Special effects, two fantastic performances, including Olly Murs, and a capacity crowd made it an unforgettable, historic event.
It’s been nearly 19 years since a band played at the City Ground, but after this weekend’s Take That spectacle, which saw the remaining members of the original 90s boy band performing two nights in a row, it’s hoped it won’t be as long again.
Take That is currently staging a spectacular nationwide show with their This is Life Tour, and Nottingham Forest’s home was more than up to the occasion, with fans travelling from all over the country to see remaining band members Gary Barlow, Mark Owen, and Howard Donald arrive in the city to celebrate their ninth studio album with a stadium and arena tour.
The event was originally intended for only Sunday night, but due to high ticket demand, an additional night on Saturday was added. Nottinghamshire Live attended the Sunday event and was impressed with the whole setup, which included arranged parking away from the venue as well as security and catering.
And, with a moving stage, water and fire special effects, a massive bank of screens projecting the on-stage action, and a breathtaking firework display to cap it all off, it was clearly comparable to any indoor or outdoor concert event.
When the doors opened at 5 p.m., some anxious fans waited in line to witness the main act Take That, as well as the incredibly gifted singer Olly Murs, who could certainly fill the stadium with his own concert but was content to support the stars on this occasion.
Earlier rain did not dampen spirits, and by the time people began to buy their products, beer, and wine and take their seats, the weather had improved significantly, with lots of evening sunshine and only the occasional sprinkle forcing people to run under their plastic ponchos.
Liam Lind and Harriet Ball traveled from Grantham to witness the play and were thrilled with its proximity to their home. Liam remarked, “We’re excited to watch Take That because that’s what our parents listened to, and we want to see what appealed to them. In fact, we can definitely identify more closely with Olly Murs because he is from our generation.”
Becky Loader, 53, of Boston, had never attended a concert before. She has always been a Take That fan, and her sister had purchased the tickets and accompanied her. Becky remarked, “It was a great surprise to acquire the ticket, but I love Take That and had never seen them before.
Sister Kelly Thompson said, “It’s her first concert, and we combined it with some shopping in Nottingham during the day.”
Another couple, who did not want to be identified, had traveled from Derby to the concert. One of them stated, “This is our second time seeing them in a month. We saw them in London and felt the show was so outstanding that we decided to book additional tickets and travel to Nottingham.”
So when Olly Murs arrived on stage about 7.15pm, his entrance was eagerly anticipated as he swung into the iconic Dance With Me Tonight and followed it up with several of his classics, including Heart Skips a Beat and Troublemaker, which ended the concert after an hour.
Following Olly Murs’ warm-up, the packed crowd was ecstatic to see Take That, and each of the 29 songs they performed in their set was passionately cheered and applauded. The crowd ranged in age from an eight-year-old youngster to singing grandmothers in their seventies.
But that was fine since there was something for everyone, and all three versions of Take That as a group were represented. It’s certainly simpler to think of anything they didn’t sing, but whether it was Shine, Patience, or the fan favorite You and Me, they were all there.
The fire performance, with jets of flame shooting upwards, made Relight My Fire a sight, as did the usage of confetti cannons, which shot out little bits of paper that were carried to all four corners of the stadium by the wind. Water jets and a moving stage, as well as flashes of early dance routines, all contributed to the excitement.
All three sang solos – Gary Barlow’s Forever Love; Mark Owen’s Clementine; and Howard Donald’s Speak Without Words – but activities such as several costume changes, a series of 3D effect screens using glasses found in the £25 programmes, and hugs and kisses for fans in the front row VIP area all had to come to an end at some point.
But not before Rule. The World got every fan on their feet, if they weren’t already standing in the pitch area, and the obligatory phone lights illuminated the stadium, all topped off with a well-planned firework display. Then, almost as quickly as they had arrived, Gary, Howard, and Mark vanished, leaving behind some very delighted fans to head home.
In 2005, US rockers REM delighted 22,000 fans by performing at the City Ground’s inaugural event. It may have taken another 19 years for the second, but “shiny, happy people” were seen leaving Nottingham Forest’s home after a terrific night of music.
