Robbie Williams offers more stand-up than concert

Publicerad 2025-08-08

Robbie Williams during the concert at Stadion in Stockholm. Photo: Björn Bergenheim/Rockfoto

Robbie Williams entertains the audience with a pretentious show at the Stadium, but is more of a charming celebrity than a pop star, writes Sara Martinsson.

TextSara Martinsson

Robbie Williams

Stage: Stadion, Stockholm

From the point of view that he started his solo career in the wake of Britpop pop, Robbie Williams in the summer of 2025 is fairly timely. In the 90s, he was the one who sucked the last cool out of Cool Britannia, when he, as a former boy band member, jumped on the hype. Now, as Oasis fills arenas again, he's getting ready to once again put an end to the current trend: this fall, he'll release an album titled "Britpop." Ahead of the release, he warms up with a European tour, which on Thursday evening reaches Stockholm.

Over the Stadium, the Union Jack flies side by side with the Swedish flag. Between Sweden and the song-and-dance man from Stoke-on-Trent there is a special band. Williams is popular here, despite the fact that decades have passed since his last hit. The last time he was in Stockholm was only two years ago, and he has filled the stadium before.

Already in 2003, he performed one of his classic flight acts here. Of course, he repeats the signature trick on this visit as well. Already in connection with the opening "Rocket", he is celebrated upside down from a high altitude.

The flight is part of the show's demanding presentation, where ten dancers plus a full band march across the stage while a male voice declares that we will now enjoy "the world's best entertainer".

The emphasis on the entertainment element is probably necessary, so that no one gets the impression that it is at a concert. What we are actually treated to is instead, roughly, stand-up, where Williams' monologues about everything from parenthood to nipples are occasionally interrupted by a song. These are in themselves very generically framed, with electric guitars in the center that rigidly and steadily build up against every powerful arena chorus.

One could argue that a man with megahits such as "Angel", "Feel" and "Let me entertain you" is doing himself a disservice by grossly neglecting his own catalogue during two whole hours on stage.

But the question is whether Robbie Williams doesn't know exactly what he's doing. After all, it was a long time ago now that he was the world's biggest male artist. Today, he is mostly just a charming celebrity. And it's him, not the pop star, the audience will come back to see.

Review: Robbie Williams at the Stadium - DN.se

Angels 10/08 Frankfurt

Video thanks to https://www.youtube.com/@FrontLiveConcerts

She's The One - Frankfurt 10/08

Video thanks to https://www.youtube.com/@MusicalGeheimtipp

Robbie Williams in Frankfurt Britpop, self-irony and a bit of Coldplay

The self-proclaimed "greatest entertainer in the world" makes a stop in Frankfurt: Robbie Williams' show at the Waldstadion begins as a musical return to Britpop and then becomes a successful mixture of nostalgia, humor and pathos.

By Jeannie Lukaszewicz

Published on 11.08.25 at 08:13 AM

That must be it, British punctuality: Exactly at 8:45 p.m., Robbie Williams appears in an astronaut suit on the stage of Frankfurt's Waldstadion. "Rocket", the lead single of his upcoming album "Britpop", opens the set with a loud bang.

For a short time, the British pop star floats above the stage, followed by the first classics such as "Let Me Entertain You" and "Rock DJ". At this point, at the latest, the audience is warm.

Warming up in a football jersey

Although: Nobody had to warm up here. Already at the entrance, the mood is exuberant. Many people wear football shirts with "Williams" and the number 8 on the back - a tribute to Williams' youth as a football player.

The age of the people in the audience ranges from the early 20s to the mid-60s.

Robbie Williams in an astronaut suit, sometimes on stage... Image ©: Jeannie Lukaszewicz (hr)

Williams at his best

He himself is in top form - vocally, physically, comedicly. With his usual charm, he swings cheerfully between entertainment, megalomania and self-irony between the songs: "If Michael Jackson can call himself King of Pop, I can also declare myself the greatest entertainer!"

Later follows lewd: "A little word about my nipples: I'm not cold and I'm not sexually aroused - I'm 51 now and I guess they'll stay that way." The mixture of dirty humor and genuine charisma is Williams' trademark - and it works.

From glitter suit to tank top

His outfits are as varied as the setlist: The astronaut look is followed by a red glitter suit, colorful tank stops with matching pants and finally - as a final act - a snow-white glitter suit.

Dancers accompany him choreographically through the show, each matching the theatricality of the songs.

... sometimes hovering above it. Image ©: Jeannie Lukaszewicz (hr)

"Like Coldplay, only cheaper"

In the middle of the stadium there is a so-called "C Stage", to which the singer switches in the middle of the concert. "Coldplay always have one," he explains and grins, "so I called my management and wanted one too. And the bracelets. The one with the light. But they cost 10 euros per person. So... Mobile phone light is enough. It's like Coldplay tonight, only cheaper."

The entire stadium laughs before it turns into a small light show during "Surpreme".

A setlist like a roller coaster ride

The setlist is a British rollercoaster ride: In addition to new songs like "Spies" - where Williams asks the audience to pretend it's the best song of all time - he performs classics from his solo career, mashups and covers - from Sinatra to the Beatles.

A highlight: On the C Stage, Robbie tests which songs are known in Germany. He plays titles, asks the audience: "Do you know that?" The answer is simple: loud singing along to almost every song.

Between Take That, Tears and "My Way"

And: It wouldn't be a Robbie Williams concert if the British pop star didn't also make fun of his time with the boy band Take That.

It also gets emotional: When he dedicates "She's the One" to a certain Sarah from Dinkelsbühl - a ritual that should never be missing on his tours - Robbie Williams has tears in his eyes. "You treat me like one of you," he says, visibly moved, to the audience.

The Waldstadion in the here and now

Then it gets personal. Williams talks about his anxiety disorders. His wife motivates him again and again to go on stage. It is important to live in the here and now, without fear of the future or too much thought about the past.

This is followed by the Frank Sinatra cover "My Way", in the background pictures of his family can be seen on the screens. Goose bumps.

A Robbie for all generations

Finally, glitter again: In a white suit, Williams sings "Feel" before - how could it be otherwise - "Angels" closes the evening.

Confetti, pyro, cheering - but without sensationalism. Robbie Williams manages to bring British humour, musical nostalgia and real emotions to the big stage, and he does so with amazingly good stadium acoustics.

His "Britpop Tour" is not pure best-of fireworks, but a real statement: about getting older, moving on - and the really big entertainment.

Robbie Williams in Frankfurt: Britpop, self-irony and a bit of Coldplay | hessenschau.de | Culture

•