Robbie Williams performed a show of two halves at London’s Dingwalls on Thursday night (Oct. 9), marking his smallest-ever ticketed gig, and revealed how Taylor Swift forced him to delay the release of his 13th studio LP, Britpop.
At the 600-capacity venue in Camden, the singer performed his iconic debut Life Thru A Lens in its entirety, before airing tracks from his upcoming album Britpop (due Feb. 6). Those in attendance were required to put their phones in Yondr pouches, to avoid new songs being filmed and leaked online.
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The show was initially slated to coincide with the release of Britpop, though the record had recently been pushed back due to “scheduling issues.” Towards the end of the night, Williams confirmed that this was to avoid the arrival of Taylor Swift’s The Life Of A Showgirl (Oct. 3) and its subsequent chart domination, which will likely continue over the coming month.
If Britpop reaches the summit next year, Williams will secure his 16th U.K. No.1 on the Official U.K. Albums Chart, breaking a tie with The Beatles in the all-time rankings. “We’re all pretending [the scheduling change] is not about Taylor Swift, but it f–king is, you can’t compete with that,” Williams said.
“I was worried about making you [fans] all wait for the record. But then I was like, ‘F–k it’. I’m sorry, but I’m f–king being selfish. How many times in your life do you get to have the most No. 1 albums the U.K. has f–king ever had?”
Earlier on in the evening, accompanied by a full backing band, Williams reimagined the songs from Life Thru A Lens with a rockier edge. The 11-track effort, which formed the foundation for one of the most successful solo careers in British pop history, features mega-hits “Angels” and “Let Me Entertain You.” Its artwork, meanwhile, sees its author posing in a swarm of paparazzi and was recreated for the poster of Williams’ recent biopic, Better Man.
Upon release in 1997, Life Thru A Lens initially saw modest sales, though it eventually topped the Official U.K. Albums Chart and went eight times Platinum in the U.K. Its enduring popularity proved that a boy band member could successfully transition into a solo act, paving the way for others including Justin Timberlake and Harry Styles in later generations.
Taking to the stage at 10:45 p.m., Williams played the album in order, kicking off a two hour-long performance with a rollicking rendition of “Lazy Days.” Like the majority of the fans along the barrier, he donned a red Adidas tracksuit in homage to his trip to Glastonbury Festival in 1995, which has also become the cover image for Britpop.
Williams was greeted with huge cheers by the crowd. “I never get to do gigs like this, and I always say to myself that I want to play smaller places,” he began. “But then I finish my tour and I am knackered, I can’t be arsed. Turns out, I can be arsed tonight!”
“If you don’t mind, I’d just like to perform as Robert tonight. I just want to stand and sing my s–t,” he continued. “Turns out, Robert is in really good shape.”
As Williams prepared to launch into “Angels” — describing it as his “Hail Mary” — the room began chanting his name, before he informed them: “My career is what it is because of this song.” A staple at weddings, funerals, and public events, the track holds a deep cultural resonance and is one of the most-awarded and commercially successful British songs of all time.
After storming through the rest of Life Thru A Lens, including “South Of The Border” and “Hello Sir,” a poem Williams wrote for one of his former school teachers, he took a short break before returning to the stage for the latter portion of the set.
In the summer, Williams unveiled a mock plaque — installed next to the iconic Camden Lock Bridge — to mark the release of his single “Spies,” while also paying playful tribute to the genre that defined an era. It read: “Robbie Williams recovered from a severe case of ‘long 90s’ and returned to the home of Britpop with the album he always wanted to make.”
He would repeat this sentiment multiple times in between playing unreleased material, describing how swaggering tracks like “Rocket,” “Bite Your Tongue” and “Cocky” represented “the artist I always wanted to be.” Later on, new single “Pretty Face” was dedicated to Williams wife, actress Ayda Field, while he joked how the psychedelic chord progression of “Spies” sounds similar to the Oasis classic “Champagne Supernova.”
Album track “Human,” with lyrics that reference “protein pills in a dopamine package” and a call to “make the most of being alive,” was preceded by a speech centered on the future of AI, with Williams concluding that “we shouldn’t be scared” of the technology’s capabilities.
In an even wilder left turn, Williams aired electro-pop thumper “Morrissey,” named after the songwriter and former Smiths frontman of the same name. The track seemed to play on Williams’ fandom for the music icon, while also drawing comparisons between their outspoken natures. “I’m a little like you but a lot less worthy,” he sang at one point, before describing the song as “weird” and adding that “‘Gay For Morrissey’ would make a great t-shirt.”
Williams will repeat the Dingwalls setlist at a string of underplay shows next spring, including a billing at O2 Brixton Academy (Feb. 8). The full schedule and ticket information can be found at his official website.
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