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In hand I had (1) my camera (2) a portable cassette recorder to tape the concert (3)the family 8mm movie camera and (4) autograph book. In hindsight I was a pretty prepared 12 year old! There were only a couple of other fans waiting at the hotel when we arrived. Most, I assumed, had headed straight for the Sydney Showground to get the best seat they could. We waited and waited - my brother recording a running commentary the whole time. More about his effort later. We were finally rewarded for all this waiting when, about an hour before the concert was due to start, ABBA finally came out. We knew they must be ready to leave the hotel shortly as their limousines had arrived. We knew where to stand at this point - right next to the limos! This was to be the moment of all moments. First we saw Agnetha and Björn walking through the hotel foyer to the cars, quickly followed by Frida's son Hans and Benny's son Peter then Frida, Benny and Stig. I froze. I forgot I had the 8mm film camera. I didn't shoot a single frame! I politely asked Björn for an autograph. He said that he was sorry but they didn't have any time. They then proceeded to sit and wait in their limos for what seemed like a lifetime! By this time I had recovered enough to start taking photographs. The photos look really are amateurish as you can't get good shots through car windows. Agnetha & Frida at least bobbed their heads up and down and waved to us. I just couldn't believe they were actually right there in front of me! Mum appeared with my two other brothers - going to the ABBA concert was a family affair. I initially had bought two tickets but I also entered a stack of newspaper and radio competitions to win tickets. I had actually won enough tickets to allow the whole family to see ABBA live. Lee and I excitedly filled Mum in on what had just happened. Then it was off to the concert venue, the Sydney Showground. We arrived in the pouring rain (as you would know if you've seen ABBA - The Movie). Sydney's weather had been rain, rain and more rain for days. It wasn't about to stop just because of an ABBA concert. We had cut it fine time wise. The place was packed. I didn't mind too much as I had already seen ABBA up close and in person! Of course, that now sounds ridiculous, doesn't it? My two older brothers headed straight toward the area in front of the stage. We had arranged a meeting point for the end of the show. Mum, Lee and I settled just in front of the grandstand - the stage was in front of us but far away in the distance :( I think, in hindsight, the circumstances of the night, the combination of relentless rain and the 20,000 strong crowd was a little daunting for me as a twelve year old. I had to sit under a plastic sheet to stop from being completely drenched. Not that it helped - I still got completely soaked anyway. My strongest memories were hearing the announcement "Paul Dainty proudly presents ABBA" and the crowd going wild. Then all of a sudden "Tiger" beginning and ABBA running on stage. Oh and I remember the mini-musical. I remember hating it and wanting it to stop! The girls both came out in blonde wigs and I couldn't see their facial features. Where had Frida gone and who was that other lady? I didn't understand. The mini-musical songs seemed so heavy to me as a 12 year old and they were totally unfamiliar. I was scared. What had happened to my beloved ABBA? And Frida, - where was she? "I'm a Marionette" scared the wits out of me. I wanted it all to end and go back to normal. It was like some other band had somehow taken over the concert. During the show I was sitting there writing down which songs were being performed - and keeping an eye on the tape recorder. If it sounds like I didn't like it, that's not true - overall I absolutely loved it. But coupled with the rain and my crappy position, far away from the stage, it just wasn't how I imagined it would be. And I had spent months dreaming about this night. When I watch ABBA - The Movie, it makes the whole experience more real to me and my mind goes back to the way I dreamed it would be. I remember the fireworks starting at the end of the show. While the crowd was watching the fireworks we made our exit. My Mum kindly drove back to the Sebel Town House, probably because of my whining ;-) We arrived there in time to see Agnetha and Björn to arrive - unfortunately Frida and Benny had already beaten us back. This time I did manage to get those autographs and also a few photos of Agnetha, still in her blue eye shadow, wearing a blue cardigan. She looked stunning and happily stayed chatting away to the crowd of fans until we all had autographs. I turned down a chance to go to the following night's show as I had a fight with my best friend who had asked me to go. If you can remember back to that age when you fought with your best friend, as girls you were very mean to each other. You refused to talk to each for at least 24 hours and then you became the best of buddies again! Can you believe I could have attended both Sydney concerts but didn't? Ahhhhh! Now back to my brother Lee and the tape recorder. Hmmm. You remember how I mentioned my brother was taping a running commentary while we were waiting at the hotel? Well, you guessed it, he had virtually flattened the batteries. My tape of the concert sounds like ABBA on speed! The crowd cheering and clapping is the sound of seagulls. Lee nearly didn't survive the rest of his young life. Of course we laugh about it now but back then it seemed like the end of the world. So that, in a nutshell, is my recollection of ABBA in Sydney, March 3, 1977 Judy Sawyer |
