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ROBBIE WILLIAMS
the XXV Tour:
all the stories, all the songs
AAMI Park, Melbourne,
November 22, 2023
(Live Review)

Review by Linda Memphis (@lindamemphismusic)

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Robbie Williams – AAMI Park – November 22, 2023 / Photo – Brett Schewitz

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It’s been well over a year since I last saw Robbie Williams live, at Melbourne’s Rod Laver Arena – a one off gig to film for his upcoming biopic. Tonight’s show though, at AAMI Park stadium, is a full-on affair, and a return to a much bigger venue. Can he still kick it? I have to say, all bets are on. Yes, he can!

First up though, are Support Act Lufthaus, namely, local lads Flynn Francis and Tim Metcalfe, who collaborated with Robbie on his recently released ‘Visions Vol 1’ dance music project. The duo get straight down to setting the pulse for the night – it’s pump-bass electronica with a little bit of dancepop – and they do a great job of it. “This is our first show ever in Melbourne!” they tell the crowd to cheers and applause. And to commemorate the occasion, they oblige the audience with a selfie, following their last song.

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Robbie Williams – AAMI Park – November 22, 2023 / Photo – Brett Schewitz

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Next to lay down the welcome mat is English muso Gaz Coombes, best known as lead vocalist for UK band, Supergrass. Looking very altrock in his speckled black suit, white sneakers and hat, he wastes no time in getting down to business. And he ain’t half bad! ‘Richard III’ is the standout for me – pure 90’s vibe with a birra punk thrown in – ah, youth. The crowd are building now and the sky is slowly darkening. With a crescendo of drums, bass, and electric guitar, Gaz Coombes and band end their set, and the anticipation builds as we wait to be ushered into Robbie central. It’s almost time.

As it turns out, it’s only a short break until Robbie Williams arrives onstage, and it’s the early 80’s inspired ‘Hey Yeah Wow Wow’ from his 2012 album ‘Take The Crown’, that kicks things off. It’s a brilliant opening number – all static, all sequins, gigantic video screens, and hella noise! And, of course, there’s Robbie, strutting his stuff as only he can. Welcome, to the 25 Years of Hits show!

But this, ladies and gentlemen, is not just a greatest hits show. Tonight’s gig comes hot on the heels of Robbie Williams (still screening) Netflix documentary, and as the show progresses, the links are more than obvious. In the series, Robbie looks back on his younger self and life through a series of video clips; on the XXV Tour, it’s Robbie looking back on his younger self and life through a series of stories and songs. Tonight, Robbie’s taking us on a truly autobiographical journey.

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Robbie Williams – AAMI Park – November 22, 2023 / Photo – Brett Schewitz

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What so many people love about Robbie Williams, is that he makes no apologies for who he was, or is. “I remember you!” he tells the crowd as the show opens. “Do you remember me?” They do – the stadium erupts in a roar of welcome. “Allow me to introduce myself,” he continues. And the fans, the one’s who’ve seen him before, know exactly what’s coming next. “My name is Robbie F**king Williams! This is my band, and this,” he tells the crowd as he turns around and bends over, “is my *ss!”. The place goes insane as the opening chords of ‘Let Me Entertain You’ blast through the stadium. He has arrived in true Robbie style, and the audience are all fists pumping and bodies jumping, it’s hands in the air yeah yeah yeah! And this, ladies and gentlemen, is what a Robbie Williams show is all about: it’s pomp, it’s pop, it’s camp, it’s rock – it’s shoe-shuffling, rockstar posing, pure entertainment.

Robbie sets the autobiographical tone early on. “We’re going on a journey,” he tells the crowd, “the highest highs and the lowest lows, the sex, the drugs, the scandals…tough therapy for me, but entertainment to you.” Yes, this is the stuff he’s metamorphosed into song and dance. “Am I amongst friends?” he asks the crowd. “Am I safe to share with you?” He uses ‘Strong’, from his 1998 album ‘I’ve Been Expecting You’ to seemingly answer his own question. ‘And you know…my life’s a mess’ the lyrics go, ‘And I’m trying to grow, so before I’m old I’ll confess – you think that I’m strong, you’re wrong, you’re wrong’. Heading directly into the audience, he finds himself literally surrounded by the love that the entire stadium can feel – there’s hugs, there’s pats of support, and one lady softly touches his face. If he needed proof, he has it. The song ‘Strong’ has always been one of my favourites. I love hearing it live. It has a beautiful universality about it, as do most of Robbie Williams’ songs – because as he speaks to the crowd from his heart, and as he sings from his heart, so too does he write from his heart. That’s why, the so much love!

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Robbie Williams – AAMI Park – November 22, 2023 / Photo – Brett Schewitz

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Robbie tells the crowd there are two kinds of Robbie Williams songs. There’s the “I’m Robbie Williams and I’m f**king crazy” songs, and the “I’m Robbie Williams and I’m lost and depressed and lonely and why don’t you come to save me” songs. It’s a human duality that at some level, we can all relate to. Then he launches into ‘Come Undone’ – one of the second kinds of songs – and he doesn’t just own it, he embodies it. This is Robbie Williams circa 2000’s incarnate, and it’s all there in the song, and all there in his performance. “Australia,” he calls out to the massive crowd at the end of the song: “I am your son!” Yes! We are his and he is ours, yes. And the great thing about Robbie’s crowd is it’s truly a give and take: he entertains and heals us, but the beautiful part is? We heal him right back. Robbie’s in the house, and so is the love. Later on, one verse into ‘Better Man’, he tells the crowd, “I f**king love you Melbourne!”.  The feeling is mutual.

Robbie Williams understands exactly the picture that’s been painted of him across the years, and he uses the show as a vehicle not only to reference this, but to own it and make fun of it too – and in doing so, he gains an unsurpassed empathy and support from the crowd. They’re with him. “The number one rule of entertainment,” he tells the stadium, “is that you must love your audience.” The crowd cheer. Then, the punchline. “And in the 90’s I tried to love you all and I nearly got there too…” (badum tssssh). There’s a lot of send up throughout the show. Mostly it’s clever one-liners and self-effacing humour (he has a ball sending up himself, bare-*ssed, in the Take That ‘Do What You Like’ video), but he brings the crowd in on it too (there’s some utterly hilarious banter and chit-chat with front-rower Marc with a c)!

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Robbie Williams – AAMI Park – November 22, 2023 / Photo – Brett Schewitz

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As Robbie launches into Take That’s ‘Back For Good’, I’m reminded of how far he’s come. The song is so 90’s – but still beautiful. And as amazing as Gary Barlow’s vocals are on the original, I have to say, Robbie’s version at AAMI Park? Best! Oh yes. Robbie brings back all the Take That memories for a crowd aching to be in that time and place again. “F**king nostalgia!” he tells the crowd – he knows – ‘Back For Good’ is the very best times of their lives – beautiful, f**king nostalgia. And here he is. Bringing it back again, just for them.

One of the highlights of the night is Robbie’s cover of 90’s superband, Oasis’, ‘Don’t Look Back In Anger’, from their massive ‘(What’s The Story) Morning Glory’ LP – a song that Robbie famously performed at Glastonbury in 1998. The song is perfectly suited to, well, everything about him. And Robbie takes it, and not only runs with it, but Robbifies it. He absolutely masters it! I And I may ruffle some feathers by saying it – but I have to say it! Robbie does it better. I watch as the punters on the floor ramp it up to a true festival vibe. “Thanks guys,” Robbie tells them as the song ends. It doesn’t go unnoticed.

‘I Love My Life’ is a celebration of how far Robbie Williams has come in a different way – how he has embraced family life. He tells the crowd the story of how he vowed he’d never be married, how he vowed he’d never have kids, and now, look at him – here he is, happy as Larry. It’s a celebrated moment. With a good chunk of history out of the way, though, now it’s time to celebrate with the hits: songs like ‘Better Man’, ‘Feel’, ‘Kids’, and ‘Rock DJ’ all hit the spot, and there’s a ridiculously giant pop of streamers from the stage that launch across the stadium at the end of the set, like the cork coming off some kind of giant champagne bottle! What a celebration – of how far Robbie’s come, of the music, of us all, together in this giant stadium under the starts tonight. Amazing.

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Robbie Williams – AAMI Park – November 22, 2023 / Photo – Brett Schewitz

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As a special ode to Australia, Robbie returns during the encore with a cover of the John Farnham classic, ‘You’re The Voice’. It’s a great match, both for his vocal strength, and style. Robbie’s decked in green and gold, and as he turns away from the crowd, we realise it’s the famous Aussie cricketer, Shane Warne‘s number 23 shirt, that he’s wearing. Before long, the crowd is chanting ‘War-nie, War-nie’ along with Robbie. Fantastic.

For ‘She’s The One’ Robbie makes his signature move, picking a fan out of the audience to sing to. It always makes for some sweet (and on occasions really funny) moments. Tonight, it’s both. But for the last song of the evening, things turn a little more serious. Robbie tells the audience about his past battles with depression, and near brushes with suicide. He tells us about the things that saved him – his family and his kids – and how people like us coming along to see him have gotten him through. “You’re my family,” he tells us. “After all these years, I am you and you are me.” And it’s true. And when we’re in a stadium, like the one we’re in tonight, with the same songs soaring through our souls, it is namaste, truly. We are one. And it’s with this in mind that Robbie dedicates the last song of the night, the beautiful and iconic ‘Angels’ to Robyn Hall, the fan who passed away after a fall at Allianz Stadium at his Sydney show, not even a week ago.

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Robbie Williams – AAMI Park – November 22, 2023 / Photo – Brett Schewitz

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“It breaks my heart,” he tells the capacity crowd. “I’ve been thinking about it an awful lot, and I’ve thought about it all through the show tonight. I just want to give a big shout out and lots of love from me and my band to Robyn and Robyn’s family”. I can see from the big screen he has tears in his eyes. It’s a shocking, raw, and candid moment, but it’s one he feels we can truly empathise with. “She was somebody just like you, who came to the gig just like you did tonight,” he continues. “Tonight, this is for her,” he ends. And then he begins ‘Angels’.

As always, ‘Angels’ is an almost religious experience – a beautiful, luminous communion of souls – with literally, thousands of little lights dotting the stadium as fans light up their phones. I look skyward, wondering if Robyn Hall can see. I’m sure she can.

He leads us out with an acapella rerun of the hits, and as he exits the stage and the lights come up, the crowd are still singing. It’s perfect. We leave the stadium with the song in our voices and the love in our hearts.

Robbie Williams has always been an autobiographical soul. But his songs, and his stories, are not just stories; in them he finds the funny, he finds the beautiful, he finds the real, and he shares the wisdom. He brings the magic and the love to his shows, always. And he leaves us greater, for experiencing them.

Thank you, Robbie. Here’s to 25 years! Here’s to you.

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Robbie Williams – AAMI Park – November 22, 2023 / Photo – Brett Schewitz

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Follow ROBBIE WILLIAMS
Website – Facebook – Twitter – Instagram

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Robbie Williams – AAMI Park – November 22, 2023 / Photo – Brett Schewitz

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Press Release 14th September 2023 (below) HERE

ROBBIE WILLIAMS
announces
GAZ COOMBES
as special guest
on all Australian dates

+ New tickets released for Sydney, Melbourne & Mt Duneed shows

XXV AU-NZ Tour Kicks off this November!

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ROBBIE WILLIAMS
AUSTRALIAN & NEW ZEALAND TOUR
NOVEMBER 2023

Presented by Chugg Entertainment and Frontier Touring

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ALL REMAINING TICKETS ON SALE NOW
​via frontiertouring.com/robbiewilliams

ALL SHOWS ALL AGES*

​* U18s must be accompanied by a parent/legal guardian
​This event is recommended for patrons aged 16+

Saturday 11 November
​Mission Estate | Hawke’s Bay, NZ
SOLD OUT

Sunday 12 November
​Mission Estate | Hawke’s Bay, NZ
​missionestate.co.nz

Thursday 16 November
​Allianz Stadium | Sydney, NSW
NEW TICKETS RELEASED
​ticketek.com.au | Ph: 132 849

Saturday 18 November
​Sirromet Wines | Mount Cotton, QLD – A Day On The Green
SOLD OUT

Sunday 19 November
​Sirromet Wines | Mount Cotton, QLD – A Day On The Green
SOLD OUT

Wednesday 22 November
​AAMI Park | Melbourne, VIC
FINAL TICKETS REMAINING
​ticketek.com.au| Ph: 132 849

Thursday 23 November
​AAMI Park | Melbourne, VIC
NEW TICKETS RELEASED
​ticketek.com.au| Ph: 132 849

Saturday 25 November
​Mt Duneed Estate | Geelong, VIC – A Day On The Green
NEW TICKETS RELEASED
​adayonthegreen.com.au

Sunday 26 November
​Adelaide Parklands Street Circuit | Adelaide SA – VAILO Adelaide 500
​With Special Guests Gaz Coombes, Lufthaus & Sneaky Sound System
​adelaide500.com.au  

Thursday 30 November
​Nikola Estate | Swan Valley, WA – a day on the green 
​FINAL TICKETS REMAINING
​adayonthegreen.com.au

Friday 1 December
​Nikola Estate | Swan Valley, WA – A Day On The Green
​adayonthegreen.com.au

*Gaz Coombes playing on Australian dates only 

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AMNPLIFY – DB