Australia Celebrates The Great ABBA Anniversary

From Swedish publication 'DN.kultur' 

Australia Celebrates The Great ABBA Anniversary
 
It has now been 40 years of "Abba Mania" in Australia.
- We are extremely grateful for our fans in Australia and their wonderful support, says Anni-Frid Lyngstad in an interview.

Late one evening February 27, 1977 landed a Qantas plane with Abba members aboard the Sydney Airport. Thousands of fans waited outside.
 - I remember I was pretty tired after a more than 20-hour flight, says Anni-Frid Lyngstad in an interview with the Sydney Morning Herald.

Neither she, Agnetha Fältskog, Björn Ulvaeus, Benny Andersson or could guess what was waiting outside. 
- It was overwhelming, says Anni-Frid Lyngstad in the interview.

Many of the fans had been waiting for hours. Among them was 9-year-old Nicole Kidman, writes SMH.Media attention in Australia right now it's 40 years ago, Abba began its acclaimed tour of the country, and why pop group still popular down under.

At times it was hysterical during the tour, as depicted in Lasse Hallstrom's "Abba: The Movie".Anni-Frid Lyngstad explains that one of the highlights came in Melbourne where it was full of people on the streets and the group's limousine had been difficult to get around. The group then waved down to the masses from a balcony of the town hall.
 - I was moved to tears by the amazing welcome from the people on the street who looked up at us as we stood. We felt like royalty at that moment, and waved to everyone down there.

Abba-mania hit most of the country, and the newspaper has talked to several famous Australians about the love of the group. The singer and actress Dannii Minogue says:
 - It feels like their music has played a seat role in shaping what we love to pop and what inspires us musically.

On Sunday aired a segment about the anniversary of the television channel ABC 24thEven the Swedish Embassy in Australia recognizes Abba, in collaboration with the National Film and Sound Archive in Canberra and ABBA Museum in Stockholm. Among other things, shown in March, "Abba: The Movie".Fact: ABBA in Australia

1973-1983 Abba gave out eight studio albums and toured much of the world. The group has sold more than 400 million records, making the Abba Sweden's most successful musical export of all time.

During the tour of Australia in 1977 the group did 11 concerts in four cities in 13 days, never to return.Abbas songs were given new life back into the country in the mid-1990s with the films "Priscilla - Queen of the desert" and "Muriel's Wedding".

Since the group disbanded, it has constantly rumors of a reunion. Last year, gathered all four ABBA for the first time in eight years, at the premiere of the musical "Mamma mia! The party "at the Tyrol at Grona Lund in Stockholm. The event received great attention including in Australia.

http://www.dn.se/kultur-noje/australien-firar-stort-abba-jubileum/