Once you've tasted love...

Take That / Lancashire County Cricket Ground / 27 June 2009

I've spent a lot of time daydreaming about Take That since I was about 13. Even in the most outlandish-never-gonna-happen imaginations I never had them riding past me atop a mechanical elephant. And I think that says a lot for this band - even after the 16 years they still surprise, delight, enthrall and frighten me when they bring the show to town.
Frighten me? Yes...this time at least.
Now on the third tour since, what the red tops like to bill as, 'the come back of all come backs' Take That delved deeper into their circus fantasy and produced a show that demonstrated the spectacular side of this boy band grown up.
A huge stage and number of supporting performers took to the field and spewed forth from the big top tightrope walkers, the aforementioned mechanical animals, fire, water, balloons, trapeze artists, caged dancers and a million other little touches.
And the frightening aspects too...
I am still slightly concerned and confused about why they chose clowns. I mean, so many people are terrified of them. Especially girls my age who were unfortunate enough to watch IT at an impressionable age. Even if the sheer fear can be put aside it still provides a dichotomy - TT as clowns; sexual attraction versus instinctual fear. And then to use this point to go with the old skool medley of singalongs with dance moves just leaves you with the love-you-hate-this-hands-in-the-air-pelvic-thrust confusion which wipes the adult out of you.
So in parts this was more freak show than circus to me but, hell, what a show.
This is not a gig, it's not even a concert, this is a Performance. This is theatrical music. It's exotic and exciting and no doubt expensive. But it's still very personal. They don't know us each individually but there is a strong bond between this band and their audience. We've been together a long time. We've had some ups and downs and all come out the other side. We've grown up together and like your oldest friend there are in jokes here.
The little nods to what made us love them in the first place. The played on persona's we know weren't created but have grown around each of them. The gentle nod to times that have passed. It all raises a wry smile, a knowing glance, bonds between us girls who initially grouped together for them and now have something more.
But even in the best of friendships and the truest of loves things change and time marches on. There is the merest hint that 'our boys' are outgrowing us.
It's all around us. The atmosphere has changed. Not in a bad way, it's just different. Songs that were once staples no longer get a look in. It wavers on the edge of being too much theatre and not enough show. But they have the songs and the sharing four-ways of the input and the spotlight has transformed this from boy band to group. Rule the World is the mightiest of pop songs, Shine and Up All Night inject infectious euphoria and Wooden Boat and What Is Love are heart of sleeve ballads of gentle love and life.
With every beat you can still feel how much they each cherish this second chance and that is why their creativity, their energy, their drive to please is so high. This, now though, is as much for them as it is for us. They are starting to move on. I grew up with them I'm just not sure I'm ready to be grown up yet.
For two hours though I'm with the family - my girls and our boys, who aren't ours at all - and the shared bond on loving something for so long. That pride returns, the exhilaration, the adoration. They won our hearts too long ago for us to let go now ("We're still so young, and we hope for more") - and now we all go back to our lives until we feel the call again and meet in stadiums, in arenas that are now a flamboyant re-imagining of our teenage hearts.