Top > Entertainment > 2006 > September > 2006-09-04

Robbie Williams is Back to Stadium

Robbie Williams` "Close Encounters" tour is brought to the UK, in the middle of the scandal of stolen tickets and speculation about him quitting the music business. At the first of the two Glasgow shows, the music and entertainment star declared himself "home" and was taken aback by the reaction to his performance, which saw the zealous Scottish audience eating out of his hand.

Thousands of anxious fans assembled to use public transport found it a challenge to make it to the gig, but it was clearly worth the wait. A massive, complex set contained a winding walkway and a revolving stage into the crowd. But it simply came down to Robbie the entertainment showman. He comfortably commanded the stage and captivated his audience throughout. Dressed in jeans, black coat and red silk scarf and with a vest that he swiftly ripped off, he was suave with his trademark cheeky charm.

Despite having already played over 30 dates on this tour, he was visibly shocked by the audience`s reaction after just a couple of songs. "These things in my ears are playing the band to me. When I came up here tonight, for the first time in my life, I couldn`t hear anything." It was no surprise that recent reformation of Take That came up, and he admitted he`d thought about joining them as everyone was telling him to. But his own tour had turned out to be more important.