Recorded during
ABBA's hugely successful world tour of 1979-1980,
Live at Wembley Arena features the Swedish pop group performing in concert at London's Wembley Arena in November, 1979. Coming on the heels of the group's sixth studio album, 1979's Voulez-Vous, the tour was a sensation as the notoriously studio-bound four-piece had never before embarked on such an extensive live tour. Culled from
ABBA's four-night stand at the storied London venue,
Live at Wembley Arena features 25 of the group's songs including such well-known cuts as "Knowing Me, Knowing You," "Waterloo," and "Dancing Queen." Also showcased are such less-appreciated numbers as "If It Wasn't for the Nights," "Why Did It Have to Be Me," and "Summer Night City." Also included is the previously unreleased song, "I'm Still Alive." While
ABBA were primarily known for crafting their infectious, pristinely produced pop in the studio, they were also a superb live outfit who could reproduce their multi-voiced harmonies on-stage with enthusiastic precision. Add to that the attention to detail with which the group's backing ensemble re-created their complex, layered arrangements and you have a supremely listenable, anthology-like concert experience. Which isn't to say that
ABBA played robotic by-the-numbers versions of their songs. On the contrary, these are rollicking, exuberant performances that reveal a band not only indebted to their fans, but clearly just as passionate about performing their songs as they are about recording them. ~ Matt Collar