ I was shitty!

There was a Frida video up next, but it wasn't shown, but was demanded by the Frida fans to be recheduled. We weren't going to cope with all the Agnetha crap without some back (more on that later!)

Dinner was next, and I remember liking it all, except for the pork which I didn't go near cause it looked like it might come alive and snort. I told Graeme he should eat (meaning to sit, relax and stop being a human dynamo for 5 minutes) then I realised my gaff and slapped myself.

The A*Teens performing in Poland was next, which was something I had seen, so I wasn't too thrilled. It's nice to see them, but there's only so much you can take (as someone said, "If I hear the intro to Mamma Mia again I am gonna kill someone!").

Finally came Club ABBA. Now for a change I went to the bar and attempted to see if one could drown in champagne at $4 per glass. Joel, Damien and Steve Jasper were absent for a slight medical emergency (no-one's bits fell off, so don't worry), and that was annoying for me cause I wanted to dance with Joel and Mr. Jasper. I did note that Summer Night City wasn't played till he was back - they know him so well :)

The bad thing was, as soon as it began, everyone left. They all came back, but everyone decided they had to go to their rooms and do something. So it wasn't a big start like it usually is. Mr Read was spotted shaking his booty many a time though, so it was cool.

Joel got back, did some sweet sexy dancing. Danced a lot with Fiona Metcalfe who is abslutely magnificent to play off. I didn't do much "look at me!" dancing, cause I wasn't overly in the mood. I think two 11 hour days at work in the days preceeding plus a 3am run to Heath's as well as Rocky didn't assist matters.

Not long after, Joel, Damien and Steve came out in blonde wigs (with pigtails) and blue eyeshadow. Many people rolled their eyes and said that they looked like Swedish milkmaids. Me, I was horrified. :) I mean, the flouro look is much classier. It was fun though, and they presented ransom notes to the DJ to have certain Agnetha songs played, which meant that 3 songs were played twice (cause they were off having a medical emergency).

I was spied having a champagne with blue curacao in it, and immediately killed by Fiona for going to the dark side, while the Agnetha fans looked on in hope that I was to be converted. Unfortunately it was not to be.

More dancing later, and we got together in a big circle for We Move As One. Some people then retired, some went to do more dancing - me, I was so dead that I went home to sleep.

Sunday. I woke and arrived at 11am, not really in the mood (ie: I needed sleep) for Coffee With ABBA People and the TOTP2 special. What a mistake!!!! I ran in just after 11, and beelined for the Men's toilets, to the strains of Another You, Another Me.

Yes. Graeme had left the TOTP2 tape at home, so the Frida and the Agnetha stuff had all been moved. The stuff I hang out for the most. Oh well, my own fault. That was a big annoyance, cause I wanted to see those Gemini clips, those Agnetha clips, and whatever dish was served with a dash of Frida!

At 11:10am there was a swap meet. I walked about, cramming breakfast foodies into my mouth (cause it was nice), and then discovered two things. The ABBA Mirror for $40 (I was told off for selling it so cheap in 1994 to one Nicholas D. Faltskog for $50!) and the 1979 Tour Programme in English for $40. Well. Dilemma. Being in complete financial dire straits, I decided to try the Visa card. Success! $80 later, I was happy. I then decided to persuade Damien Spanjer to part with his money.

Bargain of the day? Agnetha Vol. 2 in mint condition for $30. Mine was $100. Think the cows would buy it? No! Least I got a free necklace for buying the programme and the mirror. Ian Cole wanted the programme but I reserved it first. This was his second snatch of the day, since Graeme went and bought up big at a couple of stands. It was very successful really, with some big spends happening.

Next was my second most favourite part of the weekend, Rare Early ABBA Footage From Denmark. The funniest thing I ever saw is the Love Isn't Easy (But It Sure Is Hard Enough) performance. They are outside, miming. They all look young, sweet and innocent. During the bang parts in that song, Frida and Agnetha would bash up Benny and Bjorn! Christ it was funny! Frida kneed Benny in the balls, and then punched him. I could have watched that on repeat! Some of the other stuff was cool too :)

After that lunch, and the pigs went to the trough again, especially the Agnetha armada and their spending at 7-11. I think most people were thrilled to find potato wedges. I remember Sunday as being really big on food. It was nice how it was included in convention fee...

Agnetha/Gemini footage was supposed to be next, but no, we got the TOTP2 special. It was good, with some typically English amusing captions... Agnetha is a High Soprano, Frida is a mezzo soprano... Benny and Bjorn are a bit gruff! I enjoyed it.

Next up was Team Trivia, and I had the same team members as last time almost. We came equal second, only beat cause Joel answered incorrectly to an A*Teens question. Oh well. We had some subtle assistance in the Famous Faces 15, with us guessing Hans, and Ian Marks wandering away and confirming it for us :) We got 14/15, with an easy mistake. Oh well :) It was good fun like it always is, and it's interesting cause those on ABBAMAIL in Australia, or contingents from overseas seem to always do very well.

In between was this godawful ABBA songs to ballet things that some person from an asylum choreographed. My god. Slipping Through My Fingers was amusing however!

One More Time and Nanne were next, and I saw people itching to buy copies of Highland. I now understand why Gustav loves Nanne so much, she absolutely rocks. Her Eurovision performance is spectacular - and she's soooooo short. :) I'd like more video of her!

1979 Tour Reports from American Television were next, the most interesting parts being how obnoxious US interviewers are, and of course hearing ABBA live in concert but not overdubbed. It sounded brilliant! Though the picture quality was crap (you could still see though!) the sound was good. Also, you could tell ABBA were making an extra effort to be on good behaviour from that too. Unfortunately loud American voiceovers obscured good portions of the live stuff - I couldn't tell I was watching them doing If It Wasn't For The Nights until he shut up and I heard, "For the nights!" and applause indicating the end of the song. Good stuff it was!

We had a cocktail party then, and by then I was exhausted. I left at 5:30pm, just as ABBAMANIA began. I heard it was good!

Kudos to Graeme Read, Ian Cole, Fiona Metcalfe, John McKechnie, and Ian Marks for making it a brilliant weekend. Once again I think everyone loved it. Was well worth the money, and as usual it was good catching up with everyone (Fiona, John, Ian M, Ian C in particular) and acquainting myself better with other fans such as the ever bitchy but hilarious Fran.

A wonderful time, sucked in to all who didn't go cause it absolutely rocked, and... I can now wait a while for the next one, but there must be one :)

Cheers,

Trent - Sydney, Australia.