{"id":1745,"date":"2025-01-10T08:01:19","date_gmt":"2025-01-10T14:01:19","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/edmonton-trend.com\/?p=1745"},"modified":"2025-01-10T08:01:21","modified_gmt":"2025-01-10T14:01:21","slug":"farewell-tour-of-abba-how-it-began-in-edmonton","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/edmonton-trend.com\/en\/eternal-1745-farewell-tour-of-abba-how-it-began-in-edmonton","title":{"rendered":"Farewell Tour of ABBA: How It Began in Edmonton"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p>The four letters in the name of this iconic quartet signify not just a group but an entire era. ABBA, without a doubt, is a legend, and this fact is undisputed. For billions of people worldwide, ABBA is synonymous with New Year celebrations, thanks to their timeless hit &#8220;Happy New Year&#8221;, which has become a symbol of the festive season for decades.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>As all good things must come to an end, the group reached a point where it was time to bid farewell. For the residents of Alberta&#8217;s capital, Edmonton, it is a point of pride that this legendary quartet began their farewell tour right in their city. Here&#8217;s a look back at how it all unfolded on <a href=\"https:\/\/edmonton-trend.com\/\" data-type=\"link\" data-id=\"https:\/\/edmonton-trend.com\/\">edmonton-trend<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div id=\"ez-toc-container\" class=\"ez-toc-v2_0_74 counter-hierarchy ez-toc-counter ez-toc-custom ez-toc-container-direction\">\n<label for=\"ez-toc-cssicon-toggle-item-6a499c6178c5f\" class=\"ez-toc-cssicon-toggle-label\"><span class=\"\"><span class=\"eztoc-hide\" style=\"display:none;\">Toggle<\/span><span class=\"ez-toc-icon-toggle-span\"><svg style=\"fill: #999;color:#999\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" class=\"list-377408\" width=\"20px\" height=\"20px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" fill=\"none\"><path d=\"M6 6H4v2h2V6zm14 0H8v2h12V6zM4 11h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2zM4 16h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2z\" fill=\"currentColor\"><\/path><\/svg><svg style=\"fill: #999;color:#999\" class=\"arrow-unsorted-368013\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" width=\"10px\" height=\"10px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" version=\"1.2\" baseProfile=\"tiny\"><path d=\"M18.2 9.3l-6.2-6.3-6.2 6.3c-.2.2-.3.4-.3.7s.1.5.3.7c.2.2.4.3.7.3h11c.3 0 .5-.1.7-.3.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7zM5.8 14.7l6.2 6.3 6.2-6.3c.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7c-.2-.2-.4-.3-.7-.3h-11c-.3 0-.5.1-.7.3-.2.2-.3.5-.3.7s.1.5.3.7z\"\/><\/svg><\/span><\/span><\/label><input type=\"checkbox\"  id=\"ez-toc-cssicon-toggle-item-6a499c6178c5f\"  aria-label=\"Toggle\" \/><nav><ul class='ez-toc-list ez-toc-list-level-1 ' ><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-1\" href=\"https:\/\/edmonton-trend.com\/en\/eternal-1745-farewell-tour-of-abba-how-it-began-in-edmonton\/#ABBA_The_Journey_of_a_Legend\" >ABBA: The Journey of a Legend<\/a><ul class='ez-toc-list-level-3' ><li class='ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-2\" href=\"https:\/\/edmonton-trend.com\/en\/eternal-1745-farewell-tour-of-abba-how-it-began-in-edmonton\/#The_Farewell_Tour_%E2%80%9CABBA_The_Tour%E2%80%9D\" >The Farewell Tour: &#8220;ABBA. The Tour&#8221;<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-3\" href=\"https:\/\/edmonton-trend.com\/en\/eternal-1745-farewell-tour-of-abba-how-it-began-in-edmonton\/#Why_Edmonton\" >Why Edmonton?<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-4\" href=\"https:\/\/edmonton-trend.com\/en\/eternal-1745-farewell-tour-of-abba-how-it-began-in-edmonton\/#A_Historic_Night_in_Edmonton\" >A Historic Night in Edmonton<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-5\" href=\"https:\/\/edmonton-trend.com\/en\/eternal-1745-farewell-tour-of-abba-how-it-began-in-edmonton\/#Legacy_of_ABBA\" >Legacy of ABBA<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/nav><\/div>\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"ABBA_The_Journey_of_a_Legend\"><\/span>ABBA: The Journey of a Legend<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"500\" height=\"426\" src=\"https:\/\/cdn.edmonton-trend.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/41\/2025\/01\/1-3.png\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-1746\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cdn.edmonton-trend.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/41\/2025\/01\/1-3.png 500w, https:\/\/cdn.edmonton-trend.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/41\/2025\/01\/1-3-300x256.png 300w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 500px) 100vw, 500px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>ABBA was formed in Stockholm, Sweden, in 1972. The group&#8217;s name is an acronym derived from the first letters of its members&#8217; names: Agnetha, Bj\u00f6rn, Benny, and Anni-Frid.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Their albums have sold over 350 million copies, a feat few artists have achieved.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>In 1982, ABBA disbanded, and 18 years later, in 2010, the group was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>During their ten-year career, ABBA released nine albums, nearly one per year, showcasing a pace that modern artists can only admire.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>While their accolades are too numerous to count, our focus today is on the year 1979, when ABBA embarked on their final tour, starting in Edmonton.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"The_Farewell_Tour_%E2%80%9CABBA_The_Tour%E2%80%9D\"><\/span>The Farewell Tour: &#8220;ABBA. The Tour&#8221;<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1500\" height=\"1125\" src=\"https:\/\/cdn.edmonton-trend.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/41\/2025\/01\/2-5.png\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-1749\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cdn.edmonton-trend.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/41\/2025\/01\/2-5.png 1500w, https:\/\/cdn.edmonton-trend.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/41\/2025\/01\/2-5-300x225.png 300w, https:\/\/cdn.edmonton-trend.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/41\/2025\/01\/2-5-768x576.png 768w, https:\/\/cdn.edmonton-trend.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/41\/2025\/01\/2-5-696x522.png 696w, https:\/\/cdn.edmonton-trend.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/41\/2025\/01\/2-5-1068x801.png 1068w, https:\/\/cdn.edmonton-trend.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/41\/2025\/01\/2-5-265x198.png 265w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1500px) 100vw, 1500px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>Unlike their studio albums, ABBA only embarked on three major concert tours. The 1979 North American and European Tour, also known as their farewell tour, was launched to promote their sixth album, &#8220;Voulez-Vous&#8221;. The tour lasted a year, during which the group performed 52 concerts, concluding in Tokyo on March 27, 1980. The tour began on September 13, 1979, in Edmonton.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Why_Edmonton\"><\/span>Why Edmonton?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Before the farewell tour, ABBA&#8217;s situation was reportedly challenging. Edmonton&#8217;s audience was known for being appreciative and forgiving, which made it an ideal starting point. The city&#8217;s warm and welcoming reputation likely influenced the decision.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The September 13 concert at Edmonton\u2019s Northlands Coliseum was ABBA&#8217;s first live performance in two years, marking a carefully chosen starting point for their farewell.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>To build excitement, the group began promoting their performance nearly a year in advance through various television appearances.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"A_Historic_Night_in_Edmonton\"><\/span>A Historic Night in Edmonton<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>That evening, a special moment occurred that resonated deeply with the audience, especially a notable spectator, Wayne Gretzky. At just 18 years old, the local hockey star was already a hero in Edmonton as the center for the Edmonton Oilers. The crowd erupted in applause when Anni-Frid stepped on stage wearing Gretzky\u2019s iconic #99 jersey, a gesture that endeared her to the city&#8217;s residents.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>During the concert, ABBA performed 25 songs, but the now-iconic &#8220;Happy New Year&#8221; was not among them\u2014understandable given the September date.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The vibrant evening at Northlands Coliseum was bittersweet, as fans understood they were witnessing a historic performance that would never be repeated.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Legacy_of_ABBA\"><\/span>Legacy of ABBA<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>While ABBA&#8217;s journey as a group ended, their music continues to live on, especially during New Year celebrations when memories of the Swedish quartet come alive.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>For Edmonton residents, there is an enduring sense of pride in knowing their city was the starting point for ABBA&#8217;s farewell tour\u2014a moment etched forever in the city&#8217;s cultural history.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>The four letters in the name of this iconic quartet signify not just a group but an entire era. ABBA, without a doubt, is a legend, and this fact is undisputed. For billions of people worldwide, ABBA is synonymous with New Year celebrations, thanks to their timeless hit &#8220;Happy New Year&#8221;, which has become a [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":411,"featured_media":1752,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[155],"tags":[1028,1019,1022,1030,1025,1031,1024,1033,1032,1027,1023,1029,1004,1026,1021,1020],"moimportance":[32,35],"motype":[160],"moformat":[20],"class_list":{"0":"post-1745","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-muzika","8":"tag-abba-concert-1979","9":"tag-abba-farewell-tour","10":"tag-abba-legacy","11":"tag-abbas-final-tour","12":"tag-agnetha-faltskog","13":"tag-alberta-music-events","14":"tag-anni-frid-gretzky-jersey","15":"tag-anni-frid-lyngstad","16":"tag-benny-andersson","17":"tag-bjorn-ulvaeus","18":"tag-edmonton-concerts","19":"tag-edmonton-cultural-events","20":"tag-edmonton-music-history","21":"tag-iconic-music-tours","22":"tag-northlands-coliseum-3","23":"tag-voulez-vous-tour","24":"moimportance-golovna-novyna","25":"moimportance-retranslyacziya-v-agregatory","26":"motype-eternal","27":"moformat-vlasna"},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/edmonton-trend.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1745","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/edmonton-trend.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/edmonton-trend.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/edmonton-trend.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/411"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/edmonton-trend.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=1745"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/edmonton-trend.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1745\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":1755,"href":"https:\/\/edmonton-trend.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1745\/revisions\/1755"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/edmonton-trend.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/1752"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/edmonton-trend.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1745"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/edmonton-trend.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=1745"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/edmonton-trend.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=1745"},{"taxonomy":"moimportance","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/edmonton-trend.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/moimportance?post=1745"},{"taxonomy":"motype","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/edmonton-trend.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/motype?post=1745"},{"taxonomy":"moformat","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/edmonton-trend.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/moformat?post=1745"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}