rita rocks the arena
Ora joins Take That for Hits radio live
TAKE That made a triumphant return to Manchester Arena to lead a dazzling pop party at the first ever Hits Radio Live. With a career spanning three decades, 45 million records sold just in the UK and 54 no 1 hits and 35 no 1 albums worldwide, not to mention being made in Manchester, there was no more fitting headline act for a star-studded Saturday night in the city.
Hits Radio’s star presenters Gemma Atkinson, Dave Vitty, Mike Toolan and Sarah Jane Crawford hosted the juggernaut of a show, featuring a stellar line-up of some of pop’s biggest hitters: Rita Ora, Liam Payne, George Ezra, Clean Bandit, Years and Years, Sigala and Jax Jones.
Rita Ora, in a yellow anorak more suited to fishing than singing, but without the requisite trousers, more than maintained the audience high with Your Song, followed by I Will Never Let You Down and little girls in the crowd finally showcasing those funky dance moves practised in front of the mirror.
Lonely Together is accompanied by a tribute to the late Avicii on screen before Rita’s last solo track of the night, Anywhere - and she throws off the mac to jive in a couture corset.
Clean Bandit were next on the bill with Rather Be and the ethereal Symphony, greeted with a mass phones up in the air moment.
A gutsy and naughty Solo - do the arm-waving nine-year-olds in the audience really know what the lyrics mean - and Rockabye complete a full-pelt set and next in line is Sigala with the irresistible Sweet
Lovin,’ Came Here For Love, Feels Like Home and Lullaby.
It’s something for the parents as George Ezra comes on stage with his timeless Sinatra tinged vocals and, just like a well-brought-up son, introduces all his songs: Paradise, Blame It On Me, Budapest and the no 1 smash Shotgun, with an unnecessary but very endearing modesty.
The girls in the crowd cheer as Liam Payne hits the stage with Strip That Down, the spicy Fifty Shades Freed tune For You, joined by a returning Rita Ora on stage, and his collaboration with Colombian reggaeton star J Balvin, Familiar.
Then finally, it’s time - the mums’ moment - Take That are in the house.
We get some fantastic vocals from Mark Owen as Shine fills the arena, followed by Greatest Day, the first ever song to be played on Hits Radio when it launched on June 4 in place of Key 103, the poignancy of the lyrics: “Today this could be the greatest day of our lives, before it all ends, before we run out of time” accentuated by falling confetti, golden under the lights.
Patience, Back For Good, given unbeatable welly by Gary Barlow he just gets more handsome with age - and These Days follow.
Phones are then aloft again as Rule The World and a sky full of lights envelops the arena. Then comes the real tearjerker. “This one is dedicated to all the families affected by the Manchester bomb”, says Howard Donald to dedicate Never Forget, every hand in the arena in the air as people remember, feel sad, but then feel strong again - the sentiments, surely, that all great music should inspire.