Today we’d like to introduce you to The Neon Queen ABBA Tribute Act. Them and their team share their story with us below:
The Neon Queen formed in 2018 out of a desire to do something different to honor the timeless songwriting of ABBA. Our founder, Martin Steib, came up with the idea when he was involved with booking talent for the Candler Park Fall Fest several years ago. The festival regularly booked tribute acts, but they couldn’t find a solid ABBA act. Martin, who came from o the UK music scene, began working on some tracks and partnered up with other local musicians to try and put a project together. With some tweaks here and there, what ultimately emerged was a 5-member act featuring Steib on drums and as creative director, Mims Rogers on bass, and vocalists Kayla Taylor, Tama McGee and Rachel Quartarone.
Some key moments we’ve had are playing the Candler Park Fallfest two years in a row and also at venues and events throughout the Southeast. We were super excited to play before thousands at South Carolina Pride this past October warming up the stage for Vanilla Ice and RuPaul’s Drag Race divas. We are playing in Orlando and Jacksonville in May on our first Florida tour. We’ve previously played Knoxville and Chattanooga and look forward to returning. Of course, our home is Atlanta and we’re always happy to play at our lovely live music venues here — from Venkman’s to 37 Main Avondale, City Winery, and the Coca Cola Roxy Theatre. Atlanta has a vibrant music scene for both local and touring acts. You can next catch us playing the in Atlanta area in June at 37 Main Avondale and at the Buckhead Theatre, opening for our friends Rumours (Fleetwood Mac.) Be sure to follow us on social media to see where we’ll be next!
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
It’s hardly ever a smooth road in the music industry, right? I guess you could say our biggest struggle has been working through the COVID-19 pandemic which essentially shut down live music and indoor gatherings for more than a year. In early 2020, we were looking at a pretty robust schedule with several out-of-town gigs and private parties. Sadly, it all ended up being canceled or postponed. The pandemic was even tougher on the live music venues, but we’re thrilled that things seem to be returning to the “new normal.” This year, we have finally been able to reschedule some of those canceled gigs and are looking forward to more opportunities to play and be together with people in the year to come. Sharing music with one another is essential to happiness and well-being!
Appreciate you sharing that. What else should we know about what you do?
Our high-energy, female-fronted show covers the hits like “Dancing Queen” and “Mamma Mia,” but also lesser-known singles like “Summer Night City” and “Ring, Ring.” We really focus on the rich, layered harmonies that ABBA is famous for and try to do them justice. We also like to surprise the audience with fun mashups featuring the music of other pop icons like Madonna, Britney Spears, Donna Summer and even Dolly Parton. We are different from other tribute acts in that we do ABBA, but we aren’t trying to be ABBA. We’re The Neon Queen!
What sort of changes are you expecting over the next 5-10 years?
There will always be a place for music and for interpreting the legendary music of those who came before. It’s really fun to take ABBA’s hits and mash them up with different beats and the music of other pop divas throughout the generations. Technology has enabled us to get even more creative and reach a wider audience. It’s a brave new world out there on Spotify, Instagram, TikTok, YouTube and more — but there will always be that desire to gather together, listen to live music and experience the joy of a live performance with others. There’s nothing like that energy and it’s really what keeps us going.
Contact Info:
- Email: info@theneonqueen.biz
- Website: www.theneonqueen.biz
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/diggin_the_neon_queen/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/diggintheneonqueen
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCn6-FGpZ6IOcFgpTvoOlBGA
- Other: https://open.spotify.com/artist/2UQ3prCXRmTBIB82AtVY9o?si=wC4nDzZsTx2iRjUt85uSmg
