Robbie Williams
Live at Knebworth

THE REVIEW

How lonely it is up here at the top... now, after listening and listening again to this CD (something I've been doing for years with pleasure) I wonder how one might feel after such an achievement. Three evenings. 400,000 people (not counting the TV broadcast). One against all. Everyone having fun at my expense. A nerve-wracking thing. Great CD because it's the only Live from this artist and it's a picture, a snapshot of that moment, 2003, when he truly was the king of the Pop world. A stage animal that still impresses today but doesn't convey, doesn't give the idea of lightheartedness, freedom, restlessness he had at Knewborth. That's why I consider this CD very beautiful and important, because it marks a peak. That was Robbie Williams.

Now he is someone else. An artist now tired of being on top, prey to a world that often plays too much with fame, a world that cannot separate the Star from the person. Now he is a married man, mature, with a face and body even too aged for his age, who is expecting a girl. He will never again be able to convey what he conveyed back then, in that distant 2003 (also because objectively it would be rather ridiculous...).

Intro upside down, "Let Me Entertain You", with full presentation (good evening Knewborth, my name is Robbie Williams, this is my band and for the next 2 hours your ass is mine) irreverent that arouses an uncontrollable enthusiasm that spills over into "Let Love Be Your Energy" with a lot of requests to the audience to show how much they love him followed by middle fingers raised for those who do not have love for him. The energy wave continues with the reinterpretation of "We Will Rock You" (maybe it's better to avoid translating what he sings) and "Monsoon," a great song from the album Escapology. Then comes the moment of the song that was one of the reasons for the split between Williams and his famous co-author, Chambers, "Come Undone". Chambers called it vulgar, unpresentable. In reality, it's a great piece that fully describes the character in all his facets. And his interpretation makes it clear how much he feels this song is his own. He defended it, fought to have it on the CD and he was right. Everything continues through the historic "She's the One" "Kids" up to the introspective "Feel" and the beautiful and timeless "Angels".

What more is there to say? After this CD for me Robbie Williams changed completely the way of being...he almost looks like Morrissey in "Intensive Care". That's life. Each of us has in our lifetime a peak, a top, an apex, after which it seems impossible to repeat, to be the same. You cannot always manage to stay up there on top for too long, you don't always desire it...because deep down, you know, maybe you are a bit too lonely up there on top.