‘Allow me to re-introduce myself,” Robbie Williams declares, with real gravitas. “This is my band. This is my ART.” Then he holds his mic to his crotch and waggles it. Yep – same old Robbie.
After eccentric diversions into film and visual arts, the pop star’s grand return to stadium shows begins with a philosophical bent: a sombre video critiques the impact of technology on the pop sphere, replete with a deepfake Elvis, and implies that only one man – perhaps one with a whopping 15 No 1 albums – could possibly save the industry. As campy and braggadocious as he’s ever been, after 35 years in the biz Williams crowns himself the “King of Entertainment” and tonight is not a mere show but a “journey”.
