Robbie rocks the Aviva as Marquee gets all Mixed up
Aviva Stadium, Dublin
Robbie Williams has a complicated relationship with Ireland. His biggest hit, ‘Angels’, owes its origins to, of all things, a boozy night out in Dublin. But it was at a 2006 appearance in Croke Park that he first experienced the stage fright that would plague his career for years.
He has evidently put the jitters behind him, choosing Dublin as the starting point for his new arena jaunt.
Following a chipper set from William’s spiritual successor Olly Murs, pop’s self-proclaimed ego-in-chief appeared suspended high above the stage before zipping earthwards, plumes of red and yellow smoke spewing in his wake.
He opened with ‘Let Me Entertain You’ and segued into minor smash ‘South of the Border’. Beneath a huge 3D effigy of his face, he radiates boggle-eyed glee. An enormous wire-frame bust of Williams is wheeled out as balloons spew from its head, which is surely a metaphor for something. “Hello Landsdowne Road,” he says. “It’s good to be home.”
Though there is a (newish) record to promote he resists the hard sell. Last year’s ‘Candy’ prompts a good-natured singalong, though a tilt at Led Zeppelin’s ‘Whole Lotta Love’ is met with overwhelming bafflement. But it’s staples such as ‘Angels’ that really set the hair on end.
Marquee, Cork
‘Don’t worry be happy’ read the words on the screen as thousands of screeching but thoroughly happy Little Mix fans greeted the fab four as they launched into We Are Who We Are in Cork last night.
Next up was a thigh-slapping rendition of Stereo Soldier, rounded off with a “Howya, Cork” from Perrie.
“I think this is the loudest crowd we’ve ever played to. It’s a real pleasure to play to you guys on my birthday,” cooed Jesy — 22 last night — to an adoring Marquee as the whole crowd launched into a Happy Birthday to her.
Their streetwise attitude and uber-styled image is a Spice Girls for this generation or British TLC.
In fact, parents last night would be forgiven for a momentary flashback to the late ’90s, as the girls performed their own take on TLC’s classic R’n’B girl-power anthem No Scrubs, which segued into a funky version of Destiny’s Child’s Bootylicious, and En Vogue’s Don’t Let Go. Big-selling original hits DNA and Wings brought the audience to their feet, along with covers of Damien Rice’s Cannonball, Rose Royce’s Wishing on a Star and the new single, How Ya Doin.
Every generation needs its escapism, and this was pure, perfect weekend night entertainment.
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