ROBBIE WILLIAMS / ERASURE | LIVE REVIEW
Principality Stadium, Cardiff, Wed 21 June
It’s lucky that we are not in the middle of a heatwave in Cardiff tonight, as the roof of the Principality Stadium is closed and we all could have been very hot as we eagerly await Robbie Williams and his Heavy Entertainment tour to start. And what a start it is. Erasure take to the stage bang on time and deliver an energetic set of classic synthpop. Flanked by two backing singers, front man Andy Bell commands the gargantuan stage well, and proves that it’s still acceptable to wear sequin hotpants well into your 50s. The ever-reliable Vince Clarke bounces around various instruments, providing the backbeat to well-loved hits like Blue Savannah, Stop and Chains Of Love before finishing with a rousing rendition of A Little Respect.
Flanked by two giant screens shaped like Robbie, the stage set is a very impressive spectacle. Introduced to the crowd with the same sort of intro afforded to champion boxers, Robbie comes bounding on stage in a boxing robe and kilt, with backing dancers clad in boxing gear and we are in. The Heavy Entertainment begins. Robbie paces up and down the stage which stretches out into the crowd, teasing said crowd with some provocative dancing during Let Me Entertain You, before stating that “it’s really hot in here.” Thanks Robbie, we hadn’t noticed.
Recent hit Party Like A Russian, which he reminds us is at Number 86 in the charts, is rolled out, before the first real singalong of the evening comes in the form of his cover of George Michael’s Freedom. It’s easy to forget that Williams has been a solo artist now for over 20 years and has a lot of hits under his belt, but he still has room for a lot of covers tonight – including a medley featuring Bon Jovi’s Living On A Prayer and Amy Winehouse’s Rehab mixed in with some Take That tracks. Rudebox and Kids get a good reception before he bursts into Neil Diamond’s Sweet Caroline, a by now very tipsy-looking crowd lapping this up. The party continues with the crowd dancing wildly to Rock DJ before a brief interlude.
A raucous ovation welcomes Williams and his band back to the stage for the now poignant Strong, where once again the lyrics are changed to remember the lives lost at a concert, much like this one, in Manchester. It’s perhaps fitting that the ultimate singalong song Angels is next – the Cardiff crowd, in fine voice tonight, taking over on vocals. Robbie finishes with another mass participation number, My Way, and that’s it.
Have we been heavily entertained? Probably. A bit too much like karaoke for my taste, but I’m clearly in the minority, as the crowd disperse, very happy and more importantly safe. Cheers Robbie!
words CHRIS ANDREWS