REVIEW: Take That wow the crowds with another epic Circus spectacular

Oh what a circus, oh what a show. Take That are back with a bang as their kicked off their Circus Tour Live at St Mary’s Stadium last night (May 29) in a truly spectacular fashion.

And these guys really do know how to put on a show which will entertain you to the rafters . With songs to sing along and dance to, nostalgic dance routines, and an absolutely amazing supporting cast of performers, this tour is the perfect cross between a concert and a circus performance that leaves you wanting more.

Now of course this is not the first time Take That have taken their Circus Tour on the road, with their epic original 2009 broking UK records as the fastest-selling tour in history with more than one million fans attending the sell-out shows across the UK and Ireland.

And if you were there, then there are elements you will absolutely find familiar with the walking elephant returning as well as the band members becoming clowns. And the two-stage set up is also a welcome sight which gave more of the sell-out crowd the opportunity to see the action up close.

But there are a few extras in there too, including the addition of their new single You're A Superstar which has also freshened it up so it is far more than just a repeat performance (not that anyone would have complained!).

Staying true to the original production, the band played songs from the 2009 set list - perfect for their mass sing-alongs - with fans still knowing every word after all these years. Clearly we never forget!

But throw in tap dancing, drummers, acrobatics, a 50 ft inflatable ringmaster, fire, water, a hot air balloon, amazing costumes and a excellent dose of humour and you really do have a show - with the Take That lads clearly absolutely loving every moment of it.

Highlights included the wonderful powerhouse of a vocalist Zoe Birkett joining Gary, Mark and Howard on stage for a fiery rendition of Relight My Fire, as well as bringing out the saxophone for A Million Love Songs.

And of course, bringing the night to a triumphant close was Rule The World, a sea of lights illuminated the stadium in a breathtaking finale celebrating human creativity, spectacle and the power of live performance.

The Script and Belinda Carlisle opened the show perfectly and were amazing in their own right to really get the crowd in the mood.

St Mary’s Stadium really does need to sort out the completely inadequate toilet and food village provision which clearly could not cope with the numbers there. And I fail to believe the incredibly slow serve at its bars is tolerated on match days which was clearly disorganised and painful to watch.

But these slight niggles certainly didn’t spoil an epic night which will be repeated in Southampton this evening (May 30) before Take That hit the road for the summer, playing dates in Coventry, Sunderland, Glasgow, Cardiff, Manchester, London and Dublin.

The Circus Live certainly keeps the bar high for other artists to follow - and for those of you yet to see it you are in for a real treat!

Other tour dates

• Thursday 4th June - Coventry Building Society Arena - EXTRA DATE ADDED
• Friday 5th June - Coventry Building Society Arena
• Saturday 6th June - Coventry Building Society Arena (SOLD OUT)
• Tuesday 9th June - Sunderland Stadium of Light
• Friday 12th June - Glasgow Hampden Park
• Saturday 13th June - Glasgow Hampden Park
• Tuesday 16th June - Cardiff Principality Stadium
• Friday 19th June - Manchester Etihad Stadium (SOLD OUT)
• Saturday 20th June - Manchester Etihad Stadium (SOLD OUT)
• Sunday 21st June- Manchester Etihad Stadium - EXTRA DATE ADDED
• Thursday 25th June - London Stadium - EXTRA DATE ADDED
• Friday 26th June - London Stadium
• Saturday 27th June - London Stadium (SOLD OUT)
• Wednesday 1st July - Manchester Etihad Stadium - EXTRA DATE ADDED
• Saturday 4th July - Dublin Aviva Stadium

Last remaining tickets available from: www.ticketmaster.co.uk / www.gigsandtours.com / www.takethat.com