A video-message from Howard Donald

On chacking the official site of Take That I found the following band announcement:

Take That regret to inform their audience that band member Howard Donald will be unable to perform at tonight's show in Vienna due to sustaining a chest injury whilst performing on tour with the band in Europe. Howard is now in recovery in a hospital in Vienna. He says "I'm really disappointed and upset that this has happened, as I've never had to miss a show before, it's unbelievably frustrating being sat in a hospital when I should be onstage with the guys". At Howard's request the band are going to go ahead with the show tonight in Vienna without him. "Our friend's health is of the utmost priority and we wish him a speedy recovery, we'll make sure tonight's show is still a fantastic experience for the fans". Most importantly Howard would like all Take That supporters to know he will return to the tour just as soon as the doctors allow it.

It seems that Howard got injured in one of the concerts and so as not to stop the tour he encourange the rest of the members of the band to carry on with the show without him. I can imagine how hard this might have been for Howard himself as he is so fond of the band; but, of course, his health is more important.

I've read in the fans reviews of the show in Vienna, that it opened with a video message where Howard appeared in his hospital bed, appologising for being unable to perform that night (you can watch that video just clicking on the titled of this enry). The following is a picture of the concert that Take That gave in Vienna, and it is a little poignant to watch without our beloved Howard Donald. We all be praying for your recovery, so get well soon, Howe!

PHOTO: Take That in Vienna, yesterday 26 October 2007

The "Beautiful World Tour" stops in Spain in a single concert in Barcelona!

Yesterday I went to the concert of my life; a concert that I've waited more than ten years to see: the concert of Take That in their tour around Europe.

Take That, a British boy band that really smashed in the 90's, have come back after splitting up in that cold distant morning of February 13, 1996, leaving behind a bunch of fans tatally devastated and heartbroken.


I couldn't believe my ears when my sister told me that they had come back as they had once promised us; and I was even more surprised to find out that they've decided to include Barcelona in their European Tour. They never did that before. They never tour in Spain as if the Spanish fans didn't exist for them; so why shoud they do that now? I couldn't help wondering myself. But anyways, I was pleased; that was excellent news for me. I couldn't miss the chance to see them in live, to enjoy the shows that have made them so special for so many people of my generation; to be in the same place as Gary, Howard, Jason and Mark, sharing that special gift that music is for the spirit. And yeah, they were great, they made a great concert. They sang many of the classics that brought them to the top charts together with the great songs of their last album Beautiful World. They moved us with the power of an olddy of the size of Back for Good, or Jason Orange's first chance to sing as the lead voice in the beautiful song Wooden Boat from their last album; they made us jump from our sits singing along with them and waving our hands at the rhythm of Give Good Feelings, Shine, Pray and Never Forget. To me they were as powerful as they were in their golden years; as if the time had never passed away and this long rest had never existed.

The only thing that I regret now is not having jump into the arena when they moved to the B-stage which was placed at the center of the Palau Sant Jordi. That would have been the chance of my life of seeing them close, from no more than ten meters of distance... but that is just a minor thing. Today I remember that great experience that lasted no more than two hours and which I will keep with me for the rest of my life. We, the Spanish fans of Take That, have been, at last, blessed with a great concer in our homeland. Take That forever!

PHOTO: Photography of the concert of Take That in the Palau San Jordi, taken by myself last Saturday 20 October 2007.