Live Review: Robbie Williams @ Adelaide Oval 07/11/26

There are few performers as entertaining as the great Robbie Williams. The former Take That member has forged an impressive 30-year solo career that includes 13 #1 albums, seven #1 singles and a record 18 BRIT Awards, but it's on stage where Williams delivers in spades.

Adelaide was the centre of the universe for the opening leg of his Australian BRITPOP World Tour, with the spectacular Adelaide Oval providing Williams the grandest of stages, with the 52-year-old captivating an enraptured crowd who couldn't get enough of the UK superstar.

Walking across the footbridge from the CBD to Adelaide Oval, there was a palpable energy in the air. People were visibly excited about seeing Williams, with spontaneous singalongs breaking out as fans discussed what songs they hoped to hear.

Getting inside Adelaide Oval was surprisingly easy, while food and beverage lines were short, with punters rapidly spending cash on both booze and at the merch stand, where $70 tees with "Robbie" written in the style of Oasis were the top sellers.

I was just grabbing a beer when openers The Lottery Winners exploded on stage with more energy than you normally encounter from a support act. The UK indie pop outfit didn't take long to win over the crowd with their melodic tunes, with bleach-blonde frontman Thom Rylance getting fans onside early with a sing-along of Williams' 'Angels'. As for their own songs, they were high energy, with newbie 'Steady We Go' proving a hit with the growing pit.

G Flip was up next and put on a professional performance that ticked all the right boxes. Looking every bit the rockstar they are, sporting black leather pants, a white sleeveless tee and black sunglasses, G Flip ran through a good mix of old and new tracks, with 'I Don't Wanna Regret' getting one elderly lady up on her feet, swaying her arms and high-fiving fans that walked past her. Mentioning their love for Adelaide, G Flip showed why they are regarded as such a talent, with the multi-instrumentalists not only singing but also playing guitar, saxophone and drums. While not a huge fan, it's easy to see why an artist like G Flip has become one of the country's biggest and brightest stars.

As Adelaide Oval neared its 40,000-person capacity, the lights went down, and a video began playing on the big screens. As the narrator discussed AI and technology in music and the future of entertainment, Williams' band gathered on stage. The video ended by proclaiming Robbie Williams as the entertainer who soars above all, with the cheeky Brit suddenly appearing on stage in a spacesuit-style getup as he launched into 'Rocket', the first track on his latest album, BRITPOP, featuring Black Sabbath's Tony Iommi.

It was an interesting start, with the crowd excited to see Robbie but unsure what to make of the song. That all changed when Williams ripped into 'Let Me Entertain You'. Climbing up a golden arch at the front of the stage, Williams stood at the top as it lifted into the sky, with the pop superstar jumping into the air, much to the amazement of fans, before floating gently down to the ground thanks to some handy wire work.

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Now sporting a red tracksuit with a sparkly red top, the Brit was quick to reintroduce Adelaide to "Robbie 'fucking' Williams", bringing another round of applause. Just like he is in interviews, Williams' banter was on point throughout the night. He'd often direct comments to fans in the audience or make hilarious quips during songs, including saying hello to someone he "slept with" in the '90s but couldn't remember because he now had a beard, with the guy's face plastered on the big screen for some light-hearted ribbing. The crowd appreciated these moments throughout the set almost as much as the songs, with Williams showcasing his quick wit and self-deprecating humour, which is probably why he's so well liked down under – he seems like one of us.

Proclaiming this concert a "lover letter to entertainment", Williams delved into the hits early, with 'Rock DJ' including a vibrant brass section, 'Love My Life' dedicated to his family and 'Supreme' beginning with Williams singing acapella before being joined by his band and dancers on the runway. Getting off the stage and walking close to the crowd, Williams was happy to fist-bump and shake hands as he made his way to the C-stage in the middle of the GA section, revealing he only wanted this setup because he saw Coldplay do it.

Taking the piss out of those sitting down, Williams got everyone to put their phones in the air during a sentimental rendition of 'Better Man' before he was joined on the C-stage by The Lottery Winners' Thom Rylance. Wanting to put Adelaide to the test, Williams and Rylance played the intro to several of Williams songs to see if the crowd could sing them. It wasn't that successful, with the Adelaide crowd struggling, until Rylance suggested playing Williams' biggest hit – 'Wonderwall'. This got a few laughs and led to Williams telling a story about ringing up Noel Gallagher and offering to be Oasis' new singer, only to have Noel hang up on him. That didn't stop Williams from singing the song and getting one of the biggest crowd reactions for the night.

'Millennium' and 'No Regrets' could have been Bond themes with how they were performed, while Williams embraced his cringeside with a rather enjoyable cover of 'New York, New York'. Then it was time for band introductions, with Williams mixing things up by getting each member to play something for the crowd to judge whether it was shit or not.

This section of the set had the audience up and about, especially after guitarist Tom kicked things off with a cover of Shania Twain's 'Man! Feel Like a Woman'. Bassist Jerry followed up with White Stripes' 'Seven Nation Army' and drummer Karl played up to the home crowd with a version of 'Down Under' by Men At Work. Singers Loraine and SJ enthralled with Bon Jovi's 'Livin' on a Prayer', and the Hot City Hall brass section unleashed the Village People's 'Y.M.C.A.', with Williams leading the crowd in the famous dance. Port fans were happy when keyboardist Owen whipped out INXS' 'Never Tear Us Apart' before Williams longtime band member Gary Nuttall led a singalong of the Beatles' 'Hey Jude'.

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Back front and centre, Robbie was joined by the crowd in full voice during the triple threat of 'Come Undone', 'Kids' and 'She's the One', with the latter dedicated to a young woman in the crowd called Georgie, who is putting on a Fringe show that contains a lot of Robbie content. Williams ended the set with a heartfelt take on Paul Anka's iconic 'My Way', dedicating it to his dad.

It felt like Williams was off stage for less than 30 seconds when he reappeared in a Robbie Williams-branded jersey (which he pointed out was available from the merch tent), giving a dynamic performance of 'Feel'. Although inevitable, 'Angels' was still an incredible way to finish the evening, with phones held aloft and everyone in fine voice.

Expressing his love for Australia and even suggesting that if he could have another crack at life from the beginning, he would want to be born here, Williams seemed a little emotional, his eyes glassy during 'Angels' before taking a bow with his band and leaving the stage one last time.

Now an elder statesman of the pop world, Williams was more sprightly, humorous and relatable than most of his peers 25 years his junior. With a career spanning a set of chart-topping hits under his belt, Williams proved there really is nobody on his level.

He is hands down one of the greats, and this performance was one of the best Adelaide has seen all year.

Want more pics of the gig? Check out our full photo gallery here.