‘Way more important than my wedding’: Robbie Williams fans lap up his Federation Square gig
Pop superstar Robbie Williams has taken aim at the backlash to his New Year’s Eve performance on the ABC as he delighted a packed crowd at Federation Square.
Entertainment
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Robbie Williams took over Melbourne like the ultimate showman – with a cheeky grin, larrikin humour, and a free “thank you” concert for the city where he feels most at home.
The British superstar blitzed the city in an all-day juggernaut that started with state officials in Carlton, then a 45-minute gig in Federation Square, and finally, a gala screening in Windsor for his biopic, Better Man.
Better Man was filmed in Melbourne, and Williams came back to show gratitude.
“I feel incredibly at home here. I feel safe, and loved and embraced,” Williams said at the Royal Exhibition Building where he met with VicScreen bosses.
“You are my people. I feel at home here, I feel accepted.”
He added: “I want to spend your summer here more often. I want to be here more often. A tour (or) promo isn’t good enough for me. It isn’t good enough for my soul.”
From there, Williams performed a 45-minute set of greatest hits for 12,000 fans packed into Federation Square. The show, presented by Gold104.3 and iHeartLive, included anthems like Let Me Entertain You, Better Man, Feel and Angels.
“What’s making me laugh … is there’s police horses here,” Williams noted from the stage, then added: “The menopausal audience I attract, they are violent f--kers. You never know when they’re gonna go off.” Later, he took a gibe at ABC-TV for criticising his promotion of Better Man during his performance at a New Year’s Eve concert in Sydney.
“Is anybody aware that I got in trouble for over-promoting my film on the TV? What the f--k did they think I was there for? Get on a plane, come down and sing Angels again? F--k off!” Williams said. “
“I’m here to sell my f--king movie, you twits. You book Robbie Williams, you get Robbie Williams. Is the ABC funded by you guys, is that what it is? Oh, soz Australia.”
He also feigned concern about having runny nostrils in the ABC-TV broadcast.
Williams said he was fighting flu symptoms.
“I know I have a reputation for partaking in a certain thing that comes from South America’” he explained. “I haven’t done it forever. My nostril was streaming on the telly the other night, and I was like Twitter is going to say, ‘He’s off his face!’ It’s not true.”
It wasn’t all adult content, though. He met a fan, Emily, who said the Federation Square concert was the first time she’d him perform live. “Where the f--k have you been?” Williams asked, aghast. “Broke,” Emily replied, deadpan. Williams dutifully lined up tickets and a pre-show meet and greet for his next Melbourne show.
Melbourne Lord Mayor Nicholas Reece presented Williams with the Keys to the City. Past honorees include Olivia Newton-John, Dolly Parton and Dame Edna Everage. “The idea is,” Mr Reece said, “it opens up every door in this town.”
Williams chuckled: “Okay, I can make a few jokes there.”
Glen Iris fan Xavier Kinder said Williams “sounded awesome”. “He hasn’t lost it,” he said after the performance. Hazel McLeod stood out in the crowd with a full back tattoo of the popstar proudly on display. “I just thought it was so cool,” Ms McLeod said of why she got her ink.
Better Man was co-produced, co-written and directed by Melbourne born Michael Gracey.
The sun was belting down as Williams took the stage on Thursday afternoon, which left some fans using umbrellas and wrapping sweaters around their heads to get some shade.
It also led some fans to head to other quarters to see the concert, like Beer Deluxe situated at the back of Federation Square, where the view was obstructed but punters could enjoy a drink during the show.
Friends Jodi Annetts and Linda Lucas were two of those, though they couldn’t claim the idea as their own.
“It was my husband’s idea,” Ms Lucas said.
“We could still see the screen and hear the concert but also enjoy a drink.”
Ms Annetts said it was a thrill to see Williams live having never had the chance before.
“I spotted it last night at 6pm Wednesday and was like ‘we are going’,” she said.
“It’s so exciting having we have never seen him before.”
Temporary fencing was put up around the square to funnel diehard fans into the iconic precinct with a slow-moving queue spilling out towards Princes Bridge by 4pm on Thursday.
Fans first began congregating in the morning, and at 1.30pm, hundreds were treated to a soundcheck by Williams’ band, who played his signature song, Let Me Entertain You.
Mounted police and foot patrols have kept an eye on crowds in and around the square ahead of Williams’ taking to the stage at 5pm to play a selection of his greatest hits.
A group of women who call themselves “Boobs on Barrier,” were sat up against the barrier at 7.30am after hearing rumours of the concert.
“We’ve done this many times, we’ve waited a lot longer than this,” group member Tina said.
The hardcore fans met and bonded while attending a plethora of Robbie Williams concerts.
The women were happily sat among their homemade banners in the sunshine saying it was a good chance to catch up.
Superfan Jordann West gave up wedding planning to be here.
She ‘married’ Robbie on stage at a concert and is now getting married for real next week.
“I kissed him. It was the best day of my life,” Ms West said.
“This is way more important than my wedding.”
Hazel McLeod took her love for Robbie to the next level with a full back tattoo, which was proudly on display.
“I just thought it was so cool,” Ms McLeod said about her ink.
Superfans like Tom Gleeson and Jake Hollingsworth were out in the thick of it to see their favourite star.
“I was very excited because I’m from the UK and he has been a big part of my life growing up,” Mr Gleeson said.
“I found out he was playing today and thought I can’t miss this.”
While Mr Hollingsworth said he had trouble believing it when he heard.
“I have seen him two times live, and I saw this on TikTok,” he said.
“I didn’t believe it at first, didn’t believe it till I came here and saw this was happening.”
Fans Sofia Gray and Patrick Pasaribu said it was a big thing for Melbourne.
“Extremely excited for a free concert I’m excited for Melbourne,” Ms Gray said.
“To have such a big international singer in Melbourne is huge.”
Neva, Daniel and Stephanie missed out on Sydney tickets, but made a mad dash to the airport to get down to Melbourne for this.
Georgie was an extra in Williams latest movie and said she gets emotional every time she hears Feel.
“I cry every time” she said.
“I’ve kissed him twice and I’m an extra in the movie.”
Kylee Thompson took her love for Williams to the next level, flying to Sydney for his New Year’s Eve concert after getting tickets at the last minute.
“I drop everything for him,” Kylee said. “We’re Robbie experts.”
Spirits were high for “massive fans” Kieran and Emily, as this was their first time seeing Robbie Williams perform.
Emily said the long wait was worth it despite the discomfort of sitting up on the barrier.
“I’ve never been able to go, my friend tagged me last night to tell me it was happening,” she said.
Hannah, who calls herself a “huge fan”, came straight from her night shift at a nursing home to ensure she was right at the front.
“I saw he was in Melbourne just before I knocked off work, I was like oh my god!” she said.
Williams is in Melbourne to promote his biopic, Better Man, and will conduct an all-day publicity blitz.
He will meet with bosses from VicScreen, which helped lure the film shoot to Melbourne.
Williams will then perform in Federation Square at a show hosted by Gold104.3 and iHeartLIVE.
From there, he will track south to Windsor to attend a gala screening of Better Man, and take part in a Q&A session.
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