Gary Barlow at the Royal Albert Hall
On Monday night, Gary Barlow coaxed the reformed boyband fangirls out of retirement for an evening of celebration, rolling back the years at the Royal Albert Hall on his Songbook Tour for two nights at the iconic London venue. Appearing to serve as the millennial answer to Taylor Swift’s infamous Eras Tour, the almost two-hour show was filled to the brim with a Rolodex of solo material and Take That’s top hits. With almost four decades of tunes to pull from, Barlow took fans on a trip through his own Greatest Days, with an overarching undercurrent of more fun to come in the next few years.
The audience were immediately enraptured, up on their feet from the moment the curtain was raised and the spectacle kicked off – Barlow’s band of merry men and women took to the stage with Open Road, swiftly followed by chart-topper Greatest Day. The festivity of each track made every moment feel like an encore, often complete with confetti cannon, brass section instrumental and undiluted showmanship (as well as a shimmering sparkly black jacket entirely appropriate for the occasion). This undeniably spoke to the depth of Barlow’s catalogue, both in his own and his former band’s right, as well as his knack for writing and subsequently churning out hits, to mark the very best of pop music’s progression as his career has evolved.
The night undulated through energetic moments, notably the Mumford and Sons-esque Let Me Go, with Barlow bravely armed by a tambourine as he bounced across the stage, before mellowing into a lengthier piano set. Brad Kella, the opening act, was invited back on stage to play for A Million Love Songs, and the show felt like a true family affair, with the rapport between musicians with decades of history evident in their heartfelt appreciation for one another. Though parts of the interim compèring and crowd participation between songs felt somewhat dated, the quality of such a diverse and enduring setlist was unequivocal. A respectable attempt at the Pray choreography brought fans to their feet once again, and the energy sustained through new and old offerings; the sea of arms in the air for Patience also made for a genuinely stirring moment between bursts of pure joy.
A final quintet of iconic tracks brought the show to a close, moving through the likes of Shine, Back for Good, Relight My Fire, Rule the World and closing with Never Forget – a triumphant run of anthemic knockouts, along with an even snazzier red glittery jacket to match. Though admirers were overheard remarking post-concert that it was strange not to see Barlow flanked by his Take That counterparts, it felt impossible to depart without a renewed joie de vivre, infused by an indisputable performer with a fanbase more adoring than ever.
Tallulah Allen
Photos: Virginie Viche
For further information and future events, visit Gary Barlow’s website here.
Watch the video for the single Incredible here:
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