Take That Progress Live Opening Night Reviews
28th May 2011
Take That got their massive Progress Live tour off to a flying start at Sunderland's Stadium of Light on Friday evening. Despite the weather, which rained at times, the show was a huge success with fans exclaiming that it was an 'amazing spectacle' and 'a night to remember'. In this article, we've rounded up a selection of opening night reviews from the local and national press.
Here's what the local North East press had to say about Take That's opening night concert...
A capacity crowd witnessed history in the making last night as Robbie Williams rejoined Take That in Sunderland for the opening night of their Progress Tour......The North-East crowd were left in no doubt that the show - the first of four at the Stadium of Light - was the place to be. 
Take That kicked off their Progress Live tour in stupendous style to a sold-out crowd at the Stadium of Light. The look of the show had been kept under tight wraps, but it didn’t disappoint.
Pouring rain failed to dampen an uncovered Take That foursome of Gary Barlow, Mark Owen, Howard Donald and Jason Orange, who braved the elements and took to the stage after a solid support slot from Pet Shop Boys.
And here's what the national press had to say about the concert...
Despite the grey clouds and drizzle that swirled around the floodlit arena - the newly-restored five-piece brought a warm glow to a chilly evening as they opened their Progress Live tour with a lavishly staged spectacular in front of 54,000 devotees in Sunderland.
Williams was absent for the first five songs as his bandmates performed tracks like Greatest Day and Rule the World, which were recorded before he rejoined the band. As they departed, Williams landed on stage to deliver a string of hits that represented his supremacy over his old bandmates in the late 1990s and 2000s, such as Angels, Rock DJ and Let Me Entertain You.
The loudest cheer of the night came when the band finally appeared on stage as a five-piece again. It was a spine-tingling moment as they performed The Flood, their first single to hit the charts when they got back together.
Not even explosions of ticker tape, elevating platforms, glowing stages, ghost-like dancers wielding flaming torches, dancing trees, roller-skating bees, and even a giant caterpillar could match the collective gasp when Williams finally appeared, alone, carried aloft on a glass chariot.
Take That's Progress Live tour continues with three more shows at the Stadium of Light in Sunderland followed by further shows in Manchester, Cardiff, Dublin, Glasgow, Birmingham and London (Wembley).