Yes, it's that time of year again! ROCKTOBER is back; packed with MAMMA MIA! and ABBA-related news, trivia and anniversary dates.

 

Throughout October, which is Breast Cancer Awareness Month, MAMMA MIA! will continue it's year-

round support of The Breast Cancer Research Foundation.

 

ROCKTOBER 2005

October 1

•On this date in 1983, the Swedish Post Office issued an ABBA commemorative stamp. This was the first time a pop group had appeared on a Swedish stamp.

 

October 2

•Twenty-six years ago on this date, ABBA performs Radio City Music Hall. This is one of only 3 performances the band ever played in New York.

 

• MAMMA MIA! U.S. national tour plays its 1,500 performance tonight at the Queen Elizabeth Theatre in Vancouver, British Columbia.

 

October 3

On this date in 1979, ABBA performs in Boston on its North American tour. This was one of only 14 concerts the band played in the US.

 

October 4

"ABBA GOLD" celebrates 479 weeks on the Billboard Top Pop Catalog Chart with sales of over six and a quarter million in the US alone. ABBA GOLD sells over 260,000 copies annually in the U.S. alone.

 

October 5

MAMMA MIA! Broadway celebrates the fourth anniversary of its first preview performance.

 

October 6

On this date in 1979, ABBA played the Forum in Montreal, Canada. ABBA recorded several songs in French – notably "Waterloo."

 

October 7

•West End production of MAMMA MIA!, which transferred to the newly restored Prince of Wales Theatre last June, celebrates 2,720 performances tonight.

 

October 8

• On this date in 1982, ABBA's "The Day Before You Came" single was released in the UK. This was the band's 32^nd single in a ten-year period.

 

• MAMMA MIA! Las Vegas celebrates 1,100 performances at Mandalay Bay. MAMMA MIA! is the longest running full-length Broadway production to ever play The Strip.

 

October 10

On this date in 1982, THE VISITORS was the first ABBA album to be released in the Compact Disc format. At the time, a CD player cost between 600 and 1,000 dollars.  

 

October 11

•On this date in 1975, ABBA's single "SOS" entered the Billboard Top 40. In the US, it won a BMI award as one of the most played records of the year.

 

October 12

•On this date in 1973, the single "Ring Ring" was released. It was the first ABBA record issued in England and Neil Sedaka provided the English lyrics.

 

• One year ago today, the new DVD documentary "Super Troupers: A Celebratory Film from Waterloo to Mamma Mia!" was released in the U.S. 

 

October 13

MAMMA MIA! Broadway plays its 1,673^rd performance, surpassing the original Broadway

run of The Wiz and becoming the 35^th longest running show in Broadway history.

 

October 14

On this date in 1977, "Name of the Game" ABBA single was released in the UK. The single went to #1 within 2 weeks.

 

October 15

The International Tour of MAMMA MIA! opens in Erfurt, Germany at the Messehalle Theatre.

 

October 16

On this date in 1973, the name "ABBA" is used for the first time. The name, coined by producer Stig Anderson, is derived from the names of the band members – Anni-Frid Lyngstad, Bjorn Ulvaeus, Benny Andersson, and Agnetha Falkstog.

 

October 17

On this date in 1976, ABBA taped a performance for the US TV show "Don Kirschner's Rock Concert." The band would also appear on the popular concert show "Midnight Special." For both shows, the band performed "Dancing Queen."

 

October 18

• MAMMA MIA! celebrates the 4^th Anniversary of its Broadway premiere.

 

• MAMMA MIA! U.S. tour begins performances at the Civic Theater in San Diego, CA.

 

October 19

Husband and wife Tony nominated John Dossett and Tony winner Michele Pawk join the Broadway cast, starring opposite eachother as Sam Carmichael and Donna Sheridan.

 

October 20

• On this date in 1979, ABBA played a hometown concert at the Isstadion in Stockholm, Sweden. (One band member, Anni-Frid Lyngstad, was actually born in Norway).

 

• The International Tour of MAMMA MIA! opens in Vienna, Austria at the Stadthalle.

 

October 21

On this date in 1979, ABBA played a sold out concert in Copenhagen, Denmark, a warm-up date for 6 sold out concerts at London's Wembley Arena.

 

October 22

• On this date in 1973, ABBA begins the first recording sessions for the "ABBA" album, which produced the smash hit "Mamma Mia."

 

October 23

On this date in 1981, the "ABBA LP" was re-issued in the UK. The original, released in 1975, saw all 11 tracks released as singles – a claim which few other albums can make.

 

October 24

MAMMA MIA! Broadway cast performs at "Opening Night on Broadway" in-store appearance at Bloomingdale's department store in New York City.

 

October 25

"ABBA: The Movie" is released on DVD. The cult-hit documentary, directed by Lasse Hallström, details the super group's smash hit Australian 1977 tour.

 

October 26

On this date in 1979, "ABBA's Greatest Hits Vol. 2" was released. This, their final album of the 1970s, received 600,000 advance orders and sold faster than any previous ABBA album.

 

October 27

On this date in 1979, ABBA played a sold out concert at the Olympiahalle in Munich, Germany. It is the largest concert venue in Munich, built for the 1972 Olympic games.

 

October 28

On this date in 1977, ABBA's "The Name of the Game" single hit #1 on the British charts and stayed there for 3 months.

 

October 29

On this date in 1979 ABBA's first volume of Greatest Hits (first released in 1976) reaches sales of over 2 million copies.

 

October 30

On this date in 1984, ABBA's single "Lay All Your Love on Me" was reissued in the UK. The original, released in 1981, became the highest placed single ever to only be available in a 12" format.

 

October 31

• One year ago today, performances of the Spanish-language production of MAMMA MIA! began at the Lope De Vega Theatre in Madrid. The Spanish MAMMA MIA! cast album was recorded at the Lope de Vega Theatre in Madrid and released in Spain on September 5, marking the fourth foreign language album release for the global smash hit.

 

• Universal Latino releases the Spanish language cast recording of MAMMA MIA! in Mexico today. November U.S. release date tba.