Robbie Williams at BST Hyde Park

Hyde Park was met with one of the UK’s greatest entertainers in pop history, returning to the BST stage for a second time. Stoke-on-Trent native Robbie Williams first rose to fame in 1990 when he joined what was to become the internationally recognised band, Take That, at the age of just 16. He left to pursue a solo career at the peak of their success – many believed it to be a dangerous move that was sure to drop him to the bottom of the barrel. Instead, on working with legendary songwriter Guy Chambers, Robbie Williams rose even further to the top with big hits that remain anthems today.

The sold-out event at the second weekend of BST erupted with thousands of screams as the stage screens blacked out, replaced by a teaser video of Williams backstage making his way on stage, encountering dancers, fans and celebrities (Danny Dyer spotted…) along the way. The artist finally rose into view looking chic and classy in an all-white ensemble, met by deafening applause.

Williams kept the crowd on their feet all night, encouraging silly dancing and letting loose. The first half of his set featured a lot of fast, upbeat bangers, opening the show with Let Me Entertain You. The singer showered the adoring crowd with his signature charisma and banter, cracking a joke a minute and keeping audience engagement high by interviewing those at the barrier often, even dedicating a song to two women who had flown in from Rome to see him.

A fantastic highlight of the show came from the cover performance of Blur’s Park Life with Danny Dyer on the verse, originally performed by Phil Daniels. Williams scattered various covers throughout his set, a nice touch to break up the performance – another surreal moment came when he introduced Gaz Coombes to perform a cover of Supergrass’ Alright.

The seasoned performer expertly transitioned from different moods across the set list, changing from high energy and bubbly to slow, touching ballads with great ease. A particularly heartfelt and aching vocal performance was heard in Love My Life, which the artist dedicated to his family watching in the crowd.

Other hits of the night included Candy, Rock DJ, Kids and Angels, the latter of which remains his best-selling single of all time. This particular track involved a sea of lights, as audience members one by one clicked on flashlights to create a magical image as far as the eye could see. It was evident Williams was choked up by the crowd’s engagement, repeatedly thanking fans for their dedication and loyalty throughout his career.

Williams continues to impress with his unmistakable wit, charm and class all tied into one – something that spilled out into the audience and was evident in everyone’s eyes. A night to remember and certainly one for the history books in years to come, this pop legend isn’t going anywhere anytime soon. 

Emily Downie
Photos: Virginie Viche/Dave Hogan

For further information and future events visit Robbie Williams’s website here.

Watch the video for the single Angels here: