Latest news with #Benny
Rhyl Journal
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- Rhyl Journal
My review of Abba Voyage: what was the new setlist like?
So goes the beginning of the song that catapulted Agnetha, Bjorn, Benny and Anni-Frid to fame at the Brighton Dome all those years ago. It also sums up my reaction, to put it mildly, when I saw a man cutting a similar figure to one quarter of pop's greatest group walking my way. Although his hair was now grey, and he was wearing a more demure look compared to the glittery flared jumpsuit of his heyday, it was clear that I was in the presence of music royalty. Me with the back of Benny's head - a brush with stardom (Image: NQ) So how do you think I reacted when, just moments later, Anni-Frid also joined Benny? Only a big occasion could draw half of Abba together – and this turned out to be the third anniversary of Abba Voyage, the ground-breaking show which has arguably changed the future of music concerts forever. Ahead of the milestone show, which saw new tracks like The Name Of The Game, Super Trouper, Money, Money, Money and Take A Chance On Me added, a variety of industry figures enjoyed a tipple and canapes outside the arena at the Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park. Anna-Frid and Benny outside the arena (Image: Abba Voyage) While Benny and Anni-Frid were understandably the star attraction, the glitterati were also out to play. During my celeb-spotting I saw Matthew Horne of Gavin and Stacey fame, Richard Arnold off the morning telly sporting an Abba Voyage blazer, Denise Van Outen cutting a rug in a tent dance floor, and (arguably most tantalisingly of all) the back of Ian Beale's head. Suitably lubricated with some Champagne and canapes, I ventured inside to take my seat for the main event. Denise Van Outen and Richard Arnold (Image: Abba Voyage) By now the concept is well established: using cutting-edge motion capture technology and other technical wizardry I won't pretend to understand, the quartet have been turned into digital avatars who can move like they used to back in their heyday. The initial buzz saw diehard fans and the curious alike flock to the purpose-built stadium to size up the spectacle for themselves. But it turns out it was not a one and done novelty experience, having a longevity that has surprised even the founding members. The opening moments of the show (Image: Abba Voyage) 'When we first opened we never imagined that we'd still be in London three years on. We're very grateful that so many of you have joined us,' they said in a statement released after the event. 'Of course, the reason for us being able to sustain our concert for so long is because of our incredible audience.' They certainly showed up in force – a sea of bedazzled outfits, merch and feather boas in front of us in the dance floor area. As the lights went down and the abbatars rose up from 'under' the stage, the crowd erupted in applause and the show was underway. Money, Money, Money was a crowd pleaser (Image: Abba Voyage) I will say I totally understand the hype surrounding the projections themselves – from where they are positioned and the way they move, they do look totally realistic, right down to how Agnetha's dress sashayed during a rousing rendition of Money, Money, Money. The big screens are not quite as breathtakingly uncanny, the close-ups appearing more like high-quality video game characters than the 'real thing'. But the show plays on this with a knowing nod, leaning into rather than against the multimedia aspect. Some amazing lighting effects were deployed (Image: Abba Voyage) At one end of the spectrum, you had live singers and a band performing Does Your Mother Know; at the other, the abbatars danced behind archival performance footage of Waterloo, projected onto sheer fabric screens. There was even an animated film mythologising the band which played during intervals (while the headliners might not need to use the bathroom, the crowd certainly did). How strange it must be to see yourself presented like a god, I thought, as I glanced over to Benny and Anni-Frid in their VIP box. For most of the show the pair were inscrutable, Benny leaning over the railing watching intently with the focus of a director assessing the minutiae of this new incarnation of the show. Benny and Anni-Frid wave at the crowd after the show (Image: NQ) Seeing them, in the flesh, reacting to de-aged holograms of themselves was another fascinating metaphysical layer in the whole experience, and a privilege to boot. Anyway, back to the main event. Starting off with lesser known hits and pared back staging, with the abbatars taking centre stage, this set up a sense we were watching 'proper artists'. But soon enough, the stage exploded into technicolour with 'costume' changes galore. READ MORE: I tried Brighton's first seafood boil restaurant - and it was fishy heaven The abbatars even had some banter with the crowd – the only hint they weren't speaking live being the lack of reaction when the crowd laughed or cheered. Given Agnetha's historical prominence, it was nice to see Anni-Frid take centre stage during several numbers. Her 'speech' dedicating Fernando to her grandmother under starry skies was an emotional touch. The big guns went off, so to speak, Gimme! Gimme! Gimme! being a personal favourite which got everyone on their feet. My unexpected favourite moment came from a gasp-worthy transition into Summer Night City, which saw the foursome wear their now-distinctive Abba Voyage spacesuits. The venue in all its glory (Image: NQ) Of the two new songs in Abba's repertoire, Don't Shut Me Down was superior – blending in seamlessly with their imperial back catalogue. Thank You For The Music hinted that the end of the night was drawing close – but there were still two of the band's biggest songs to play. Dancing Queen and The Winner Takes it All, the yin and yang that symbolises Abba's appeal, served as the perfect way to end the performance. In a normal show, the 'surprise' ending which sees contemporised abbatars take a bow would be enough to turn heads. But the gaze of the crowd by this stage was firmly on the real deals behind them, presented to the pair as a sea of phone lights and clapping hands. A sweet exchange saw Anni-Frid giggle nervously when Benny passed her a mic on the fly to give a speech. They mouthed something to each other, and in that moment, it felt the years melted away; you could see a bond forged through a history only the two of them (in that room, at least) could understand. She went with a classic message, thanking the crowd, before declaring 'I'm turning 80 this year', to rapturous applause. (Interestingly, the one time the pair raised their hands in applause themselves was when the live band took their bows.) Cut to the next day, and here I was - back again outside the stadium by Pudding Mill Lane tube station (a name the band were not a fan of, they revealed the night before). It was quiet, all signs of glitz and glamour gone along with the stars. In amongst all the excitement, I'd forgotten to take a photo of myself at the venue for this review. While I struggled to get a half-decent selfie, a lady wearing an Abba necklace and T-shirt came over and offered to take one for me – if I could also do the same for her in return, she said. We got chatting and it turned out she had visited the night before from Amsterdam – but still preserving the Irish lilt of her homeland. Even the slightest mention of what she thought of the show had her welling up with tears, such was the emotional impact. So don't take my word for it – it really does have to be seen to be believed. My room at The Gantry (Image: NQ) During my trip, I stayed at The Gantry Hotel, part of the Curio Collection by Hilton. Conveniently located opposite Stratford International tube station, a short ride away from Pudding Mill Lane, this is a great choice for an overnight stay to see the show. With a selection of restaurants, including the STK steakhouse on the rooftop of the building and Union Social for a more casual lunch and dinner, you've also got a nice meal covered too. The lunch menu ranges from small plates to a beef ragu and burger; I tried the former and found it to be meaty and satisfying. The Book of Hedonism lived up to its name (Image: NQ) Preceded by a Book of Hedonism - a caramel cocktail concoction made with a selection of scotch, whisky and rum and served in a smoking book-shaped box - it also had a touch of drama. The room, meanwhile, was well furnished and had fantastic views of Stratford; I'm a sucker for a floor to ceiling window. A comfy deluxe king bed also meant I could rest my weary head after a night to remember.
Scotsman
4 days ago
- Entertainment
- Scotsman
Hong Kong street market returns to the Barras
This weekend the hugely popular Hong Kong market is back at Glasgow's Barras. Sign up to our daily newsletter – Regular news stories and round-ups from around Scotland direct to your inbox Sign up Thank you for signing up! Did you know with a Digital Subscription to The Scotsman, you can get unlimited access to the website including our premium content, as well as benefiting from fewer ads, loyalty rewards and much more. Learn More Sorry, there seem to be some issues. Please try again later. Submitting... Glasgow's famous Barras market will be transformed this weekend (31 May-1 June) as the popular Hong Kong-style street market returns. After the huge success of the last two markets, this family-friendly event is back for a weekend of 'flavour, culture, and celebration.' Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad Speaking to The Scotsman, Benny, one of the traders at the Hong Kong market said: 'You'll see some authentic Hong Kong food that you've never tried before, and some of the people make their own crafts. We also have some performances, exhibitions and cultural exchange workshops.' A lion from the Glasgow Hong Lok Dragon Dance Troop (Est 2001) does a dance ahead of the Hong Kong Street Market at the Barras Market this Saturday and Sunday. | John Devlin He added: 'We like to contribute to the diversity of the city and like to showcase to the local community about what Hong Kong is, what Hong Kong people are like, why we are here and how we'd like to contribute to this city.' One of the main draws to the market is the authentic food, which Benny called some dishes 'very bizarre, which you can try if you dare'. He explained that most of the traders are making homemade, family recipes so visitors will see dishes they've not seen in restaurants before. Chris Butler, manager at the Barras Market said: 'This is probably our biggest and most expansive market that we're going to have ever in Barras. We've been working on this for the last month. The boys have been working tirelessly around the clock and it's hopefully going to be an amazing experience for everyone that comes down. From the Hong Kong community we've got at least 45 vendors plus about 120 of our own market stallholders as well so it's going to be a massive event.'
Yahoo
5 days ago
- General
- Yahoo
Pet of the Day: Let Benny be your Bunny
STOKESDALE, N.C. (WGHP) — Meet Benny, our FOX8 Pet of the Day! If you're interested in adopting her or any other pets at Red Dog Farm, please call (336) 288-7006 or visit the . Red Dog Farm is based in Stokesdale. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Evening Standard
5 days ago
- Entertainment
- Evening Standard
Pop-star Sabrina Carpenter faces backlash as she's tipped for Mamma Mia 3 lead over top actresses
Carpenter, who got her start on the Disney Channel before making waves in the music world, has already been dubbed the 'future face of feel-good cinema' by some industry insiders. And Carpenter is no stranger to ABBA's discography - her recent Short n' Sweet tour featured cheeky nods to the Swedish supergroup, and she even boasts two cats named Benny and Björn.
News18
7 days ago
- Entertainment
- News18
Ananya Panday Is ‘Obsessed' With Benito Skinner's Overcompensating
Last Updated: Benito Skinner wrote the series as well as served as executive producer. Benito Skinner's semi-autobiographical comedy series Overcompensating has created waves since its release on Prime Video. Benito Skinner wrote the series as well as served as executive producer. While the show has been receiving praise from the audience, Ananya Panday seems to be enthralled with the series. Ananya shared the poster of the show on her Instagram story and exclaimed that she is 'Obsessed" with it. Apart from Benito Skinner, the cast members of Overcompensating include Wally Baram, Mary Beth Barone, Adam DiMarco and Rish Shah. Connie Britton, Kyle MacLachlan, Kaia Gerber, Julia Shiplett, Tommy Do, Alexandra Beaton and others appear in key roles. Overcompensating is set in a college background and revolves around Benny, a former football player and homecoming king, who makes good friends with Carmen, a high school outsider on a mission to fit in at any cost. Benny and Carmen navigate bad hookups, fake IDs and other issues with the help of Benny's older sister and her boyfriend. The show delves into the extent to which people go in our quest to discover who they truly are. The show started streaming earlier this month. Ananya Panday was named in Forbes' 30 Under 30 Asia list for 2025. Forbes 30 Under 30 is an annual list produced by Forbes magazine since 2011, which recognises notable young achievers under the age of 30 from various fields. On the work front, she is receiving praise for her performance in the courtroom drama Kesari Chapter 2, starring Akshay Kumar and R. Madhavan. The poignant drama centered on the aftermath of the Jallianwala Bagh massacre, showcased a more serious and layered side to her acting. The film garnered excellent reviews and did well in the box office. Ananya will soon be featured in the love drama Chand Mera Dil, alongside Lakshya. She gained popularity last year with her back-to-back singles Call Me Bae and CTRL.
