Ten years ago millions of teenage girls’ (and, you know, probably a few boys’ too) hearts were broken. Because it was a decade ago that one of the biggest boy bands of all time called it a day. That band? Take That, of course.
And now: they’re back. Older? Definitely. Wiser? Who knows?
Hailing from Manchester the boys broke onto –and pretty much created, in the UK at least- the boyband scene in 1990. Within six years they had sold a massive 15 million albums and become one of the UK’s most loved and successful band since the Fab Four. No doubt about it Gary Barlow, Jason Orange, Howard Donald, Robbie Williams and Mark Owen were huge.
But it couldn’t last forever; Robbie Williams’ departure in ’95 was the first crack in their glossy veneer. And just one year later, on February the 13th 1996 Take That officially split. The fallout was the stuff of legends: telephone help-lines were even set up to deal with the predicted teenage outpourings of their devastated fans.
Those fans have now grown up, are all in their twenties (and thirties, and forties, and…), and should probably know better than to lust after members of an unattainable boy band, but for them the news of Take That’s reunion will surely have been the shock of a lifetime. Likewise, the news that not only were they were reforming (minus the Robster), but they were also going on tour.
‘Take That-The Ulimate Tour’, released on the 23rd October, was filmed in Manchester earlier this year on the UK leg of that tour. ‘Take That-The Ultimate Tour’ sees Gary, Mark, Howard and Jason strutting their stuff just like in the good ‘ole days. Ok, so they may be a little (sorry boys!) heavier, and on the wrong side of 30, but, whadd’ya know the boys (sorry, men) have still got it. Obviously the hoards of screaming girls in the audience thought so too.
Naturally, all the old standards are there: ‘Babe’, ‘A Million Love Songs’, ‘Pray’, ‘It Only Takes a Minute’. It’s their greatest hits album come to life on stage basically. They’ve been jazzed up a little but essentially they’re the still the same tunes that we all know and love (or not, as the case maybe). There’s also a rather commendable Beatles Medley: from one Fab Four to another. Resplendent in gothic dress coats, red Butlin’s style suits, and various other sartorially questionable outfits they belt out the hits one right after the other. The dance moves might be a little less energetic, sure, but the camaraderie is still very much there.
The DVD release also features a wealth of bonus features and a bonus live CD-phew, spoilt, or what? ‘Take That-The Ultimate Tour’ might not be to everyone tastes (hint: if you didn’t like Take That back in the day, chances are, you still won’t like them), but for those who rang into the help-lines ten years ago, chances are this will be the best thing since sliced bread. Buy it for the Take that fan in your life, they’re sure to love you forever. Or until the next tour, at least.
Written for Entertainment Wise