Project Description

ROBBIE WILLIAMS

The Brisbane Entertainment Centre

20th February 2018

(Live Review)

Alexandra Ainsworth

A filled out entertainment centre eagerly awaits the return of an iconic pop star: a man whose face was plastered across tabloid headlines and TV screens throughout the 2000s, a man who survived an onslaught of criticism in his darkest moments, and a man who has sold out the venue. Robbie Williams is about to take the stage, and I have no idea what to expect.

Eminem’s Lose Yourself announces the start of the set, a unsurprisingly bold hype song that prompts everyone to their feet for Robbie’s National Anthem (a bastardised version of Land of Hope and Glory). It’s an indulgent moment, one that reminds the audience off Williams‘ trademark cheek, which will no doubt be a strong theme throughout the set. The oncoming combination of Heavy Entertainment Show and Let Me Entertain you allows Williams to hold the energy in the palm of his hand. Let Me Entertain You is no doubt a classic, but it also sets the scene for the show we’re about to watch unfold. Williams is a performer just as much as he is a singer. Surrounded by back up dancers and a full band, there is a rising sense of excitement that ripples through the crowd, as fans of all demographics squeal in sheer delight.

A few more songs into the night, and Williams pulls out a few lines of Viva Bris-Vegas which feel like a cheap thrill to hype up the crowd. The star, however, takes his personalisation of each show further than I expected, calling out to people in the crowd like we’re housed in a cosy pub gig rather than an arena. He takes the time to talk to members of the audience, pulling girls on stage and calling out guys who spill beer all over themselves. The space between the front barrier and the elevated stage are merely physical, as Williams uses various gaps between songs to chat to fans and emphasise a casual mood despite the impressive size of the roaring audience.

It’s a breath of fresh air that comes between the classic hits, a chance to see the human behind the headlines. Mid way through the set, Williams recalls watching his father perform when he was a child, a moment that is quickly recreated as Pete Conway strolls on stage and the two duet Neil Diamond’s Sweet Caroline. The song is an undeniably touching moment as the two swing their legs off a prop couch in the middle of the venue, recreating simpler times as father and son.

The cocky demeanor and performer mentality are worn away as the night rolls on. There are some awkwardly controversial remarks about that would have been better left in his younger hey-days, but overall, Williams puts on a solid set. The encore starts and ends the night with Angels, a particularly poignant track that pulls away from the showmanship aspect of the night. The 1997 hit is an incredibly raw end to the evening, one that feels almost too emotional to be privy too. I’m taken aback by just how powerful Williams’ delivery is as he walks off stage while belting out a few lines sans-band. The choice feels like a statement against the non-believers, the hordes of people who shook off the pop star as another has been. The song, a cherry on top of the cake of a night, is a testament to the fact that Williams is still a force not to be reckoned with.

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