Robbie Williams admitted partying with Oasis at Glastonbury was the catalyst for his “new life” after he left Take That as he kicked off his ‘XXV Tour’ at The O2 in London on Sunday night (09.10.22).
The 48-year-old singer reminisced on stage about how he met Liam and Noel Gallagher at the world famous music festival in Somerset, South West England, back in 1995 shortly after he made the momentous decision to walk away from the chart-topping boy band.
Although relations between Robbie and the Gallagher brothers soured soon after, with Noel’s “fat dancer from Take That” jibe kicking off one of music’s most infamous feuds, the pop icon accepts that moment in time set him on a course to become one of the biggest solo singers of all-time.
Before performing a cover of Oasis classic ‘Don’t Look Back In Anger’, Robbie said: “I started getting ideas about writing my own songs. One thing led to another and I made the cardinal mistake of breaking the rules. They couldn’t contain me anymore.
“I set off with flute full of champagne and a pocket full of cocaine, ready to get insane in the membrane and I went to Glastonbury to begin what I didn’t know was to be the start of my new life. When I was there, I hung out with this lot…”
The crowd joined in a rapturous singalong, and after the song ended, Robbie quipped that it “went down a little too well”.
Robbie combined his hit strewn set with stories from his life. At one point he played the video for Take That’s debut single ‘Do What You Like’ on the big screen, which featured him, Gary Barlow, Jason Orange, Mark Owen and Howard Donald all shirtless and being smeared in jelly.
After reminiscing about the promo, he then launched into two verses of ‘Everything Changes’, much to the delight of his fans.
Robbie also referenced Take That’s hugely successful comeback and his reunion with Gary and the guys in 2010 for the album ‘Progress’.
Before singing ‘The Flood’ – taken from that reunion LP – he said: “Take That became a painful, distant memory. Until they came back and were much bigger than they were back then! They came back and they were bigger than they were! And I was happy for them, and I thought, ‘F*** it, if you can beat them join them.'”
Highlights from the set included a raucous ‘Let Me Entertain You’, 2001 single ‘Eternity’ – which was sung for his friend Geri Horner for helping him get sober – ‘Strong’, ‘Old Before I Die’ and ‘Feel’.
Robbie also sweetly dedicated ‘I Love My Life’ – taken from his 2016 LP ‘The Heavy Entertainment Show’ – to his wife Ayda Field.
Following a rendition of ‘Rock DJ’, Robbie left the stage to deafening cheers to return for an encore of his mega hits ‘No Regrets’, ‘She’s the One’ and ‘Angels’.
Before closing the show with the massive 1997 ballad, he said: “Turns out there’s a happy ending, life is good.”
Robbie Williams ‘XXV Tour’ at The O2 setlist:
Hey Wow Yeah Yeah
Let Me Entertain You
Land of 1000 Dances (Chris Kenner cover)
Monsoon
Strong
Come Undone
Intermission (played Do What You Like video)
Everything Changes (Take That song)
Don’t Look Back in Anger (Oasis cover)
The Flood (Take That song)
Love My Life
Eternity
Lost
Old Before I Die
Supreme
Feel
Kids
Rock DJ
Encore:
No Regrets
She’s the One (World Party cover)
Angels