Sunday 3 July 2011

Take That at Wembley - review.

This Friday just gone I put on my comfy boots, bought myself an over the shoulder bag and headed off to Wembley to see Take That. I went with 10 other women, all of us as excited as teenagers. We got there early, early enough to get great seats level with the stage and settled down in the sunshine to munch on expensive but revolting cheeseburgers and chips.



The Pet Shop Boys came on first at 7.15pm. I was never a great fan of them but they were good - you forget how many hits they actually had. Then, at 8.30, there was a countdown to The Show beginning. Over 75,000 people, mostly middle aged women, counted down to the beginning and then Take That hit the stage with Rule the World. I can honestly say that I have never experienced anything like it. 75,000 people screaming, cheering, singing ... unbelievable!!

The 4 came on first and did a set and then Robbie Williams came on to do a set a set of his own. He was brilliant in a self indulgent kind of a way. It must be very difficult not to develop a God complex when you have 75,000 people, night after night, screaming in adoration at you. I did find myself after a little while though thinking "ok - enough now - I have actually come to see Take That, not just Robbie". Still, when he sang Angels and asked us all to think of people we have lost, I found myself with tears streaming down my cheeks ...

Then the rest of the band came on and the longest set was all 5 of them.You forget how many great songs Take That have written. I did have a discussion with a musical friend on the relative merits of Take That compared to 'real musicians'. I had to say that I would imagine most 'real musicians'
would give their right arm to sell out 8 nights at Wembley stadium as well as all the other sold out stadia around the country. And how anyone can not recognise Gary Barlow as an absolute musical genius is beyond me. To fill over 2 hours with hit after hit, album after album, to which every person in Wembley could sing along to is no mean feat. There is a place for all sorts of musicians in the world and just because you like Take That doesn't mean you're a sentimental old fool!

There were times during the concert where it felt like we were all old friends getting together again after time apart. It was comfortable, funny and at the same time bloody spectacular. I have been to a lot of gigs over the years and I reckon, to be honest, that Pink Floyd at the old Wembley 20 odd years ago is the best one I have ever seen - made the hairs on the back of my neck stand on end. But on Friday night I found myself thinking at times that these were some of the most wonderful moments of my life. I was swept along by incredible music, fantastic showmanship and a sense of emotional belonging.

Heading back to the tube to wend our way home we commented on how this must be the easiest police operation ever to see all of us middle aged, middle class ladies back home!! No fights, no drunken behaviour, just a heady feeling that all was right with the world. It may not be as cool to be a Take That fan as to head off to Glastonbury with your wellies and a tent, but I think there is room enough in the world for us all... don't you?

4 comments:

Gail said...

I could feel the excitement in your words. I could almost hear the music.

Pauline said...

Yes, definitely got that warm fuzzy feeling! I'm a lot older than you and I think you had the equivalent of a Rod Stewart concert for me!! After the last one I went to one I alternated between not being able to keep the smile off my face to extreme sadness that he will not be able to perform like that for much longer.

To each his own I say!

(This might amuse you - when Robbie Williams first found fame I could send my daughter into fits of despair but always calling his Willy Robinson!)

E. M. Prokop said...

What a fun night! I haven't really heard of Robbie Williams...I don't think he's very big in Canada..or maybe he is and I'm just too old to notice!
I remember the Pet Shop Boys and Take That from the hits they had over here in the '80's...I love that song 'Take on Me'....wait a sec...I don't think that was either of them was it?
Pink Floyd rocks!! I never saw them but would love to have gone to a concert..
Led Zeppelin too!
I did see Aerosmith years ago and they were amazing!
It's always a great time to go to a concert with a group of friends, here's to reliving our teenage years!!

BrightEyedJess said...

OMG I was there on Friday night too! It was amazing. Every song was just wonderful. I was crying too at Angels, he totally pulled on the heart strings there.

I wasn't that impressed with the Pet Shop Boys, their old hits just seemed so tired.

I was well impressed with Wembley, the organised chaos was so well handled. I was thinking I could easily take my kids to see a concert there.

I am so tempted to hop on a train and go down there again!