It was like we were 16 again. The 10,000-strong audience that braved the hot, sticky October night (what’s with the weather?) to see their favourite boyband of the 1990s and Noughties were taken back in time to those teenage years when Take That ruled the world.
Yes, the threesome took Dubai to another level on Friday night with all the old favourites including Babe, Back for Good and Could it be Magic, along with some more recent tracks from their new albums.
And they gave it their all, even throwing in a few of the old dance routines from back in the glory days, to the delight of fans – young and old. There were children milling around with their parents and people wearing special T-shirts (one pregnant woman and her husband wore matching T-shirts saying ‘Future Take That fan’ with arrows pointing to the woman’s protruding belly). Fans, eh?
But the crowd was energised and loved every minute, as did the lads, Gary Barlow, Mark Owen and Howard Donald, who also performed songs individually, with great support from their devoted audience.
Owen sang his signature tunes such as Shine and got the crowd going as he burst into song at the start of their performance. Donald also did a solo. And Barlow was as good as ever. Who needs the other former member of the group, eh? What were their names again?
The guys have still got it. And although I’m sure they were struggling with the heat, just like the rest of us, they ploughed on through - being the professionals they are.
Barlow performed a solo concert in Dubai earlier this year and had promised to bring the lads with him next time, and he fulfilled this promise and more on Friday night.