A tribute concert to ABBA featuring the acclaimed vocalist Maggie Wakeling accompanied by a live string ensemble at the historic York Minster.
The Music of ABBA comes to York Minster on Saturday 1 August, a tribute to the Swedish group's songs. It's put on by Ignite Concerts, who run a series of popular concerts in the cathedral, so this fits into a regular run of music they've been bringing to the Minster.
On the night, vocalist Maggie Wakeling takes the lead, backed by a live string ensemble. The set is built around the songs most people know by heart: Dancing Queen, Mamma Mia, Waterloo and The Winner Takes It All are among the ones they'll be working through. With a live string section behind her, the arrangements lean into the strings rather than the synth-pop sound of the original recordings, and the Minster's acoustics do a lot of the heavy lifting there, carrying the sound through the nave.
It's a tribute, so the whole thing is a nod to the ABBA songbook rather than a new take on it. The focus is on the melodies and the lyrics that have stayed in the public consciousness long after the band stopped recording. Having a live string section on stage means the sound is built from the ground up in the room, rather than coming from a backing track.
Every week we pick 🏆 the 5 best 🏆 things to do in York and send them to your inbox. Just one weekly email, no spam.
By submitting your email, you accept our Privacy Policy
Tickets are £26 to £50, and the concert is part of the wider series Ignite Concerts is running at the Minster throughout the season. If you're around on the first Saturday of August, it's a straightforward way to spend an evening with some very familiar songs in a space that's usually reserved for something quite different.
