At the end of 2005, Robbie gave a spectacular performance at the Velodrome in Berlin. With a run up of three warm-up performances in Amsterdam, London and Paris, 15ꯠ of you were lucky enough to see him perform songs from his album, Intensive Care as he reclaimed his King of Pop crown.
Astoria, London
Reviews
Clown prince or pop king?
The message at London’s Astoria last week was clear. Three months after stealing the Live8 show, Robbie Williams was reclaiming the crown of pop king.
His new songs are wholly British in their nods to the Specials, Prefab Sprout and the Rolling Stones. Still it was the big hits that elicited the best response. An awesome Angels raised the roof, leaving Williams moved by the ensuing singalong: ‘I’ve had a few oh-my-god moments in my life,’ he said. ‘Well, that was another one.’
Daily Mail, 7 October 2005
Sing-a-long Robbie back with Ghosts and Angels
We last saw him performing to 375ꯠ over one record-breaking weekend, so this was a rare opportunity to see the whites of his eyes.
He strolled on, hands in pockets, to deliver a typically cheeky opening line on grandiose new song Ghosts: “Here I stand, victorious, the only man who made you cum".
Stonesy party tune A Place To Crash and Sin Sin Sin, with its racing electronic back-drop and instantly memorable chorus will not be strangers for much longer.Even now he has passed his 30th birthday he is still the childlike entertainer, pulling Mr Universe poses, doing silly voices and sniffing his armpits. After the glory of Knebworth some thought he would hole up in his mansion for years, counting his money, but here he is again for phase two.
Evening Standard, 3 October 2005
Robbie’s evil twin revels in his full octane devilry
[London Astoria] a venue with the capacity of the queue for the loos at the sort of enormo-domes he usually patronises.
The singer says he has ‘an evil twin who inhibits my body when I’m on stage.’ and his full octane performance smacked of the devilish.
Observer Music Monthly, 2 October 2005
Velodrome, Berlin
All photographs by Graham Kuhn
Robbie Live in Berlin
Despite suffering from a broken arm which occurred while playing football the day before, Robbie had the 8ꯠ crowd in a frenzy from the moment he was lifted on stage amid huge jets of smoke. The injury never looked like holding him back as he jumped and bounced and filled the stage throughout the 90 minute show.
He performed eight tracks from the new album and each one was received with huge excitement. Robbie admitted to being nervous about trying out the new material for the first time but the crowd loved every minute. The evening was made extra special with the addition of an orchestra and 10-piece choir which sounded incredible especially during Angels and Advertising Space.
Over 20ꯠ fans around Europe were also able to watch the show live in cinemas and venues via a high definition cinecast. As with the recent warm-up shows in Amsterdam, London and Paris, there was no encore at the end of the night, instead Robbie sat on the stage and casually chatted to fans before closing the show with the epic Make Me Pure.
The set-list on the night was:
- Ghosts
- Feel
- A Place To Crash
- Supreme
- Trouble With Me
- Advertising Space
- Spread Your Wings
- Angels
- Millennium
- Come Undone
- Sin Sin Sin
- Tripping
- No Regrets
- Rock DJ
- Make Me Pure
