Celebrating 50 years of ABBA’s breakthrough single “Waterloo,” “MANIA: The ABBA Tribute” heads to the Columbia County Performing Arts Center Feb. 7.
“This is basically of replica of a late 1970s concerts,” said Alison Ward, who sings Agnetha’s songs in the tribute group. “Even though they’ve released newer songs, this concert is “Waterloo,’ ‘Chiquitita’ and ‘Fernando.’”
With replica costumes approved by original band members and a full band backing them, the four singers in “platforms and sparkly capes” bring the hits that audiences love.
The stage musical and the film “Mamma Mia” have introduced a new audience to the group’s 70s’ hits bringing multiple generations to see MANIA, said Ward.
Recent concerts have seen audiences ranging from a group of screaming young girls wowed by the young musicians on stage to women dressed as Dancing Queens singing their hearts out to an older woman who approached Ward after to say she was touched by the song “The Winner Takes it All.”
“We definitely get a variety of ages,” she said.
The audience enjoys the fun evening, she said, and there are a couple of times during the night when audience members add their voices in with the songs to a deafening level.
“’Dancing Queen’ — everyone sings when it comes on now. It’s become a favorite…The audience goes crazy. Not too long ago, ‘Gimme, Gimme, Gimme’ went viral on TikTok,” she said.
One of her favorite parts of the night is singing “The Winner Takes It All.”
Ward, originally from Liverpool, England, grew up in a musical family, where the songs of the Swedish band were played and sung. She has been part of the tribute group off and on since 2010. She’s performed all over the world as a lead vocalist in Las Vegas and on cruise ships.
MANIA has traveled the globe and the cast recently returned from a tour in Hong Kong, she said.
Ward said they encourage audiences to dress in costume and have fun.
The show will be at 7:30 p.m. Tickets are $21-$51 and are available at thecenterofcc.com.
Charmain Z. Brackett, the publisher of Augusta Good News and Inspiring: Women of Augusta, has covered Augusta’s news for 35 years. Reach her at charmain@augustagoodnews.com. Sign up for the newsletter here.
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