If every day of British Summer Time has a theme, and it pretty much does, today is pop day. It’s light, it’s bright, and in the case of Rod Thomas it’s Bright Light Bright Light. Like most bands named twice (Duran, Django, Everything) his music incorporates a blend genres; in this case disco, synth pop and even a little funk. Despite the appearance of Elton John, Kylie Minogue and half the Scissor Sisters on new single ‘All In The Name’, it didn’t set the chart alight, as if it was released a few years too late, and the crowd here reflect that. He’s got the energy though, and friends in the right places…
Ella Eyre pulls a few to the Great Oak, reworking her Rudimental collaboration ‘Waiting All Night’ and slowing down the now 30-year old Jermaine Stewart classic, ‘We Don’t Have To Take Our Clothes Off’. The tracks she released in between, and the new ones she previews, are indistinguishable, but all upbeat, Rudimental-tinged bangers nonetheless.
And so to Take That, an act you’re unlikely to find on the pages of Gigslutz, and for what reason? They sell out stadiums, write and co-produce their own songs, play instruments on stage, break records for album and tickets sales, have received praise from fans including Zane Lowe and Q Magazine. Of course, it’s TT v2.0 that began their acceptance stage, only bettered when Robbie rejoined for the Progress album and tour. Now a three-piece, Barlow, Donald and Owen show no signs of stopping, as this year’s Sigma collaboration ‘Cry’ has shown.
Their show is a show in the full sense of the word, with the Great Oak stage transformed into a bohemian wonderland, complete with new walkway and B-stage, and the hits come one after another. ‘Shine’, ‘Greatest Day’ and ‘Get Ready For Hit’ span the four albums they’ve released since their reunion, and the rest of the set focuses on this area; no matter which way you look at it, nobody expected ‘Patience’ to be as good a comeback as it was.
The blasts from the past are present too, with Lulu appearing for ‘Relight My Fire’ and the only dance routine of the night for ‘Pray’, but the biggest shuffles from the crowd are for ‘Cry’ (with Sigma also making a special guest appearance) and ‘These Days’ – a number 1 in 2014. Anthems ‘The Flood’ and ‘Rule The World’ close things down on one of the undoubtedly funnest sets of the weekend. Following an appearance at Radio 1’s Big Weekend and a headline slot at CarFest, surely their dream of heading to Glastonbury can’t be as impossible as it once seemed.
Dan Bull
@danbull7609
Dan Bull
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