Glasgow singer becomes last-minute Take That support
By Noor Nanji
Culture reporter
An up-and-coming singer who stood in for Olly Murs at a Take That gig in Glasgow at the last minute said it has “been madness”.
“It’s been a whirlwind,” Daniel Rooney told BBC News. “My phone’s not stopped for three days. It’s been really fun.”
The 26-year-old had been playing at a hotel bar in the city when he was asked to step in for Murs, who could no longer make it due to transport issues.
Take That’s frontman Gary Barlow later thanked him on Instagram.
Rooney, from Cambuslang, South Lanarkshire, said he had been playing in his regular slot at the Radisson Red hotel when the presenter Ross King spotted him.
He was then whisked to the Ovo Hydro, where he found himself playing in front of 14,000 fans. “I usually play to around 40 people,” he laughed. “It’s madness.”
Image source, Getty Images
Take That singer Gary Barlow praised Daniel for saving the day
Rooney said he did not have time to feel nervous as it all happened so fast.
“I was more just focusing on what songs to sing,” he said. “I was more excited than anything else.”
Rooney said Take That were “brilliant” and gave him some advice on what to play. When the gig finished, he also got some positive feedback from them.
Barlow also showed his appreciation on social media, writing: “This young man saved the day, thank you.”
He added a picture of Rooney and three love heart emojis.
Rooney said his friends and family didn’t believe him when he first told them what had happened.
“They thought it was a wind-up,” he said. “It was only when they started seeing the news reports that they knew I wasn’t joking.”
He said he wants to enjoy his newfound fame and will spend the coming weeks recording some music.
“I just want to keep it going, and and see where it all goes,” he said.
Ross King told BBC Good Morning Scotland that he had been having a meal in the hotel when he saw the news that Murs could not make the gig.
“Gary Barlow is one of my best mates. We suddenly got in contact,” he said.
King said he told Barlow there was a “young guy” playing in the hotel, adding: “He’s a great player, he’s a great singer and he’s got a great personality, I’d love to bring him over.”
He said Barlow responded, telling him to bring Rooney over.
“We literally ran from the Radisson Red, there were no soundchecks and Daniel went on and just absolutely slayed the audience. He was just sensational,” he said.
Image source, Getty Images
Olly Murs had been unable to get to Glasgow
On social media, fans praised Rooney’s performance at the Ovo Hydro, with one saying he’d smashed it.
Murs, who has been supporting the world famous boy band on their This Life tour, was unable to make the gig on Friday night after his flight from London was cancelled.
He had been updating fans over the day on his Instagram story on his efforts to get to Glasgow. He posted a video from inside the plane before exiting and attempting to board another flight.
Eventually, he posted on social media that it was not going to happen.
After their gigs in Glasgow, Take That are due to perform in Manchester this week.
But their five dates will now be held at the AO Arena, after they were forced to move from the troubled Co-op Live arena due to “ongoing technical issues”.
