It was homecoming time last night for the Voulez Vous York contingent: Karla Watt, standing in for Linda Ann Monks as Frida, and manager Lee James.

To welcome them at the Barbican Centre were parties of tweenagers, a works do complete with sparkly wigs, even an 80-year-old birthday girl - in fact, you name the social gathering, it was represented.

Voulez Vous must be one of the few acts who can honestly claim to bridge the generation gap.

They have Benny and Bjorn to thank for this, of course. Never mind that Abba wrote cheesy lyrics and had unexceptional voices, their appeal has always stemmed from the fact their songs have been some of the catchiest ever written.

So, in a way, there is little Voulez Vous need to do. As long as they keep belting out all the old favourites, they've got it made.

They did more than this last night. Effort had gone into the costumes and the visual effects could only be described as stunning.

After opening with the rousing Lay All Your Love On Me, they made an ambitious departure from the toe-tappers into lesser-known ballads.

But after half a dozen of these, the audience were gazing at the stage in confusion. By the second half, though, all was set to rights. It took only the opening chords of Mama Mia to get them dancing in the aisles, and hot on the heels of this number came other classics like Money, Money, Money and Knowing Me Knowing You.

The finale, or course, was the superb Dancing Queen. The local girl had delivered the goods in the end.

Updated: 10:39 Saturday, April 07, 2001