ABBA tribute group coming to Stanly
Dancing queens and super troupers in Stanly County who enjoy classic pop music are in for a treat with the Stanly County Concert Association’s first performance of the new year.
ABBA-Mania, a look-alike tribute group which performs favorites of the Swedish pop band ABBA, will perform at the Stanly County Agri-Civic Center at 3 p.m. Sunday.
ABBA, which was active in the 1970s and early 1980s, has sold more than $150 million records, making the group one of the best-selling musical artists of all time. ABBA’s songs have also inspired a hit broadway musical, “Mamma Mia!” and two movies.
For the concert, ABBA-Mania will perform classic hits such as “Dancing Queen,” “Mamma Mia,” “Waterloo” and “SOS.”
The Canadian group was founded in 2000 by Garry Lichach, who also serves as producer. He had watched a documentary about the musical in London and its popularity helped inspire him to create the group.
Accompanied by their band, ABBA-Mania has performed with the London, San Diego, Boston, Vancouver, Denver and Montreal symphonies. It performs about 200 shows around the world each year.
The group performs each note from the songs the exact way that ABBA performed them, he said.
ABBA-Mania consists of singers Matthew Whale, who portrays Benny Anderson, Kara Chandler, who portrays Anni-Frid Lyngstad, Angela Seeger, who portrays Agnetha Faltskog, and John Stevens, who portrays Bjorn Ulvaeus.
Though they have never met the original singers, Lichach said ABBA is aware of them.
The concert will have two sets, with an intermission.
“The people in every town are all different, but they are united once the show starts,” Lichach said. “It’s one energy.”
Tickets, which cost $20 for adults and $10 for students, are available in advance at the Agri-Civic Center or Starnes Jewelers.