The Björn Identity at the BBC

On 5th April 2014 The Björn Identity Abba tribute band were invited to be special guests to sing LIVE on BBC Radio Ulster Saturday Magazine Show presented by John Toal on a 40th Anniversary special. To say we were delighted to get the call to be special guests along with renowned Abba historian and Swedish writer of ‘Bright Lights Dark Shadows’  Carl Magnus Palm would be an understatement. Sadly Carl was not in the studio alongside us but instead on the phone at his home in Stockholm however being fellow ABBA anoracs or should we say ‘Abbaracs’ we were happy to be sharing the airwaves with such a renowned fan and publicist for the famous Abba band themselves. You can listen to a edited version of the show here

The show opened with us, one of Ireland’s finest ABBA tribute bands, singing Waterloo of course! with a second song to be chosen by the listening public after the live cooking with heron demonstration. Love a bit of herring us Swedes do…. ya.

This was very exciting but nerve wrecking indeed for any tribute act to perform live on Radio… a scenario in which we would have loved to use our live intruments but with all the cooking equipment in the studio next door… wasn’t an option.

So a completely different environment to our live stage shows, and at 10.30 in the morning after a busy week of gigs a tad early to be singing, still we waited tentatively backstage fully dressed in our gold spangally costumes …yes fully dressed for radio …for our Abba tribute bands broadcasting debut. We’re committed we’ll say that much 🙂

After opening the 2 hour Saturday Magazine show with Waterloo and an interview from us followed by our Abba historian we waited in the green room for the public to decide our fate…

So what would the listeners favourite Abba song be?  Dancing Queen, SOS or Mamma Mia. Bjorn played by Richard decided to take it to a band vote to see if we new our public as well as our Abba music. He decided as did Benny (Jonny) on Mamma Mia as the audience choice with Karen (Agnetha) going for one of her favourites SOS, Frida played by Diana couldn’t decide she loves them all! So like a scene from the Gimme Gimme Gimme video and with a slight feeling of nervous tension somewhat like Abba themselves may have felt back stage at Eurovision 1974, the girls of the Bjorn Identity Abba tribute act waited in the studio for the votes to be counted and verified.

Then came the announcement with some excitement on her winning bet Karen was the Winner that took it all… SOS was Radio Ulster listeners favourite Abba song.

You can listen to The Bjorn Identity Abba tribute bands edited shorter version of the 2 hour podcast for you to listen to right here on our website.  Check out all of our Abba Tribute gigs and show

Our next Abba tribute theatre show is Theatre at the Mill, Newtownabbey. Tickets are on sale now TEL Box Office: 028 9034 0202 or online at www.theatreatthemill.com

Press play below to listen to an edited version of the show