The first of two concerts by Take That at Sunderland's Stadium of Light has been hailed a success by organisers.

More than 50,000 people attended the opening concert of the band's The Circus Live tour on Friday night.

It was the first concert staged at the home of Sunderland Football Club, with stadium officials hailing it as a "fantastic success."

Northumbria Police praised the behaviour of fans who were "well behaved and in good spirits."

The stadium's concert project manager, Gary Hutchinson, said: "It was great to see the months of planning and hard work culminate in such a fantastic event.

"This has shown that not only is there a demand for such large-scale events in the city but also that we are more than equipped to host them."

Extra buses

Ch Supt Neil MacKay added: "This was the first concert to be held at the Stadium of Light and a huge amount of planning on behalf of the club, police, city council, fire brigade and ambulance service went into it.

"The crowd was in good spirits, it was a successful event enjoyed by all and we're very pleased with the way it went."

Take That were due to play a second show at the stadium on Saturday night.

Oasis are due to play at the stadium on Wednesday.

Extra buses and Metro trains have being laid on and all city centre car parks are being kept open for 24 hours.

Police have urged visitors to use public transport and a park a ride service.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/england/wear/8086889.stm

I haven't heard about this.. but I am sure he was perfect, don't you think so?
Anyway, we'll get some video on youtube soon.

Lisa Verrico

Over the coming month, close to a million people will see Take That secure their position as Britain’s most popular band with a show of such preposterous proportions and lavish excess it could make Cher sporting rhinestones seem subtle. Like Britney Spears, Take That have themed their tour around a circus, but the boys’ show makes their rival’s look like an end-of-pier performance. Britney has a cast of 50? Pah, Take That have over 200. She rides an umbrella, they have a hot air balloon hovering above, but hitch a lift from the centre of the stadium to their big top tent on a 20ft high, mechanical elephant with glowing eyes whose tail is an upside down woman with hair extensions. Heck, they even learned to ride unicycles.

Take That’s third tour since reforming – officially the fastest-selling UK tour of all time – was notable not just for its sets, stunts, eye-catching costumes and army of acrobatic extras, but for the attitude of its leading men. Where, previously, the foursome’s faces were etched with amazement that they had been given a second shot at fame, at Stadium Of Light, they were fixed with a steely professionalism that meant even dressed in sequins, thrusting their crotches throughout routines they first learnt in their teens, they betrayed not a trace of embarrassment. Yes, they looked ludicrous on countless occasions – among them, applying amateur greasepaint to their faces while wearing tartan clown trousers and delivering a soppy ballad without smiling – but their lack of shame proved a prime selling point.

Over almost two hours, every conceivable circus act from the fairly normal - trapeze and tightrope, jugglers and showgirls hula-hooping with fire – to the breathtakingly bizarre likes of clowns in cloud-covered suits and matching bowler hats dancing with pretend newspapers was explored and exploited to the extent that the music sometimes took a back seat. The old hits – Pray, Could It Be Magic and a fabulous Never Forget, performed with a full marching band, plus a bloke tap-dancing the beat on a giant drum – had the crowd handclapping in unison and howling along, as did the highlights from 2006’s nine times platinum-selling comeback album Beautiful World.

Songs from current album The Circus were more hit and miss – a run of bland ballads was greeted with a rush for the bar, but the Beatles-y Hello went down well, as did Up All Night, during which the four played like a regular rock band (with Howard on drums, Jason and Mark on guitar and Gary at piano), albeit a rock band looking like a cross between Village People and Richard Gere in the cheesy scene in Officer And A Gentleman.

By the time flames were bursting through the air and fireworks exploding for a finale that saw Relight My Fire performed with its pint-sized, original singer Loleatta Holloway and an evil, inflatable ringmaster, the circus theme had been well and truly wrung dry. A pop show that’s too over the top? Take That almost achieved it.

16 June 2009, Cardiff Millennium Stadium 19/20 June 2009, Glasgow Hampden Park

23-28 June 2009, Manchester Old Trafford Cricket Ground

1-5 July 2009, London Wembley Stadium

http://entertainment.timesonline.co.uk/tol....014.ece

6th June 2009
By Andrew Douglas

TAKE That fans packed into Sunderland's Stadium of Light last night to celebrate a concert of true showmanship proportions.

Despite torrential rain dampening spirits elsewhere in the region, the stormclouds managed to stay away as pop superstars Gary Barlow, Mark Owen, Jason Orange and Howard Donald sang through the bands best loved hits to a crowd of more than 50,000.

The show itself was a true spectacular - the theme reflecting the title of their latest smash it album, The Circus.

The first-ever concert held at the Stadium of Light was hailed a success.

SAFC Concert Project Manager Gary Hutchinson said: “It was great to see the months of planning and hard work culminate in such a fantastic event.

"This event has shown that not only is there a demand for such large scale events in the city but also that we are more than equipped to host them.”

And the good-natured crowd was praised by authorities for their exemplary behaviour.

Chief Superintendent of Northumbria Police, Neil MacKay said: “This was the first concert to be held at the Stadium of Light and a huge amount of planning on behalf of the club, police, city council, fire brigade and ambulance service went into it.

“The crowd was in good spirits, it was a successful event enjoyed by all and we’re very pleased with the way it went.”

Ken Scott, Chairman of the Safety Advisory Group added: “Those attending were exceptionally well behaved, compliant of all requests from stewards and they came in the right spirit.

"They were a credit to the city and the region and we would welcome them back in the future.”

Take That will play a second show at the Stadium tonight (Saturday), followed by rock giants Oasis on Wednesday.

http://www.thenorthernecho.co.uk/news...._crowds

You are right Mary, he looks so gorgeous, lovely...

Леончик, Glad you like them.. hope to get some good photos taken by me soon.
Fantastic concert, don't you think so?

Леончик, it's a shame you are gonna miss the concert live... DVD will be great too.

I was invited to a private rehearsal ahead of Gary Barlow, Mark Owen, Jason Orange and Howard Donald opening at Sunderland’s Stadium Of Light last night.

And I was utterly blown away by what is truly the best pop show I’ve ever seen (and I’ve been to all the biggies).

Gary, who has been battling a trapped nerve in his back, told me: “The show cost £10million, the most we’ve ever spent, but it was worth it. “We started planning it nine months ago and rehearsing three months ago.”

The gig opened with No 1 hit Greatest Day. Dancers painted with the same sky featured on the sleeve for the Circus album surrounded the band with balloons. One guy even went up in a hot-air balloon.

But the highlight is the most incredible prop ever – the mechanical elephant, which emerged from the ground during The Garden. With flapping ears, flashing eyes and a trunk spraying water, it’s a mindblowing sight.

With Gary on keyboard, Mark on bass, Howard on drums and Jason on guitar for Up All Night, a slight wardrobe malfunction rocked the crowd. Jason, 38, confessed: “I’m loving these trousers as they’re Sunderland football colours but they’re crushing my balls. I feel like I should be in The Darkness.”

Roars of approval came when Gary, 38, asked if anyone wanted to take the offending garment off Jay, whose solo numbers Wooden Boat and How Did It Come To This made it worth him soldiering through the cramp.

A tightrope walker balanced between the two stages as Gary played The Circus himself.

And Howard, 41, got his solo moment on What Is Love, where the band painted their faces. Then, as clowns, they threw the original moves for Do What U Like, Promises, It Only

Takes A Minute and Take That And Party. The latter saw Mark, Jason and Howard hop on
unicycles while Gary rode a tricycle.

Original Relight My Fire vocalist Loleatta Hollway joined a giant inflatable ringmaster and saucy dancers in cages for the disco classic.

Turning into a human candle for Hold Up The Light, Mark Owen, 37, shone in a silver suit before fireworks lit up the sky as finale Rule The World played.

After catching Jason Orange in his pants about to dive into his ice bath, I joined the band for a post-show drink. Howard revealed it took three days to master the unicycles, admitting: “We still have moments when it’s wobbly so you have to clown around and act like it’s part of the show.”

Mark added: “We’re thrilled it went so well.”

And hats off to James Morrison, 24, and Gary Go, 25, who had the daunting task of opening for Take That.

Having the final traces of his clown face wiped off, Jason grinned: “It’s the best show we’ve ever done.”

Nah – best pop show ANYONE has ever done, mate.
http://www.dailystar.co.uk/playlist/view/83753/Cheers-of-a-clown-/