This summer, Gary Barlow, Howard Donald, Jason Orange, Mark Owen and Robbie Williams took to the stage together for the first time in seventeen years. The reunited five piece made Take That fans all over the world very happy as they embarked on the Progress Live Tour across the UK and Europe with the most spectacular set. They played to 1.8 million people in total over 29 stadium dates. In fact, as Robbie mentioned at the time, they had a mighty "eight days at Wembley Stadium". Impressive!
And now, the boys are releasing their live DVD so that fans across the globe can relive the huge return of the original 90s boyband. A full two hours (give or take a few minutes) of live show footage sits ready to air on Disc One, with hit after hit playing out. A good few thousand of you have probably seen the gig live, but just for those who haven't - the show starts as a four-piece (circa 2005-2010) before Robbie does his solo bit and finally all five members come together to give the 56,000+ strong Manchester crowd songs like The Flood, Love Love and old classics like Everything Changes and A Million Love Songs. Predictably, the audience go insane when the old boyish dance routine to Pray gets underway.
But the winning part of this particular Take That release is the striking camera work. If you have ever been to one of their shows, you will know that being in a Take That audience is nothing like being at any other show. The unified crowd will belt out song after song for the duration of the concert, they know the old dance routines and nothing quite beats the feeling of 56,000 people having their arms in the air simulateously for Never Forget. Nothing. And for the first time, it feels like all of that has been exceptionally captured on camera. There are plenty of crowd shots (you might even catch yourself waving if you were at the Manchester date) and close your eyes and you could almost be in the stadium with the brilliant sound quality.
Disc Two is a little more low key (there isn't as much screaming for a start), but what there is, is a brilliantly honest and exclusive 30-minute Making Of documentary with all five lads having their say. They talk about what the tour means to each of them and how they put it all together. Plus, the boys reveal how they really felt when Robbie returned to the band ('nervous' was the general consensus).
Howard humbly admits that after over 20 years of performing in front of adoring fans, he still appreciates banners in the audience. "It's great looking out in the audience and seeing banners with our names on," he smiles. "Even if it's just one and the others have got loads... It really lifts you. I'd be a bit gutted if everyone else got loads of banners and I didn't get one."
While Robbie reveals that even though he's back in the band, he's still very sad that he's not a part of the Shine/Patience/Rule The World era of Take That. "When they go up at the beginning, I'm still by the side of the stage and I'm watching them. I watch what the audience is doing. And I'm still not a part of that. To be honest, I'm being a bit of a fan. I'm watching my favourite band."
And of course the wonderfully reliable Gary puts us all at ease as he says the boys are happy together on stage and in the studio. "I hope I never take this for granted," he muses. "[All of us up there] it feels totally secure, real strong. It feels good. I love being up there with everyone."
Of course, some fans will want to reassurance that there is still plenty of Jason Orange and Howard Donald throughout the DVD. Of course there is! The fantastic chess-board dance-off between the two is a huge highlight of the live show - and there are plenty of chest shots of Jay as he pulls out his moves. Mark of course dazzles as he brings out the old-school cuteness of Babe - another highlight - while leaning on his elbows on the piano... "I think I did this in the video," he grins at Gary, while Gary plays.
He's not wrong - and those little link ups to the old days will make loyal fans very happy, while the newer recruits will enjoy the fantastic stunts (Robbie does a little bungee jump/abseil thing - we kid you not), amazing dancers and incredibly awesome 200-foot moving robot, Omm, which joins the boys for their Progress album tracks. It really is an astounding show for everyone.
