Spending Saturday Eve With ABBA-Benny, Tommy Körberg and Helen Sjöholm

When I did my micro-teaching session last Tuesday the tutor who observed us was Swedish. She told me that Benny Andersson was playing with his new band in Hampstead Heath today. I had already planned to go out with a friend this evening but luckily she didn't mind coming along to a Swedish day out in the park instead of going to a bar. I arrived early so I decided to go for a coffee whilst I waited for my friend. What better place to go than Mamma Mia Sandwich Bar?!

The Swedish Embassy was organising this day out with various artists including the highlight - Benny Andersson Orchestra featuring Helen Sjöholm and Tommy Körberg.

I took loads of pictures. I love Benny! I've said it before and I'm saying it again. I just want to give him a cuddle.

I wish I could show you how absolutely bloody amazing it was! BAO is nothing like ABBA at all. They play Swedish folk music ("happy music" to quote my Japanese friend) which is mostly instrumental. They also throw in some "schlager" where they have singers like Tommy and Helen. "Schlager" is a Swedish phenomenon. It's also called dance-band music and traditionally when you go to a dance-band gig everyone will be... you guessed it dancing (you know, old-fashioned two people actually holding on to each other). Well, there was space meant for dancing but the people who stood there were not going to move. But I have to give credit to this guy for shaking his bootaaay to a "schottis".

BAO played for 2.5 hours. They played some excellent folk songs. Helen Sjöholm sang their new hit "Story Of A Heart". Calle Moreus did a great cover of "O Sole Mio". They even through in some ABBA songs! Oh my God, when they started to play "Hasta Manana" I took a serious walk down memory lane. I felt like getting my hairbrush out of my handbag and sing into it like I did when I was seven years old and couldn't speak English but sang in ABBA-English. They also did "I do, I do, I do" and "When All Is Said And Done".

Hampstead Heath was rockin' this evening. And the best (and quite unbelievable) thing is that it was FREE! The Swedish Embassy paid for it which I can only assume means that the Swedish tax-payers forked out for this TREAT.

So on behalf of all of us who were there I'd like to say a big THANK YOU to all you hard-working Swedes who dutifully pay your taxes. It was bloody brilliant!!!