Gary Barlow’s 2018 tour of “intimate” venues took him to Perth and Dundee. Our reporter took in both gigs.
Gary Barlow rounded off his Tayside shows in triumphant style at Dundee’s Caird Hall.
After wowing Perth fans on Thursday night, an adoring Dundee crowd lapped up the former Take That front man’s hits, from his earliest days — A Million Love Songs was written when he was just 15 — to recent solo work.
Thank you Dundee for an amazing night with a very loud audience #gbsolo2018 pic.twitter.com/mG8xUIUZoI
— Gary Barlow (@GaryBarlow) April 20, 2018
The groundwork for his arrival was laid by Fife’s KT Tunstall and there is no better wisecracking, high-octane act to get the crowd warmed up.
Seated at a baby grand piano and backed by an ten-strong band, Barlow soon had the audience in raptures.
Interaction is key for Barlow, whether encouraging the crowd to belt out smashes like Pray – complete with original dance routine – or inviting an audience member on stage for A Million Love Songs.
Things took a bizarre twist in Perth when he selected an impersonator, complete with bleach-blonde hair, who grabbed the chance to duet on the aforementioned ballad with his idol.
Barlow’s recent focus has been stage show, The Band, about Take That’s rise to meteoric heights so it is no surprise there an element of theatricality has crept into this tour.
But he powered back with full-on versions of hits like Relight My Fire and Let Me Go which had the floor at Perth Concert Hall on Thursday night, in particular, literally bouncing and big band renditions of Sure and Love Ain’t Here Anymore.
Old disputes with former band members are long-since settled and Take That’s driving force is relaxed about referencing band mates, even breaking into Robbie Williams anthem, Angels, at one point — again, the crowd went wild.
Rule the World and Never Forget — how could we? — provided a fitting crescendo.
