I went with my girlfriend who had taken me to see Robbie Williams for my 40th birthday present. I have to admit that I am a Robbie fan rather than a Take That fan (can you be both?) and was secretly hoping that he would make an surprise appearance, as per the rumours a few months ago. But the general consensus seems to be that they are better off as two separate entities. Their performance last night got them a 5 star rating in the Evening Standard, so ignore anything I've got to say if you are a fan.

This sellout tour entered the record books for being the fastest selling tour to date. The "Circus" tour is named after their new album (which came first - their idea or Britney's recent circus tour?) and has acrobats, clowns, tightrope walkers, hot air balloons, a water spray and a huge silver elephant. All of which are most impressive and must have cost a fortune (rumoured to have cost £10m), but from where I was sitting, it all looked a little bit small. No doubt it all worked brilliantly in some of the smaller venues but I'm not so sure it worked at Wembley. I couldn't see one of the video screens from where I was sitting and the trapeze artists looked like mosquitos in the distance. Still. I didn't see anybody else complaining. Maybe I just need glasses. I'm not sure there was anybody else there thinking..."well, the Pet Shop Boys did a similar sort of show over 20 years ago".

They all looked great. Fit and lean. They have to be for - it's a pretty energetic set. They do a huge amount of dancing - some a little too camp for my liking - especially when wearing shiny red shoes and bacofoil outfits. Gary Barlow is turning into the Elton John of the new millenium (which is not a criticism) and they all looked like they were immensely enjoying their rise from the dead. They do seem to have gone from strength to strength, having released two highly successful new albums and being the faces for a huge Marks and Spencers advertising campaign.

So, in conclusion, if you're a fan, you are going to love it - and if you're like me, make sure you take your glasses and don't be disappointed when Robbie fails to make an appearance.
http://familyaffairsandothermatters.blogspot.com/2009....ew.html

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mwLpQOM-m0w

Wooden boat

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NNKyDrEcj6E

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xYf3_QXFTww

Party-Medley 1

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bVFvTfBuevI

Party-Medley 2

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KQ3kRGfNdLI

Party-Medley 3

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9I8IRSvQRAU&feature=channel

Pray

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QWn6jJlTygM

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_3PzJD1Booo

Never forget

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eOA-T69b50A

Patience

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ri9g9UZcGV4

Hold up a light

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ugjilKhTyJc

Rule the world

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2zF-_29sgTc

Кажется, у них этот жест используется вместо дружеского рукопожатия. Кто-то готов подставить другу крепкое мужское плечо, а кто-то кое-что и помягче

I ran a thousand miles to be by your side...

TAKE THAT have promised they'll be tour again soon.

The fab four brought the curtain down on their stunning The Circus extravaganza at Wembley Stadium on Sunday, after 20 dates across the UK.

But during the gig, an emotional Gary, Howard, Jason and Mark admitted they were sad it was ending and could not wait to get back on the road.

A teary-eyed Gary told fans: "We've been all over the country, and we love you so much.

"Thank you so much and I hope it is not too long before we're back."

Howard added: "Sorry, we're a bit emotional tonight but we can't wait to tour again."

And a choked-up Jason spoke for the group when he said of the Play.com-sponsored tour: "We've had a brilliant time. Look at us, we're licking Wembley. Us, four local lads from Manchester."

But it was not all fun at The Circus for thousands of fans after travel chaos left them stranded in the stadium's car-parks and roads nearby for hours after the gig.

More than 90,000 people had watched the final show but with one London tube line suspended and another running only a limited service, many had arrived in their cars.

It led to gridlock after the two-hour performance with one frustrated driver saying: "It was a brilliant night but we've been stuck here in the car-park for nearly two hours and just not moved at all.

"There's people here with young kids and it's ridiculous to leave us like this."

http://www.thesun.co.uk/sol....in.html

After completing the final leg of their Circus tour at Wembley Stadium last night the Take That boys headed to Kensington Roof Gardens for an after party.

Джей, что я вижу
По-моему, сегодня он решил добить меня своими фото окончательно.

I ran a thousand miles to be by your side...

But Take That know just how lucky they are to fill a stadium. Their loyal fans have been around for two decades, through the wilderness years, and are now responsible for the band selling 600,000 tickets in less than four-and-a-half hours for this, their Circus Tour.

Amid an array of colourful and weird characters that Angela Carter would be proud of, the boys arrive on a central circular stage wearing black military style suits to perform "Greatest Day". From there they are transported to the front stage on top of a 30ft metal elephant, all the while singing the more melancholy number, "The Garden".

The boys then fulfil their rock star fantasies by playing alone on stage as a band, knocking out hits including "Up All Night" and "How Did It Come To This?" After Gary has performed four tracks alone on a grand piano as the sun sets over Wembley stadium, they all come back on in clown outfits to perform a number of the older songs, such as "Do What You Like" and "Take That and Party".

They're so likeable precisely because they aren't afraid to play the fool. They mess around doing silly clown dances during their quite frankly ridiculous, but nonetheless joyful earlier hits and at the end of "It Only Takes a Minute Girl" one by one they unicycle down the path back to the central stage. Howard and Jason whizz down like pros while Mark only stumbles at the end. Then Gary appears on a tricycle with stabilisers, smiling and waving. It's this kind of behaviour that really endears them to their fans.

After another quick costume change, the band arrive back on an inferno of a set for "Relight My Fire" before finishing with "Never Forget" and "Rule the World". The most poignant moment comes as Barlow introduces "Patience" as "the song that brought us back". Back from obscurity and into the spotlight. Truly, a night at the circus to remember.
http://www.independent.co.uk/arts-en....97.html

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Sm9RXR-O600
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_kdF2zTqDB4

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_kdF2zTqDB4