At nearly 50, Robbie Williams has been famous for more than half his life. Rich and famous, when you factor in the shitload of money he fucked off with from EMI in 2002. And anonymous in America where he has never had a hit and can walk the streets a complete unknown.
Robbie is so far removed from ever having to give a fuck that he literally doesn’t have to give a fuck and that is what makes his shows so entertaining. A Robbie Williams show is a party from start to finish.
It was a big party. This A Day On The Green event at Mt Duneed, near Geelong, had 23,000 fans in the audience. 23,000 wet fans with an early thunderstorm and then later persistent rain. The fans didn’t care though.
From the opening sounds of ‘How Wow Yeah Yeah’ the party begins. Robbie is more ‘mine host’ than he is performer. He is there to be with the audience, not play to the audience. He hosts the party and makes the audience part of the show.
The songs are like conversation starters. We got how it all began with early Take That and a full screen view of Robbie’s 23 year old arse. He talked about his favourite topics, sex, drugs and rock and roll. The more inappropriate he is, the more the audience seems to enjoy it. Its weird isn’t it. We have to be so careful about what we say, but Robbie is unfiltered. He says it anyway. He is like a musical Jimmy Carr.
There is no modesty with Robbie. “I’m Robbie Williams and I’m fucking amazing” but then again, an alternative would be boring.
You wonder were the time went when Robbie goes back 31 years to 1992 Take Take. Its funny, none of Robbie’s songs would be considered classics. Well, ‘Angels’ maybe, but he is not ‘a fall back’ position for classic hits radio. The story diverted occasional from his catalogue to other, like Oasis ‘Look Back In Anger’ and John Farnham’s ‘You’re The Voice’. That Oasis relationship was always more admiration than rivalry and the Farnham inclusion was to honour a great Australian on his road to recovery.
Robbie’s charm is in his personality. He is more Entertainer than he is Singer. Sure he has had a lot of hits and threaded together he recreates an era. Maybe that’s his charm. For a few hours each show he allows his audience to escape.
This is therapeutic for me as well, writing up a Robbie review and realising his shows aren’t really about his songs but about his talent in communicating.
Robbie Williams setlist, 25 November 2023, Mt Duneed A Day On The Green
Hey Wow Yeah Yeah (from Take The Crown, 2012)
Let Me Entertain You (from Life Through The Lens, 1997)
Land of 1000 Dances (Chris Kenner/Wilson Pickett cover)
Better Man (Reprise) (from Sing When You’re Winning, 2000)
Strong (from I’ve Been Expecting You, 1998)
Come Undone (from Escapology, 2002)
Do What You Like (from Take That, Take That and Party, 1992)
Could It Be Magic (from Take That, Take That and Party, 1992)
Don’t Look Back in Anger (Oasis cover)
Back for Good (from Take That, Nobody Else, 1995)
Love My Life (from The Heavy Entertainment Show, 2016)
Better Man (from Sing When You’re Winning, 2000)
Candy (from Take The Crown, 2012)
Feel (from Escapology, 2002)
Kids (from Sing When You’re Winning, 2000)
Rock DJ (from Sing When You’re Winning, 2000)
Encore:
You’re the Voice (John Farnham cover)
She’s the One (from I’ve Been Expecting You,1998)
Angels (from Life Through The Lens, 1997)
Let Me Entertain You/Strong/Back For Good/Feel/Angels
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