Robbie Williams: an unprecedented showman

Source: Spits
Translation: Alexandra

'As Robbie Williams enters the stage of Paradiso on wednesday evening in front of a loud screaming audience, he looks very relaxed. Even more, it seems like he has just gotten out of bed: messy hair, a simple casual wear and a somewhat sleepy glare. Quickly however Williams loosens up and treats the 1500 lucky birds who were able to get a ticket to an ironstrong performance.

Although the show in Amsterdam is partially ment to promote new material from his newcoming album Intensive Care, the fans don't have to wait for the first sing-a-long: Feel, a strong ace that Robbie plays immediately as second song. He hardly has to sing it himself and can simply suffice with turning the microphone around in the direction of the audience.
Actually the evening cannot be spoiled anymore at that moment, eventhough the new songs dont make very much of an impression. It is always difficult to enjoy songs you have never heard before, but real Williams-classics seem not to be amongst them. Only the already released song Tripping, a cheerful ska-like song, is being enthousiastically embraced. For the rest it is politely waiting for Angels, Come Undone and Rock DJ and luckily these all come along.

Evenso with Robbie Williams it is only partially about the songs. His reputation as an entertainer is at least as important and concerning that he absolutely does not disappoint. Effortless he wins the audience on his hand with his jokes, short stories and spontaniously brought fragments of reknown songs. That does not always go as it should; Williams embarrasses his base-player shortly by enforcing a cover of Ice Ice Baby of Vanilla Ice and professionally helps a version of The Beatles' She Said So into destruction himself.
The nicest are the moments that Williams himself seeks contact with people from the audience. A woman who is gesturing wildly from the balcony that she wants an autograph, first gets it coming: 'You are obviously not well in the head' but then still gets her way 'Well, come over here with that poster. Whom should I sign it for?'. The new song Make Me Pure he records on an oldfashioned cassette recorder, especially for seventeen year old Gert Jan because he happens to stand up front. 'A cassette recorder tape, yes. That was from before the time that cd's existed. Yes, really, once there existed NO cd's.'
The climax comes when he takes over the phone from a girl in the audience to talk for a while with her friend. "Is her name Peter?? Oh, Petula'. Everyone enjoyes with full force, eventhough there is a certain jealousy in the direction of Petula. Though his music may not be always as special, as a showman and charmer Robbie Williams is unprecedented. If ever his singing career will fail, Williams can always try as a comedian. He absolutely has the talent for it.
(G.V.)'