ABBA Annual 1977

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January:

1977-01-12 Björn, Benny and Stig in London for the preparations for the concerts in the Royal Albert Hall.

1977-01 Filming of the 'Knowing Me, Knowing You' video on the island of Lindingö and in the studio.

1977-01-26 ABBA leave Stockholm this evening.

1977-01-27 Preparations for World tour. Video footage.

1977-01-28 Concert in Oslo, Ekebergshallen (Norway.) After the concert, the ABBA members met the Norwegian royal family.

ABBA also went on a sleigh ride in 'Kanefart'.

ABBA in Oslo

1977-01-29 Concert in Gothenburg, Scandinavium (Sweden).

1977-01-30 Concert in Gothenburg, Scandinavium (Sweden).

1977-01-31 Concert in Copenhagen, Brondbyhallen (Denmark)

February:

1977-02-01 Concert in Copenhagen, Brondbyhallen (Denmark).

1977-02-02 Concert in Berlin, Deutschlandhalle (West-Germany).

1977-02-03 Concert in Colony, Sporthalle (West-Germany)

1977-02-04 Concert in Amsterdam, Jaap Eden hal (the Netherlands)

ABBA in Jaap Edenhal, Amsterdam

1977-02-05 Concert in Antwerp, Arena Hal (Belgium)

1977-02-06 Concert in Essen, Grugahalle (West-Germany)

1977-02-07 Concert in Hannover, Ellenfriedehalle. (West-Germany)

1977-02-08 Concert in Hamburg, C.C.H. (West-Germany)

1977-02-09? ABBA perform in DDR village Trinwillershagen between Rostock und Stralsund? After president George Bush's visit to German Chancellor Angela Merkel's hometown Trinwillershagen in July 2006, German news sources report that the former East German regime paid ABBA to stop by in 1977.

ABBA on tour in Germany

ABBA reveive golden records for Arrival and the 'Golden Hammer', a German prize

1977-02-10 Concert in Birmingham, Odeon (England) Backstage video

1977-02-11 Concert in Manchester, Free Trade Hall (England)

1977-02-12 Concert in Glasgow, Apollo (Schotland)

1977-02-13 To London.

1977-02-14 2 concerts at The Royal Albert Hall (England).

1977-02-15 ABBA in London.

1977-02-16 ABBA are handed awards for Best Vocal Group of 1976 by Prince Rainier and Princess Grace from Monaco in London.

ABBA on the Simon Bates show

1977-02-17 Back to Stockholm.

1977-02-16/24 ABBA appear via satellite on the 'Don Lane show', in between the European and Australian tour. Also on this day, ABBA are interviewed by 'Sveriges Magasin'

1977-02-18 Release single 'Knowing me, knowing you' - 'Happy Hawaii'.

1977-02-21 Preparations for the Australian tour.

1977-02-26 ABBA on the plane to Australia

1977-02-27 Arrival in Sydney, on Sunday at 9.15 pm. ABBA stays at 'The Sebel Town House' Hotel.

1977-02-28 Press conference at Hotel 'Sebel Town House', starting at 11.30 am.

March:

1977-03-01 Interviews and sound check at the 'Sydney Showgrounds' (outdoor venue).

1977-03-02 Sound check and rehearsals at the 'Sydney Showgrounds'.

Tiger and Dum Dum Diddle

I am An A

Fernando

Why Did It Have To Be Me

Intermezzo No.1

The girl with the golden hair

So Long

Dancing Queen

1977-03-03 Rehearsals and concert in Sydney with heavy rainfall. 'So Long' is not performed tonight.

ABBA wearing AFLSydney Swans Football Club jumpers

1977-03-04 Rehearsals and concert in Sydney at the 'Sydney Showgrounds'.

1977-03-05 Departure for Melbourne. ABBA stay at the 'The Old Melbourne Motor Inn' Hotel.

1977-03-06 Rehearsals and concert in Melbourne at the 'Sidney Myer Music Bowl'.

ABBA with Alice Cooper in Melbourne

1977-03-07 A day off: ABBA make a boat tour on Port Phillip Bay.

1977-03-08 Departure for Adelaide. ABBA stay at 'The Parkroyal Motor Inn' Hotel. Concert today.

Read this review of tonight's concert:
Adelaide Advertiser, March 9, 1977

Terrific. Abba-solutely the finest staged pop show in the world. Flaming red-haired Frida is a real rager, blonde Agnetha a stunner, and the whole heaving Abba machire behind, above and on stage is nothing short of brilliant.

But strangely, unaccountably. the 20,000 fans sharing the beautifully mild night at Football Park didn't seem to be falling about with hysteria. Not like the telly, eh? Can't just sit back and watch 'em belt them out between

commercials all pre-packed, plastic and sterile.

Still, for me an Abba-basher from way back - it was an exciting surprise. Here was the Swedish phenomenon in the flesh, at last having to justify its appeal as the biggest thing since the Beatles. And, if only for sheer effect, they went a good deal of the way last night in proving their popular worth.

This show is the result of a year's planning, six months' rehearsing and the work of the largest entourage to cross Australia. The finished article, though strung together by bits of you've seen-it-all-before, is quite simply magnificent. Between two huge stacks of speakers, which they rightly call their wall of sound, Abba swirls and swings aboard the biggest, deepest stage thepromoters have had to build. Looming high above the dazzling white set is an enormous pillow-like canopy, flown in especially from Sweden. Below, the show gallops on as Abba bounds from hit to hit. Initially, from where I was sitting on the lawn area, the sound was tinny and thin, especially on "I Am a Tiger, "SOS" and "Waterloo.

The group seemed cold, and wooden, each taking a turn to mouth a platitude or two, and then on to the next number. But once the four - Agnetha Faltskog, Frida Lyngstad, Benny Andersson and Bjorn Ulvaeus - and the backing group got warm, the performance skyrocketed in appeal. Whether clawing their way through "I Am a Tiger" or playing coy school girls in "When I Kissed the Teacher", Agnetha and Frida are the ones the binoculars follow. Frida, especially, in her sexy shorts, hardly stopped dancing during the two-hour set and positively stole the show with her solo on "Why Did it Have to Be Me." And the hits tumbled on..."Fernando" - complete with fireside lighting and stars, "Mamma Mia", "Rock Me" and on to something new, a mini-rock opera. Tee-hee. Abba attempts rock opera but no, they pulled it off with real rocky style. Called "The Girl With the Golden Hair", it's the heart~tugging tale of naive Goldilocks who finds stardom at the hands of an unscrupulous manager. Corny, eh? The execution wasn't. Punchy, fast, and from a better spot in the stands, it sounded absolutely superb. Tops for the night was the finale, a rousing rendition of rocker "So Long," then after a round of salutory applause, into a bobby-dazzling encore of "Dancing Queen" complete with orchestra, brass and band.

All that was left was to take the kids and go home, but wait, what's this? Ye gods, a fireworks display! Well, there was something, to celebrate - Abba's Arrival as live performers.

1977-03-09 Departure for Perth. ABBA stay at Hotel 'The Parmelia'.

1977-03-10 Rehearsals and concert in Perth at the 'Perth Entertainment Centre' (indoor with helicoper coming in).

1977-03-11 Boat tour in the morning on the Swan River, Rehearsals and concert in Perth.

ABBA with Alice Cooper in Perth

1977-03-12 Rehearsals and two concerts in Perth, 'Perth Entertainment Centre'.

1977-03-13 Departure for London, Stockholm.

1977-03-15 Back in Stockholm.

1977-03-16 Quiet period after world tour.

April:

1977-04-09 ABBA celebrate 'Dancing Queen's hitting No. 1 in the U.S. with champagne.

1977-04-18 ABBA are presented the 'Golden Wasp' award for the ABBA-DABBA-DOO special at the Expressen Annual Party.

1977-04/05 Songwriting sessions for upcoming album.

May:

1977-05early. Björn, Benny and Michael Tretow to Los Angeles to discuss plans for a new recording studio in Stockholm.

1977-05-17 ABBA attend an 'Eagles' concert in Stockholm this evening.

1977-05-31 Backing tracks of 'A Bit Of Myself, a working title of 'The Name Of The Game' and 'Scaramouche'.

June:

1977-06-01 Backing tracks of 'High, High', a working title of 'The Eagle', a working title of 'Eagle' and 'Scaramouche' (undeleted).

1977-06-02 Backing tracks of 'Thank You For The Music' (Doris D), 'Eagle' and 'Scaramouche'.

1977-06-17 Part of June spent completing 'The movie' (Outdoor, hotel and elevator scenes).

July:

1977-07. First two weeks of July are spent finishing The Movie.

1977-07-11 Björn and Benny present at Hootenanny concert at the Västerik Visfestival.

1977-07-18 Backing track of Sjömansvisa' a working title of 'One Man, One Woman'.

1977-07-19 Backing tracks of 'The Name Of The Game', 'I Believe In You' and 'I'm A Marionette'.

1977-07-21 Backing track of 'Thank You For The Music' ('The Album' version).

August:

1977-08-01 Backing track of 'I'm A Marionette'.

1977-08-02 Backing track of 'I Wonder' (Departure).

1977-08-03 Backing tracks of 'High On Your Love', a working title of 'Rock'n Roll', a working title of 'Hole In Your Soul' and 'Billy Boy', a working title of 'Take A Chance On Me' (Billy Boy).

1977-08-04 Backing track of 'Yippee Yay', a working title of 'Big John', a working title of 'Joanna', a working title of 'Love For Me Is Love Forever, a working title of 'Move On'.

1977-08-08 More work on the backing track of 'Move On'.

1977-08-15 Backing track of 'Billy Boy', a working title of 'Take A Chance On Me'.

1977-08-17 Bass and drum overdubs for 'Billy Boy, a working title of 'Take A Chance On Me'.

Pictures of the Marcus Music Studio Stockholm in 1977.

September:

1977-09 Filming of the promotion clip of 'The Name Of The Game and 'Take A Chance On Me' with a pregnant Agnetha.

1977-09-08 Backing vocals for 'The Movie' and horn and string overdubs for 'I Wonder' (Departure)

1977-09-09 Frida meets her biological father Alfred Haase in Stockholm, thanks to German popmagazine 'Bravo'.

Frida and father

1977-09-10 Frida spends time together with her father. He stays at Benny and Frida's home.

1977-09-11 Frida and father have their last day together.

1977-09-12 Overdubs for 'The Movie'. Recording various backing tracks and mixing 'The Name Of The Game' at the Bohus Studio in West Sweden.

1977-09 More work on 'The Movie' and preparing single release 'The Name Of The Game'.

Working on The Movie in the Marcus Studio

1977-09-20 Recording of intro 'Please Change Your Mind' of 'The Movie' (country composition)

1977-09-22 String overdubs for 'Dancing Queen' The Movie' version)

October:

1977-10-10 Overdubs for 'Eagle' and 'Joanne', a working title of 'Move On'.

1977-10-17 Release single 'The Name Of The Game' - 'I Wonder (Departure).

1977-10-24 Bass overdubs for 'Take A Chance On Me'.

Björn, Frida, Stig and Benny at Expressen party

November:

1977-11-01 Mixing 'Hole In Your Soul and 'Take A Chance On Me'. Several paintings were stolen from ABBA's art gallery.

1977-11-07 Mixing 'Thank You For The Music'.

1977-11-09 String overdubs for 'One Man, One Woman and 'I'm A Marionette'.

1977-11-10 Mixing 'I'm A Marionette' and 'One Man, One Woman'.

1977-11-21 Björn, Benny and Frida appear on Nöjesliv to talk about 'The Album' and 'The Movie'.

1977-11-22 The Album' and 'The Movie' preview at the Look cinema in Stockholm with 150 people from the film business

Dutch tv-maker Bert vd Veer interviews Björn and Benny in Stockholm about The Movie. This footage is shown on December 21 in a Veronica tv special called ABBA.