Take That declared the Glasgow audience the best voices of their tour so far as they put on their first city show in five years at the Hydro.
Kicking off the first of three nights at the Finnieston venue, Gary Barlow beamed: “The further north you go, the better the audience is.”
And the Scots more than proved him right as they lifted the roof off the arena for Shine. Dressed head to toe in black, Mark Owen delicately climbed up and down stairs on stage as he belted out the infectious hit with a water fountain bouncing in front of him.
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And this was just the start as Take That has now become synonymous with big production – and they didn’t disappoint, even nailing that Pray dance more than 30 years on sending the crowd into a frenzy in the process.
The trio – including Howard Donald – kicked off the This Life on tour with the haunting Keep Your Head Up taken from the band’s latest album of the same name.
A dive into the nineties shortly followed with Donald proving his vocals were in top shape to sing Everything Changes, a song originally sung by Robbie Williams when he was in the band.
After a nostalgia trip that included I Found Heaven and A Million Love Songs, the mighty Patience followed, a song that propelled Take That back into the spotlight a second time in 2006 after their split.
The Flood however proved to be the real showstopper with Barlow’s vocals impressing throughout the song’s delivery.
What Take That does well is concerts. From the early days when the hysteria surrounding them was fever pitch and a dance routine would easily please their fans to now with the band producing blockbuster-worthy shows. They think out every single little detail in their performance, and it shows. There is always a story, spectacular costumes, impressive staging, and most importantly audience interaction.
Something Owen expressed as he smiled: “We did our first-ever tour in Scotland. All this we owe to you.”
But the fans equally owe a lot to That That with each chapter of their career proving to be a soundtrack to their own lives.
Relight My Fire was one of those songs the early fans will remember. The energy of the track takes you back to your teen years with Take That matching the tempo with their slick moves.
As a trio, the boys still have that unique chemistry that simply makes them Take That. Together they are a force to be reckoned with and as the music evolves, they just seem to get better in a live setting.
Back For Good and Never Forgot rounded off the night highlighting the prowess of Barlow’s songwriting. He simply makes good pop songs that stand the test of time.
While Rule The World made Take That’s first Glasgow show this weekend a memorable one.
