Now, before I start this review, I just want to note that I am by no means the biggest Take That fan on the planet. I of course knew the choruses to all the bangers: Relight my Fire, Shine, These Days etc. But after experiencing the absolute magic, whimsy and simply joyous atmosphere of a Take That concert, I can feel myself becoming one. 

The concert was held at the AO arena. It was meant to be held at the ever-so-reliable Co-op arena, that was still not fit for purpose by the time the concert rolled around. It was meant to have hosted other events such as Olivia Rodrigo and Peter Kay as early as April, but that’s a whole other story I can’t fit into this one. 

From the moment I got on the tram to the arena with my mum and dad, I could sense there was a particular demographic for those attending the concert. I posed a game to my dad once we arrived at the arena. “Who can spot the most fans who aren’t women over the age of 40?” 

This game soon came to an end, however, since the only people we could find who didn’t fit that description were, well, me and my dad. 

This was by no means an insult to the fans at the arena. Take That have had the same fanbase since they launched their career in the 90s, they’ve just aged from teenagers into adults. To be honest, I admire their commitment to the band. It just goes to show once you become a Take That fan, there’s no going back.  

What’s even sweeter is that these fans have had children of their own. They are now raising their kids to be fans and bringing them along to their concerts (myself included). 

Take That’s opening act was Olly Murs, who I initially just wanted to go to the concert to see. I just saw Take That as just a bonus (a two-in-one concert, if you will).  

I was quite surprised when I saw he was opening for them, as an established musician with a large fan base, but I wasn’t complaining. 

He played banger after banger after banger, making sure he got the crowd as hyped up as possible for the gig ahead. He left arguably one of his most popular and upbeat songs, Troublemaker, which he recorded with Flo Rida, until the end, which left the crowd buzzing with excitement before the main event. 

When I saw Take That’s setlist before the concert, I was ecstatic that almost every song they put on there was incredibly well-known. It was easy for everyone in the audience to sing along, regardless of how big of a fan they were.  

Even though Take That themselves have aged since their prime era in the 90s, that certainly didn’t stop them from putting on a spectacular performance. I didn’t know what to expect going in there. Maybe just three middle-aged guys singing on the spot in front of a mic stand, occasionally swaying from side to side and tapping their foot, but boy was I wrong. 

I could hardly keep up!

There was fire, waterfalls, moving staircases, bridges that descended from the sky, rotating stages and so much more. Not to mention the amount of outfit changes, I think I lost count after four. The choreography too. Wow! Whilst, yes, some was a bit dad-dancey, the sheer commitment to learning a detailed dance for practically every song was admirable. They were running around the stage so much I would turn my head for one second, then when I looked back, they were on the other side of the stage! 

I don’t think I could pull all that off, and I’m less than half their age.  

Gary did have a dig at all the running and climbing up staircases. During the instrumental in Sure, when the band were running left and right across the stage and up and down the stairs for what seemed like ages, they eventually all comically collapsed halfway up a staircase and pretended to gasp for air. Gary remarked: “Who’s idea was it to put stairs on this stage?”, much to the amusement of the crowd. 

Of course, we can’t forget the iconic Pray dance, which the guys do every time they sing it. It was met with a huge collective scream from the crowd as even Gary, who notoriously isn’t a fan of the cheesy 90s choreography, joined in with Mark and Howard for the 15-second routine in the middle of the song.  

Pray wasn’t the only song with an intricate dance routine though, some special mentions include These Days (where the trio made their way to the smaller stage in the middle of the crowd and danced on a rotating platform in the centre of it). In Relight my Fire, they ran up and down a staircase that was literally on fire.  

One wrong step and the concert would’ve been an entirely different experience. 

There was also a song, This Life, which their concert and their latest album were named after. They all sat together on a sofa they had brought onto stage, and all the band came and stood around them as well. It was a very wholesome moment, and the perfect tribute to the tour and the album. 

Of course, it wouldn’t be a Take That concert without them ending with two of their most optimistic and uplifting songs, Never Forget and Rule the World. The perfect note to end a perfect night on. The audience all had their arms in the air and their phone torches out, and it made for a beautiful connection between the band and the crowd. 

It was a magical experience that I, truly, will Never Forget.