When many other acts undertake a tour that celebrates an album that was a milestone in their career, Take That have chosen to look back instead at one of their most extraordinary tours over the years – The Circus Tour. 

The original 2009 tour was their most successful, besides being the most extravagant one to date. Fast forward seventeen years, and Take That arrived at the Etihad Stadium in Manchester for the first of four dates as The Circus Tour arrived in their home town.

For their loyal and ardent fanbase this was probably the best it was going to get – unless the original five members decided to reunite.

Of all the summer stadium tours this summer, The Circus Tour is the biggest, most spectacular and most entertaining to see; even if you were not a fan of the band, you would have been impressed.

As Gary Barlow, Mark Owen, and Howard Donald arrived on the satellite stage in the middle of the stadium, the circus acts around them distracted the sold-out audience from noticing that the band, led by Mike Stevens on the main stage, was providing a solid musical accompaniment, as always.

Tonight, however, was not a night for clowning around in a production where every detail had been meticulously planned and rehearsed, resulting in a well-organised show that kept the audience's eyes wide open with its visual feast.

At the centre of the action were Gary Barlow’s songs. While the other two members have lately co-written songs together, the biggest hits remain solely Barlow compositions; Pray, A Million Love Songs, Back For Good, and Love Ain’t Here Anymore are some of the biggest pop songs of the last thirty years.

The only notable moment during the performance of The Garden was the giant elephant that magically rose from the B stage, with the three members riding high on it.

Surprisingly, their last single, You’re A Superstar, didn’t seem to resonate with the audience. Radio 2's playlisting of the song demonstrated that their musical creativity remains vibrant.

Leave Barlow alone on stage with his grand piano, and as might have been expected, Love Ain’t Here Anymore and Nobody Else shone in their simplicity, reaching out to the very back of the stadium.

Do What U Like, Promises, and Take That And Party took the fans right back to the start of Take That before former X Factor star Zoe Birkett appeared as the circus ringmaster among emerging flames to perform Relight My Fire. 

While the original recorded version featured Lulu, Birkett delivered her own interpretation of the track, suggesting that a more minimalist approach could have been more effective.

Despite the presence of acrobats, trapeze artists, tightrope walkers, and a cast of over forty performers, Take That demonstrated that they remain one of the enduring acts in pop, as aptly described by the last song of the night, Rule The World.

Take That returns to the Etihad Stadium, Manchester, on Wednesday, 1st July.