Published Date: 28 May 2009
Thousands of pounds has been spent and almost 1,500 staff have been hired to prepare for Wearside's biggest ever concerts.

Sunderland AFC is expecting more than 160,000 fans at the Stadium of Light for the Take That and Oasis gigs in June.

The stadium has undergone rigorous testing, costing £50,000, to ensure it can withstand the rhythmic jumping and swaying of thousands of music fans.

The courtyard area, in the car park in front of Black Cats House, will be fitted out to host bars and refreshment stalls for up to 10,000 people.

The stage for Take That, on June 5 and June 6, will be set up in the South Stand, but will be replaced by a different stage for Oasis, on June 10.

The rest of the pitch will be covered by a special Supertrack surface.

Peter Weymes, facilities manager at the stadium, said: "Everyone is looking forward to it. They are two great bands and there's a feeling that there could not be a better debut for the Stadium of Light as a concert venue.''

There are still a limited number of hospitality packages available from £63.61 for all concerts.

For more information visit www.safcconcerts.com or call 0871 911 1500.

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Take That convoy pulls up at Stadium of Light

Here they come.
The Take That entourage has landed on Sunderland soil and the stunning stage and set for the band's Circus Live tour are well under way.

Fifty-nine Take That trucks arrived at the Stadium of Light this week, carrying the staging, lights, set and full production, and work is well under way to transform the football stadium into a grand music venue.

The secret set is being kept well under wraps so the surprise is not spoiled for the thousands descending on the city to see them next Friday and Saturday.

Tickets for the Take That concerts on Friday and Saturday, June 5 and 6, as well as tickets for Oasis on Wednesday, June 10, can now be picked up from the stadium.

Take That crew lorries in the Stadium of Light car park this morning, to prepare for the band’s concerts next week.

NOISY TAKE THAT REHEARSALS ANGER VILLAGERS

31st May 2009
By Dominik Lemanski

TAKE That have fallen foul of neighbours by belting out their hits in an aircraft hangar.

The pop favourites have spent the last month rehearsing at RAF Cardington in Bedfordshire.

But things have not all gone to plan for the chart-busting group – who stayed at the historic Swan Hotel in Bedford for a month.

According to locals in sleepy Cardington Village, the quartet have been disturbing their peace and quiet by belting out hits including Back For Good at all hours.

Their summer stadium tour kicks off on Friday and they have been fine-tuning their stage act in the hangar, originally built for the development of airships in 1915.

It has also been used for filming blockbusters such as Batman Begins, The Dark Knight and Sky Captain And The World Of Tomorrow.

But last night one resident was far from happy.

He said: “Take That might think they sound fantastic but just try telling that to my seven-month-old daughter.

“We live in Cardington Village and it’s just too loud. Some days we have a real problem getting her to sleep because of the noise from the hangar.”

The disgruntled local added: “They seem to be practising constantly.

“Of course, they think most of the sound stays within the aircraft hangar but I can assure you it travels.

“You have to remember they are getting ready to play stadium gigs so you can just imagine the volume at which they are belting their songs out.

“Some days it has sounded like we are having our very own Take That gig.

“I’m just glad they seem to have moved on now.”

The top-selling band – Gary Barlow, Jason Orange, Howard Donald and Mark Owen – are set to play a string of gigs across the country this summer, starting at Sunderland’s Stadium of Light on Friday and Saturday.

Other shows will be at Cardiff’s Millennium Stadium and Wembley Stadium in London.

Meanwhile Take That are set to release their latest single Said It All on June 15.

The video for the song, which was premiered on GMTV earlier this month, features all four band members dressed up as vintage circus clowns, fitting in with the circus theme of the tour.

They have enjoyed a triumphant comeback since reuniting in 2005 after splitting in 1996.

Rumours have circulated that they could be rejoined by original member Robbie Williams.

But that idea seems to have now fizzled out.

Williams’ best pal Jonathan Wilkes said earlier this month the Angels singer will not return and was writing his own new material.

Take That . . and Go

TAKE THAT are heading to Sunderland next weekend to play two of the North East’s biggest ever concerts. Supporting them is little-known singer Gary Go who was handpicked by the band. LIZ LAMB chats to him and previews the gigs.

THEY are one of the biggest boybands in history and, three years after they re-formed, they are still at the top of their game.

Over 100,000 fans will see Take That perform the opening nights of their Circus Live tour at the Stadium of Light which includes support from girl band The Saturdays and Brit award-winning singer James Morrison.

The stadium is the only North venue to host the band on their record-selling 14-date UK tour, which has broken all British box office records.

The band said: “We are all really looking forward to getting back on the road again.

“We can think of no better way to thank everyone for their support and loyalty over the past three years.

“This will be the biggest tour we’ve ever done.”

Also, supporting the band is little-known singer songwriter Gary Go, who was handpicked for the tour by the boys themselves and has bagged the performer the most enviable support slot a new artist or band could ever dream of.

The band have been big fans of Gary Go since the middle of last year and the choice to bring him with them in June was a very personal one.

They said: “Gary Go is a rare and talented artist with an amazing voice and inspirational songs. We all just love his passion and enthusiasm.”

Mark Owen added: “I’m absolutely made up that Gary Go is touring with us and delighted to hear that things seem to be going so well for him.

“Go Gary, Gary Go he really is quite wonderful”.

The tour will see Gary play live in front of over a million people in the space of a month, at venues like Wembley Stadium and Cardiff Millennium Stadium.

Gary says: “I am very excited. It’s great to be asked and I am sure the Take That show is going to be amazing.

“I am more excited about seeing their show than I am about performing, I think.

“I got the chance to get to know the guys over the last few months. Someone sent them some of my music and they turned up at gigs and they got really into it.

“They asked me to go on the road with them. I’d love to be as big as them.”

A self-taught musician who grew up within earshot of the Eighties gigs at Wembley Stadium, Gary wrote his first song – Stomach Ground, about a village of people living on someone’s belly – aged eight, left school at 17 and got a lowest rung job at a record label and recording studio making tea and setting up microphones.

The next few years were spent working at various studios, setting up his own bedroom-run label, The Canvas Room, produced some songs, released 500 copies of the “So-So” EP and started playing shows around London.

Gary Go released his self-titled, self-produced debut album “Gary Go” last month along with new single Open Arms.

He says: “The album has been a real labour of love for the past year. I am a singer songwriter and get a lot of inspiration from my personal life. My work is about life changes, growing up, self-belief and reflection.”

Gary is now gearing up for the opening night of the tour at the Stadium of Light.

He says: “I’ve not played in the North East before, so I’m really looking forward to it.”