I don't see it being in Knebworth cause it would be 3 nights again and he's done that already so it's pointless if you ask me.

I don't see it being in Knebworth cause it would be 3 nights again and he's done that already so it's pointless if you ask me.

You never know, he might want to break another world record :)

An Article I found on the entertainment.iafrica.com website (written before last night's concert). It's 'positive'. I think.... :unsure:

 

 

 

FEATURE

Let him entertain you

Ettiene Terblanche

Mon, 10 Apr 2006

Robbie Williams and I first met in a field in the shadow of Glastonbury's famous tor on a mystical afternoon just after the equinox. We weren't alone. There were no druidic incantations, no hippy robes… just a lot of love and goodwill. And no, the earth didn't move for me.

 

Now before you get the impression that you're reading some neo-Wildean confession from some money- grabbing groupie boyslut in Heat, People or the Sun, the encounter meant far more to him than it did to me. He was headlining the Glastonbury festival in front of 100 000 people. I was just passing through, heading towards some minor stage trying to catch the future of indie rock. It wasn't the first time that I'd only caught a negligible whiff of the zeitgeist, and then mistook it for methane from the cow paddock.

 

A year later I was kicking myself a deep shade of methylated purple and shaking the bandwagon dust off my Blur T -shirt. Robbiemania was sweeping every corner of the globe except the northwestern one. I was possibly one of a few South Africans who had seen the medium sized megalomaniac (kilomaniac?) live onstage. My street cred could have been huge.

 

To save face, I lied and said that I'd watched his whole performance (peer pressure was still a factor in my late twenties, even as it is now). Some skilled interrogator might have forced a confession out of me: "Stop! Stop! I was watching Nick Cave! Ok? I'm sorry. I was blinded by the 'greatest living Australian' malarkey. Now please take the electrodes off my nipples."

 

Fictional scenario, of course, because Robbie Williams fans are not the brooding lot who like to analyse performance or setlist or long dark teatimes of the soul. Robbie fans don't filter their Robbie experience through anything. That would just dilute it, stupid. Like drinking light lager. Keep it simple: "brilliant", "great", "awesome", “whoo!â€Âis about as polysyllabic as it gets.

 

Which is not to diss the Robmeister at all. No one chooses their own fans.

 

Suffice to say that I've felt a fraud and a misopportunist. It was there all the time. On my sister's bedroom wall. In the back row of the Take That poster. Robbie the Quiet One. Robbie the Rebellious One. Robbie the One Without Talent. No-one saw it coming. Not unless you happen to be the one gazing lovingly into one of two full length mirrors at the reflection of Robert Peter Maximilian Williams everyday. Ha! Can you name any other member of Take That whose solo status allows him to negotiate £80 million recording deals?

 

You can't fault Robbie for business acumen and you can't fault him for scouting out the market before launching himself on a public just waiting for someone to take over the mantle of Britain's Most Loved Pop Star , now that George Michael was on self imposed exile in a public toilet cubicle near you. Our Robbie quit Take That in early 1995, and then just hung around with the right people at the most opportune times.

 

He was spotted at Glasto 95 in the heady days of Britpop hanging out with Oasis sparring partners Noel and Liam. He looked anything but a failed boy band star in Adidas finery, smoking and drinking his once buff physique into everyman endomorphism. He didn't look like he was at a loose end, just enjoying his royalties and banishing thoughts of synchronised dance routines to where the sun didn't shine.

 

A year later his debut album was out. Since then, each new recording has outsold the previous one. And Robbie Williams fans, being the capitalists that they are, equate record sales with success. Don’t give them artistic merit. That’s how you fob off Franz Ferdinand fans. Most of his songs have permeated the national consciousness in a manner that only a few generation-defining lyricists and the composer of "God Save the King/Queen" could.

 

He hasn't cracked America, but that's no matter. Except, possibly, to Robbie. In a recent interview he flicked a flippant two fingers at the Yanks, acting as though their lack of interest in him did not rankle in the slightest. Even massive record company investment in raising his profile has done nothing in a country where he is outsold by every single struggling banjo player with a home recording studio. Poor Robbie. Not even high profile liaisons with Nicole Kidman, Naomi Campbell have given him any more star quality in the USA than anyone who’s exposed themselves on the 'Jerry Springer Show'.

 

When he swaggers into South Africa this week, replete with aforementioned mirrors and a list of swimsuit models on his “to do†list, no-one will give a thought to his alleged snubbing of a meeting with Mandela. His press officer’s diplomatic handling of that matter will vaporise into the ether over Johannesburg International before the plane touches down. Besides, aren’t pop stars meant to shun the establishment and avoid the fawning sentimentality that plagues Whitney, Mariah, Beyoncé et al. when they set foot in the motherland?

 

Will it be a night to remember? You betcha, guv’nor! Robbie will…erm.. "swing" from dishevelled naughties Rat Pack-er to KISS glam stomper to proletariat-pleasing pop singalong with his audience rapturously seduced by the monosyllabic simplicity of it all. He’ll take them places greater than great, more awesome than awesome and whoo-er than whoo with a rakish ruffle of his tousled head and a few off beat clicks of his fingers.

 

By the time the reverie starts to dissipate, he’ll have left on a jet plane, leaving thousands of sated South Africans inexplicably humming 'Angels' at the watercooler, 'Mr Bojangles' in workbound traffic and 'Millenium' for the next thousand years. Ladies and gentlemen, the ego has landed.

 

 

 

 

 

 

:cheer: or :angry: ???

 

 

 

First review in.....and so far its looking great. :D

 

ROCKING ROBBIE HAS DURBAN SCREAMING FOR MORE

The Mercury

 

Let me entertain you British pop star Robbie Williams toys with the crowd during the first leg of his South African tour at Durban's Absa Stadium last night. Heavy rain early in the evening did not dampen the spirits of his fans, who turned out in droves to catch one of the world's most noted performers in action.

 

http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y279/tc73/SA.jpg

 

Rocking Robbie has Durban screaming for more...

Despite heavy rain early in the evening, the 45 000 people who packed into Durban's Absa Stadium for the first leg of British pop icon Robbie Williams's South African tour were not disappointed as the charismatic star rocked the stadium with his usual style and enthusiasm.

 

The concert opened with what looked like balls of fire shooting out from the stage as Williams, clad in a black trench coat, rose from the floor through a trapdoor, much to the screaming audience's delight. He opened with one of his biggest hits, Radio.

 

Throughout the performance Williams, always the entertainer, played and talked with the crowd, building them up before performing every one of his chart-topping singles.

 

He walked up and down a ramp built in the middle of the stage and spoke about Durban and how its people had made him feel welcome. Hit after hit, word after word, Williams had the crowd screaming and wanting more.

 

Towards the end of the two-hour show he invited three girls and their mother on stage to meet him and share in the on-stage action. Williams closed with one of his biggest hits, Angels.

 

Earlier in the evening, Williams was preceded on stage by South African favourites Freshly Ground, whose hit, Doo Be Doo, was a crowd favourite and provoked a mass sing-along.

 

ROBBIE WILLIAMS HOTS UP THE STAGE...

 

http://www.therobbiewilliamssite.com/SA.jpg

 

He came, he sang and he took Durban by the scruff of the neck and shook it - and we, in turn, turned out en masse to celebrate the fact that raunchy Robbie Williams was starting his world tour right here in our city. We're not speed dating here, (although a large percentage of the women at last night's concert - ranging in age from 9-year-old Colby to 75-year-old Grace - "He can put his shoes under my bed..." - wouldn't have said no to Robbie).

He's got the gift of the gab and the lad was just giving us all the chat up. And boy does he have a fine line in chat.

Over two hours, between delivering pop classics like Rock DJ, Kids, Millennium, Let Me Entertain You and the lighters-in-the-air anthem Angels plus the newies, Advertising Space, Come Undone, Make Me Pure and Sin, Sin, Sin, plus a nod to that boy band - Take That - with Back For Good, Williams regaled a capacity crowd of over 40 000 with tales of his best mate's wife "her waters broke tonight", questions on the fit of his jeans "does my arse look big in this?" and lessons in spelling: "Regarding this banner girls, knob is spelt with a k."

Clutching a red G-string thrown at him, Williams rampaged up and down the three-pronged stage, winking, wriggling, getting the girls all hot under the collar and, dare one mention it, literally charming the bras off several women in the crowd.

As one who succumbed put it afterwards: "For some reason I lifted my top up and bared all. Thank God my boyfriend wasn't here."

So no, he ain't the best singer in the world, he even stuffed up some of his own lyrics. He's also had some really rough, self-imposed patches in life and made nude videos where ravenous female fans fed on his flesh, but the man's got what Simon Cowell calls the X Factor - in spades.

Rude, crude and yes as he admits himself: "I apologise for my language it's fu***** awful", he can sweat it up in a frock coat and leap around in a track suit (neither suited to our humidity).

One regret, no tracks from his album of classic Sinatra and co. standards, Swing When You're Winning. Robbie, you'll have to come back and bring a tux next time.

 

 

TV presenter Jonathan Wilkes is a father - and best pal Robbie Williams is set to be the godfather.

 

Wilkes' wife Nikki gave birth to the couple's first child this morning.

 

Mickey was born weighing 7lb 15 oz.

 

"Nikki and Mickey are doing great. He was born at 7.20am and I fainted at 7.21am," Wilkes joked.

 

"We are both so happy and can't wait to get our new family back home."

 

The former You've Been Framed host has asked Williams to do the honours and be Mickey's godfather.

 

The pair grew up together in Stoke-on-Trent.

 

Wilkes said recently: "Rob was the first to know about the baby and of course he's going to be godfather. He's my best mate."

 

The 27-year-old has appeared in stage productions of Grease, Tommy and The Rocky Horror Show and was a team captain in Sky One's The Match.

 

source: http://uk.news.yahoo.com

 

Nikki and Mickey? Surely not. :lol:

And a little sister Vicky in the future maybe?

 

Congrats to them both (and Rob the Godfather of course)

Edited April 11, 200619 yr by jupiter9

S. African soccer club wants to "sign" Robbie Williams

 

www.chinaview.cn 2006-04-12 08:09:46

 

 

JOHANNESBURG, April 11 (Xinhua) -- A South African soccer club was so impressed by British pop star Robbie Williams' soccer skills that they said they seriously thought of signing him, local media reported on Tuesday.

 

The Englishman, who opened the South African leg of his world tour in front of 40,000 excited fans in Durban on Monday evening, was comfortable on the ball when he was on "trial" last week at Ajax Cape Town, a South African Premier Soccer League (PSL) club, South Africa's online news service News24.com reported.

 

The training session was supervised by Ajax first team coach Gordon Igesund, assistant coach Ian Gorowa and the club's head of youth development, Craig Rosslee.

 

"Myself and Gordon were very impressed with Williams' form and have given serious thought to signing him for the rest of the season," Roslee jokingly told the Ajax official website.

 

Williams is set to captain an all-star team in a United Nations' charity football match at Old Trafford next month and also owns a stake in English third-division club Port Vale, a team he has supported since childhood.

 

Williams will be performing in Cape Town on April 13 and in Pretoria on April 17. Enditem

 

Editor: Zhu Jin

Edited April 12, 200619 yr by Scotty

13 April 2006

 

 

WILL-MATCHED

 

NO sooner has fatherhood taken Jonathan Wilkes off the best buddy list, than Robbie Williams has replaced him ... with X Factor winner Shayne Ward.

 

The Rock DJ has asked the Manchester hottie to play centre-back against Gordon Ramsay's team in his charity Soccer Aid Match for Unicef at Old Trafford on May 27.

 

Says a pal of the singer, whose debut album is out next Monday: "Shayne and Robbie hit it off at Top Of The Pops earlier this year. Then while Shayne was in LA filming his No Promises video, Robbie invited him round."

 

Jonathan's footballing days may be behind him now as his wife Nikki gave birth to their little boy Mickey yesterday morning. But let's hope Robbie still finds the time to be the tot's godfather.

 

Source - The Daily Mirror (Online Edition)

www.mirror.co.uk/3am

 

 

Interesting <_<

14 April 2006

 

HOLD your breath girls, I’ve got some very exciting news.

 

ROBBIE WILLIAMS will be joining TAKE THAT on stage during their comeback tour.

 

Yes, I know there have been furious denials from both camps. But I’ve been told on extremely good authority that Robbie will get back (sadly not for good) with the boys.

 

Though they are touring with a line-up that does not include him, Robbie will join his former bandmates on stage during one of their Manchester gigs.

 

I’ve shown you how the, er, more mature boy band might look.

 

Robbie has insisted to aides that if the sensational story is made official anywhere then he won’t turn up on the night.

 

He threatens Brits bosses with the same thing every year  insisting he won’t show if they confirm to the Press that he’ll be there.

 

And he did it when I revealed in June 2003 that former Take That pal MARK OWEN would do a duet with Robbie during his Knebworth shows.

 

Cast your mind back. There were furious denials of my story . . . only for Mark to join Rob on stage two months later at his historic shows to duet on Back For Good.

 

Now a highly-placed source has told me: “Robbie has agreed to appear at one of the Take That gigs in Manchester. They are working out schedules and haven’t yet decided which of the dates it will be.

 

“But it is a done deal. Everyone involved has been sworn to secrecy. As usual Rob has demanded no one coughs to it officially or he will change his mind.

 

“He likes to keep an element of surprise about all his appearances and gets his knickers in a twist when things leak out.

 

“But he will be there to sing one number. They are working out all the details now.â€Â

 

The remaining members of Take That  Mark, GARY BARLOW, JASON ORANGE and HOWARD DONALD  are rehearsing in a London studio ahead of the UK tour, which starts in Newcastle a week on Sunday. They are doing 28 dates which include six in Manchester in May and two in June.

 

I told you last week how the tour was in jeopardy after Jason collapsed after trying an energetic dance move. Thankfully he recovered.

 

The lads are determined that their shows will be sensational, and the pressure is making them hugely nervous. They have refused all requests to let any media into rehearsals.

 

Robbie is doing warm-up gigs abroad before kicking off the European leg of his solo tour in Dublin in June.

 

Sounds like seeing the boys back together could be magic . . .

 

Source - The Sun (Online Edition)

www.thesun.co.uk

40 VIP tickets for the Robbie Williams concert up for grabs

 

DUBAI  About 40 VIP tickets for the Robbie Williams concert will be given away by Wafi Mall for those who still haven't been lucky enough to buy their tickets to see their favourite singer.

 

In conjunction with E2 TV, from Saturday to Wednesday, lucky shoppers will have the chance to win a pair of VIP Robbie tickets worth Dh495 each.

 

The mechanics are simple; spend over Dh100 in any Wafi outlet, complete the application form, and then drop your receipt into the raffle drum and you're in for a chance to win a pair of the most sought after tickets in Dubai. Wafi advantage cardholders have double the chance to win. The lucky 15 winners will receive their tickets on Wednesday.

 

In addition, Wafi Mall has teamed up with 92 FM to give away the remaining 5 pairs of tickets on the Wafi drive time show with Daniel. One pair of tickets will be given away everyday, from Saturday to Wednesday, April 19, on the show.

 

I'm looking forward to seeing if the whole TT rumour is true

This is the only SA news I could find today :( (From 'Tonight' website)

 

Robbie Williams ticket hopes dashed

April 15, 2006

 

By Jeremy Lawrence

 

He may be one of the biggest-selling artists in the world, but when it comes to Robbie Williams' live performances, apparently no one gets a freebie.

 

Popular radio station 94.7 Highveld Stereo found this out when it tried to give away free tickets to the sold-out concert at Loftus on Monday.

 

Tickets for the concert, with an average price of around R500 apiece, were sold out within hours of going on sale at the end of last year.

 

Highveld bought 100 tickets for the concert with the intention of giving them away as prizes on shows in the lead-up to the concert. But before the station could go ahead with its plan, Williams' management stopped the give-away.

 

Station manager Ravi Naidoo said this week: "This is the first time such strict regulation has been placed by any artist's management. 94.7's listeners expect when an artist is touring this region, we... would be doing ticket giveaways."

 

He said the station then worked closely with the record company to give away Robbie Williams hampers to listeners. Naidoo said Big Concerts, the local promoter of the concert, had been "very accommodating with our requests".

 

However, Michael Anetakis, of Big Concerts, said the restriction came from the singer's marketing company.

 

"(Williams' management) noticed that around the world… companies were sort of hijacking the event. They decided that no one but the official sponsors should be able to promote the event. In this case, 5FM is an official sponsor and not Highveld," explained Anetakis.

 

 

 

Wonder what happens to the 100 freebie tix.... :unsure:

 

Wonder what happens to the 100 freebie tix.... :unsure:

 

Well Jupiter, i think it would be only fair if they give them

to his most faithfull fans B)

 

That means you and i will definatly get one :cheer: :cheer: :cheer:

Don't know if I can attend , Nicole. I have to go to B&Q on Monday to buy some shelves for the spare bedroom... :(

From Contact Music so it must be correct :rolleyes:

 

 

WILLIAMS BRAVES ILLNESS TO PERFORM

 

 

British pop hunk ROBBIE WILLIAMS braved a severe dose of the flu in order not to let down 20,000 fans in South Africa. The ANGELS hitmaker had been advised not to go ahead with the energetic two-hour show, but was determined not to disappoint fans and went ahead with the performance at Cape Town's Green Point Stadium on Thursday (13APR06). Halfway through the show Williams felt his energy levels start to wane. He joked, "I don't know how MICK JAGGER does this. I'm 32 and I'm knackered. He's like 110, or something."

15/04/2006 14:24

 

 

 

20,000 fans? I think not.... :angry:

 

 

Igsaan Salie

April 15 2006 at 01:58PM

 

When a Cape Town tailor got a call earlier this month to do a jacket alteration for rock superstar Robbie Williams, his response was: "Who is Robbie Williams?"

 

Abdul-Ghanie Karriem from Kensington has been a tailor for exclusive men's fashion store, Fabiani for the last 37 years.

 

The 66-year-old was baffled when he was told to report to Williams's Mount Nelson hotel room to alter two jackets. Back in the old days he used listen to Elvis. But this Williams... who was he? He had never heard of the singer who performed in Cape Town on Thursday night.

 

"I didn't know who he was, and when his PA called me I didn't know who he was talking about, then afterwards I saw his face all over the TV."

'I didn't know who he was talking about'

Karriem criticised the tailor who had made the two jackets for Williams, saying that from what he saw it seemed they had not taken any measurements from the superstar.

 

"The jacket was eight inches too long and too big for him. I don't think they even measured him."

 

When he arrived at the hotel and said he was there to see Robbie Williams, the staff denied any knowledge of the superstar staying there and even went so far as to direct Karriem to another hotel.

 

"Then I was confused, so I called the PA and told him I was at the front desk and asked if I was at the right hotel.

 

"He told me to wait there and they sent someone down to fetch me."

 

He said Williams looked exhausted when he got to the room, as he had apparently just returned from a rehearsal.

 

When he returned home that evening Karriem said his grandchildren were over the moon to hear who granddad had met that day and he was now waiting for the autographs promised to him by Williams's PA.

 

 

This article was originally published on page 3 of Saturday Argus on April 15, 2006

 

:lol:

 

'Exhausted'? :o He'd only done one gig by that point. God help him by the time he reaches the UK :wacko: Maybe his 'flu' had affected him. Or was Minki around? :o

 

And that jacket must have been down to his ankles by the sound of it. 8 inches too long? :P

Edited April 15, 200619 yr by jupiter9

Thanks jupiter I have posted up the Daily Star article about Robbie's Flu bug at the SA show in the Tour, but I have to agree the attendance figs are wrong, bless the journo's cotton socks..I mean how can you PACK 20,000 into a stadium..I am not sure which show they reported on, Cape Town or Durban. .. :D either way double the 20,000 and they would be nearer. :huh: