More acts announced for BBC’s ABBA celebration (Kylie Minogue and Jamie Cullum added)
Kylie says: "The opportunity to perform classic Abba songs on stage with members of Abba really is a dream come true. Their music has played such a great part in my life from a very early age and I’m thrilled I’ll be able to share that with them personally."
The artists and the songs:
- Kylie Minogue: Super Trouper and When All Is Said And Done
- The Benny Andersson Band: Rowing On The Serpentine; When All Is Said And Done; Thank You For the Music
- Christian Jon Billett: Anthem
- VV Brown: Ring, Ring
- Capital Voices: Money, Money, Money; Take A Chance On Me
- Jamie Cullum: My Love My Life
- Jason Donovan: I Have A Dream
- Kerry Ellis: You Have To Be There (from Benny and Björn’s musical Kristina)
- The Feeling: Knowing Me Knowing You; Does Your Mother Know
- Chaka Khan: The Winner Takes It All
- Lulu: Gimme Gimme Gimme
- Elaine Paige and Siobhan McCarthy: I Know Him So Well (from CHESS)
- Beth Nielsen Chapman: Slipping Through My Fingers; Fernando
- Nerina Pallot: The Name Of The Game
- Marti Pellow: One Night In Bangkok (from CHESS)
- Jodie Prenger: One Of Us
- Sir Tim Rice
- Stellan Skarsgård
- Sharleen Spiteri: SOS
- and the cast of Mamma Mia! London: Mamma Mia; Waterloo; Dancing Queen.
- BBC Concert Orchestra conducted by Anders Eljas
Presented by Radio 2 Drivetime host Chris Evans, the gig will be broadcast live on Radio 2, with contributions from two members of Abba, Benny Andersson and Björn Ulvaeus, and a performance by the full West End cast of the musical Mamma Mia!
Lulu will sing ‘Gimme Gimme Gimme’ on the night, a disco classic which was sampled by Madonna for her 2005 track ‘Hung Up’. ‘Gimme Gimme Gimme’ was also one of the major songs to be featured in the Mamma Mia! movie.
Lulu says: "Benny and Bjorn’s song writing skills are up there with some of the greatest hit song writers of the century, like the Bee Gees, Elton, The Beatles and the songs from the Motown stable. In fact they’re just like a really good wine, as time goes on they get better with age. I’m absolutely thrilled to be taking part. This show will be a ball of fun. Well done BBC Radio 2!"
Grammy Award-winning American singer-song writer Chaka Khan will perform ‘The Winner Takes It All’, a ballad released as the first single from the group’s Super Trouper album in July 1980 which became a number 1 hit in the UK.
Chaka says: "Benny and Bjorn sure have soul in their bones! ‘The Winner Takes It All’ is a beautifully-penned ballad which stands them apart as two of the finest song writers in popular music. I’m thrilled at the thought of performing it with them in front of thousands in London’s Hyde Park and also live on Radio 2."
British band The Feeling will sing ‘Knowing Me, Knowing You’, which was the first single to be released from Abba’s 1977 album Arrival.
Dan Gillespie Sells, lead vocalist from the band, says: "I’ve been an ABBA fan long before it was fashionable – the quality of the song writing has always been something I’ve looked up to. We are all very much looking forward to the gig, it is an honour to be invited to play, especially with Benny and Bjorn in attendance, and we are very excited."
Texas front-woman Sharleen Spiteri will sing the 1975 hit ‘SOS’, taken from the eponymously titled ABBA album, and newcomer VV Brown will sing ‘Ring Ring’, the song with which Abba entered the Swedish heats of the 1973 Eurovision Song Contest, finishing third. A year later, the group achieved stardom by winning the same competition with ‘Waterloo’.
VV says: "To be doing a cover of such genius song writers who have an ability to consistently create timeless music is great! It’s a great opportunity and should be fun to do alongside Radio 2, who has been a great supporter of me as an artist. Hopefully people will enjoy my interpretation of such an amazing song, doing it justice will be hard but here goes anyway."
BBC Radio 2 presenter and the queen of Theatre-land Elaine Paige will sing her classic 1985 hit duet ‘I Know Him So Well’ from the musical Chess, with the production’s original Svetlana, Irish singer Siobhan McCarthy.
Elaine comments: ‘I’m so very grateful to Benny and Bjorn for writing such a brilliant song and for giving me a number one hit.’
Jodie Prenger, winner of BBC One’s I’d Do Anything and currently starring in the new West End production of Oliver! , will perform ‘One Of Us’, the first single from Abba’s final studio album as a group, ‘The Visitors’.
Other artists performing on the night include Nerina Pallot (‘The Name Of The Game’), Christian Jon Billet (‘Anthem’) Beth Nielsen Chapman (‘Fernando’), The Benny Andersson Band, West End star Kerry Ellis with ‘You Have To Be There’ taken from Benny and Bjorn’s new musical production Kristina, Marti Pellow singing ‘One Night In Bangkok’ and Jason Donovan (‘I Have A Dream’).
Other hosts include long-time collaborator with Benny and Bjorn and multi-award winning lyricist Sir Tim Rice and Swedish actor and star of the hit movie Mamma Mia! Stellan Skarsgard.
The concert will also feature a performance by the full West End cast of the musical Mamma Mia! The event will be broadcast live on BBC Radio 2 from 6.30-9.30pm.
Ticket Details
Tickets £25.00 (plus £1.25 booking fee)
Family & Friends ticket offer: Buy 7 tickets and get the 8th free.
Bookings are subject to a £2.00 transaction fee.
Gates open at 5.00pm and the concert starts at 6.30pm. It will last around 2 hours.
Buy Tickets:
By phone: 0844 412 4630*
*Calls cost up to 5p per minute from a BT landline (plus a one-off connection charge of up to 8p).
Calls from other mobiles will cost more.
- Buy tickets at www.seetickets.com
- BBC Radio 2 Events – Thank You For The Music
Well despite my misgivings and earlier comments, it’s now only 2 or 3 weeks to the event and I’m starting to feel a bit more positive about it.
Saw BAB at the Heath – fantastic. If I get to see another ABBA member in the flesh (Bjorn) I’ll be more than happy.
And – remote chance but possible – if Frida does put in an appearance I will probably hyperventilate and have to be carried home.
See you all there!
Phil x
I have to agree with the many disappointed people on here. This is a C-list shambles (with the obvious exceptions). The first time I began to suspect it was going to be a shoddy affair was when The Feeling agreed to play. It was also then I accepted Annie Lennox would not agree to appearing. She’s simply too good to be associated with this. I’m wating for The Brotherhood of Man to be announced. They’d do a great job of Fernangelo.
Apparently Barabara Dickson WAS asked to perform but due to commitments appearing in concert herself that evening in Scotland it was impossible.
I thought the initial blurb indicated BAO would be appearing. I would think this highly unlikely if helen is rehearsing in New York. I presume Benny will be there as well.
Besides Elaine, Siobhan and Kerry the whole thing sounds very karaoke to me. Probably better tpo stay at home and listen to it on Radio 2. Not sure whether they’re broadcasting live or broadcasting highlights at a later date?
I think for Annie Lennox to appear anywhere it would have to be associated with Tibet, climate change or Amnesty international.
Kylie Minogue is about to be confirmed as a performer and Benny and Bjorn are participating. I am very excited.
Kylie has apparently been added to the line up – she will be singing Super Trouper and When All Is Said And Done – the latter accompanied by Benny. Jamie Cullum has also been added.
There’s now a full line-up of artists and songs posted on the BBC Radio 2 site for the concert. As Jason said in his post this morning, the BBC confirms that Benny and Bjorn will be "contributing" – hope this means actually performing. Jamie Cullum doing ‘My Love My Life’ should be interesting… in a good way!
Hi i am really exited about goin to this ,,its gonna be a great evening.Im actually goin alone as friends could not get the monday off work.So i booked into a hotel just in Hyde Park.
Chris Evans said this aft that 15,000 tickets had already been sold its gonna be fab.Is anyone else gonna be on there own there maybe a group of us could meet up ???
Dave Liverpool
im well chuffed now Kylie Jamie The feeling Benny Bjorn cant wait for it whats "rowing on the serpentine" i thought it was benny and bjorn compositions but havent heard this anybody help please?
Notice that When All is Said and Done is listed for both BAB and Kylie (shudders).
I’ve got really mixed feelings about the concert! Benny today seemed less than interested in it, on Radio 2, and claimed he didn’t know most of the people performing!
I’m sure its going to be a good day, and will certainly sell out now Kylie has been added!
As for the line-up…..
Lulu will whale Gimme Gimme Gimme, and probably murder it to bits!
Jamie Cullum will do a fab My Love My Life, with no doubt his jazz twist
Kylie – Cheesy Super Trouper, and can’t image how she will do When all is said and done???? Too poppie voice for that song??
Jason Donavan – Very under estimated! Saw him in Rocky Horror and Joseph, and he has an amazing voice! It was just spolit by being signed up Stock Atkin & Waterman in the early days!
Sharleen & Chaka – ABSOLUTELY FAB!!!!
Elain Page – Sticking to what she knows – looking forward to it!
Marti Pellow – Great!
Well well well. I keep hearing rumours that B&B are not turning up, then they are – surely Benny Andersson’s Band would not be called that if he weren’t there! They’d be called erm…just Band, I suppose! I am looking forward to hearing on the radio, I don’t think I’ll be able to make Hyde Park. Wouldn’t it be lovely if the girls would turn up too? Just to say hi, no great expectations. Aggie could come by boat if the planes still bother her.
Kylie will most probably do the ballad-style ‘Mamma Mia!’-version of ‘When All Is Said And Done’ as one of the last songs and hopefully, for everyone attending, with Benny accompanying her on the piano…
I’m only wondering why the live broadcast should go on until 9.30 pm while the concert in Hyde Park ends at 8.30 pm?
Wishing everyone going a very good time!
It’s getting better all the time and glad I have my ticket.
What I want to know is who is performing TFTM with BAB. I know it will probably be a (cheesy) encore at the end with all artists – but you can dream…….
Looking forward to a great night.
P.S Great to see Anders conducting!
I’m Soooo excited. What is rowing in the serpentine!?could it be the space where one or both the girls appear? It looks like Kylie is second last by herself then with Benny and bjorn? For waisad and then the serpentine song before tyftm with them all? Then the mamma Mia cast. Looks totally fantastic and Benny will play piano for tyftm worth it fir that alone!
Is "Rowing on the Serpentine" a new song written for the occassion??
MY TICKET CAME THIS MORNING ! !
I got my ticket and leaflet also this morning.
I am looking forward to Kylie as she did a great ‘Dancing queen’ in Sydney and also recently ‘The winner takes it all’.Kylie has been a fan since childhood and I am so glad ‘When all is said and done’ is getting an airing.There are several versions though now…ABBA version and Mamma mia version(2 diff lyric versions) and also Anne Sofie von-otter’s
version which is similar to the Mamma Mia movie version.
Still gutted Helen isn’t there… but looking forward to it a bit more..Benny and Bjorn are there and Benny playing is worth the ticket price now but fingers crossed for ‘surprise guest or guests’.
Is there any fan get together beforehand?
Kylie!!! YESS! What a scoop!!! I love her! Great in concert at the O2 so, will be fab here . Am absolutely chuffed to bits at this news!! ;-)))
I think I´m one of the happiest people on earth today!!!!1 It is amazing that I will have the chance to see at least two of the original members of my favourite band ABBA live on stage! I was born 1974 so unfortunately I wasn´t able to see them in the active years… I love texas. I love BAO and I love Kylie, so it´s like a birthday-, christmas- and weddingday present to read that all these wonderful celebrities with their magic voices will be there, at the big event! I´m sooo glad, I will have the time of my life that evening!!!!If Andy Bell will also be there I go mad………:O)))) but there´s still 2 more weeks, so we´ll see….I´m really looking forward to that day! See you!!!!
Not sure how I feel about this. I’m not overly keen on the line-up, but will go with an open mind!
Russell would like to advise his fans that he will not be appearing at the Radio 2 Hyde Park Abba ?Thank You for the Music? Concert on 13th September. Russell?s name has been connected with this event as he will shortly be appearing in Benny & Bjorn?s (from ABBA) new musical ?Kristina? in New York but at the time that the Hyde Park concert takes place he will be deep in rehearsals in New York and was never formally approached about this concert. Russell hopes that this confusion has not caused his fans any significant inconvenience or disappointment. Many thanks for your continued support, Russell HQ x
Can someone tell me wich entrance at Hyde Park is the one to get to the concert.
Thanks for your answer.
Only 9 days to go. I only ask 2 things – 1. It doesn’t rain and 2. (More importantly)That B & B will appear on stage (contrary to the fan clubs info).
As for the rest. Well whatever we think of the line up of people performing, it is up to all us fans to make it a great atmosphere and have a great evening. Only rain and no B & B could spoil that.
Why isn´t Benny Andersson Band playing their latest single ´Story of a Heart´? It´s a great track, and would probably sell a few more copies of their latest album, if they played that song in Hyde Park.
c.v.d. The entrance is at Marble Arch end….see you there,can’t wait….
About ‘Rowing on the Serpentine’…
being of course the lake or river separating Hyde Park from Kensington Gardens…
This could of course be a new song by the Benny Andersson Band, probably instrumental, but it might also be just an English title for the existing ‘Pa en solskenspromenad’…
Any other guesses?
this will be the coolest concert of the year by far. We shall be in the presence of many musical stars. To be able to watch and listen to Benny play will be akin to watching Motzart. thanking the BBC and all the artists in advance for putting this on for all of us to share. The night will fab, our voices will be hoarse, but the memories will linger for ever. See you all in the front row. 7 days and counting!!!
Just to see half of ABBA is fantastic for those of us who never got the chance, me and my friend wrote to jim ‘il fix it’ 30 years ago to meet ABBA and where so depressed we didnt get chosen lol, we lost contact for 15 years bringing up kids & stuff and met up again 2 months ago, now we’re going to get to see half of them and we cant wait, im sure the atmospere will be nothing short of amazing, dito Chris and John and the memories will live for ever for some of us !!!!!!!!
This is amazing. I couldn’t get tickets but looking forward to seeing Bjorn Again at Hamilton Park on Sunday, 20 September.