A hot summer night with Take That in Berlin
Last Saturday, it was very crowded in Berlin! In addition to the Euro 2024 match at the Olympiastadion and the Beatsteaks concert at the open-air stage Wuhlheide, Take That performed at the Zitadelle in Berlin-Spandau.
The British musician Alfie Castley had the honourable task of opening the evening in Berlin as the support act. As the sun slowly set, the enthusiastic Brit introduced himself to the warm Berlin audience. This was his fourth show as the opening act for Take That, and with catchy songs like “Talk To Myself” and “Last Dance”, Alfie sang his way into the hearts of the crowd.
After a brief stage changeover, it was finally time for the group everyone had come to see: Take That! Following their successful “This Life On Tour” in England, it was now time to perform at various venues in Europe with the “This Life Under The Stars” tour. The many props, video screens, and visuals from the English tour were left in the UK, and the setlist was also significantly revised. Some fans were heavily disappointed that the setlist resembled the “Greatest Hits Tour” from 2019, while others didn’t mind and were just happy to see their idols live on stage.
The opener “Greatest Day” managed to put a smile on everyone’s face with the very first piano notes. This hot summer day in Berlin would only get hotter with Take That’s concert. The fans went wild when Gary Barlow, Howard Donald, and Mark Owen took the stage. The temperature rose even further when the men performed the well-known dance moves during the classic “Pray”.
In addition to mainly older work, the Berlin audience was also treated to new tracks from last year’s album “This Life”. “Windows” and “This Life” followed each other, much to the fans’ delight. Before starting “This Life”, there was a fun interaction with the audience where Mark Owen handed out currywurst with fries to the fans, and Gary and Howard toasted with a bottle of Berliner Kindl. They then sang “This Life” on the edge of the stage, making it look somewhat close and intimate despite the barriers.
During “Hold Up A Light”, it was time to seek even more contact with the audience. Gary, Mark, and Howard stepped off the stage to greet the fans in the front rows. After “Back For Good”, Take That had another surprise for Berlin. For the first time during this European tour, “Where We Are” was performed, and the fans went wild, singing along at the top of their lungs.
Mark, Gary, and Howard had a great time during this show in Berlin. There were many jokes shared among them, and the men occasionally burst into laughter. With “Never Forget” and “Rule The World”, Take That’s 1.5-hour show in Berlin came to an end.
Although the venue might not have been the most suitable for a concert and the organization left much to be desired, Berlin could still look back on a fantastic concert by Take That. The real die-hard fans were gearing up for the DJ set that Howard Donald would give later that evening in a club in Berlin.
