Live music review: Take That, 3Arena, Dublin

Take That survived the boy band apocalypse by donning sensible suits, embracing middle age and delivering a series of consistently spectacular tours. The latest, Wonderland, scores high for production values, with its 360 degree stage, multiple costume changes and an eye-popping set piece in which slim-lined ensemble (reduced to a trio with the 2014 departure of Jason Orange, and the longterm absence of Robbie Williams) croon beneath a glowing waterfall.

Behold the Pink Floyd of pop – a group that understands wiz-bang effects can pack as big a punch as all the emotive warbling in the world. With the theatrics doing the heavy lifting, there was less pressure on the actual music as Take That kicked off a two-night residency. But here Gary Barlow, Mark Owen and Howard Donald delivered too, with a set that leaned heavily on the mid-paced anthems that became their signature following their 2005 reunion.