Take That

Croke Park, Dublin 4pm €79.50/€69.50/€59.50 (sold out) 0818-719300

Manchester four-piece “boy” band Take That have confounded their critics by enjoying a second wind that’s more successful than their first. When the band – Gary Barlow, Howard Donald, Jason Orange, Mark Owen – split up in 1995, it seemed to put a stop to the increasing glut of manufactured boy bands of the early 1990s.

Fast forward to 2005. A well-received television documentary, along with Barlow’s failed career as a solo singer (but a highly successful one as a hit songwriter), and, effectively, 10 years of obscurity for Donald, Orange and Owen, combined into a recipe for a comeback with a bang.

Which is exactly what happened. The difference between Take That and others of their ilk, of course, is that TT write their own fairly classy pop songs, which could be the main reason why they have triumphed (and received kudos for their efforts) and others have not.

Can’t see that? See this

Ry Cooder Nick LoweFriday, Dublin