fast Forward - 261 - September 28-October 4, 1994
SNEAK
If you think the temperature is hot out front of a Take That gig, you should be backstage beforehand - which is exactly where we
went for a quick sneak about on the current tour!
4:30 pm
Arriving at the sound check, at the Glasgow gig, the boys run the gauntlet of the hundreds of fans already queuing up for that
night's show. Mark does a bit of a royal walkabout. "You mean you've all turned out to see little me and my show?" he gasps, as
15 fans all try to shake his hand at once!
4:35 pm
"Make way for me and my guitar!" Jason, true to form, arrives with his bag and his trusty acoustic. "Right, where's catering? Get
that kettle on, chaps!"
5:00 pm
While the technicians are out front fiddling with the lighting and 10 miles of cable, the boys take five and relax before they get
down to a spot of real work. "You're always stuffing your face, Rob!" grimaces Gary, who's none too keen on the smell of
bananas.
5:10 pm
"Mmm, just a little squirt so I don't pong like that Rob!" Gary sprays himself with his favourite eau de cologne and does a quick
spot check. 5:20 pm
"Och aye, yo kilt!" And what a fine kilt it is too! Never one to do anything by halves, in honour of the local crowd, Rob dons the
biggest kilt he can lay his hands on.
5:45 pm
The lads have a laugh while the roadies are moving the stage set around. "Jason, what are you looking for? Did all you brain cells
fall out during that last backflip?"
6:00 pm
"Phew! That's the lot shined up! Honestly, just because I was late this morning, they made me polish up our tin hats for the first
number as a forfeit!" (Mark)
6:30 pm
"Don't be stingy with those profiteroles, matey!" Gary tucks into a large portion of delicious-looking chocolate dessert after
scoffing a huge roast dinner. Careful, Gaz, you've got a lot of jumping around to do later!
6:45 pm
And look who's turned up for dinner! "I think I might get up and do a little number this evening, Mark!" trills Lulu.
7:00 pm
"Think I'll just have a quick shower!" pouts Howard. Any excuse to get his shirt off!
7:30 pm
The countdown to showtime is on! Rob poses by a rack of clothes as worn by the mini-Take That during their It Only Takes a
Minute bit. "Don't all those little shoes look dinky?" he giggles. "I could just about get one big toe into those!"
7:45 pm
Only minutes to go before curtain up and Gary is having a bit of a fashion crisis. "Argh! I knew I shouldn't have eaten that last
profiterole! This belt did up on the first notch two hours ago!" That'll teach Gaz to stuff his face before a show! OK now,
boys...YOU'RE ON!
