Robbie Williams sends fans wild as he performs free concert in Melbourne’s Federation Square
Robbie Williams took Melbourne by storm on Thursday afternoon when he performed a free concert at Federation Square at 5pm.
The English pop star, 50, packed the venue with fans who camped out for hours to catch a glimpse of the singer-songwriter during the surprise performance.
With standing places going to those who got in first, heartbroken fans who missed out were forced to watch Robbie perform on screen at Birrarung Marr Park.
The iHeartLIVE concert was completely free for spectators as Robbie belted out his biggest hits to promote his new biopic Better Man.
Fed Square quickly reached maximum capacity as fans rushed to get a spot at the concert, while hundreds of people continued to lounge on blankets on a hilltop above the river.
The award-winning hitmaker opened the show with his 1997 smash hit Let Me Entertain You, as he stepped out in a crisp white blazer and stunning sunglasses.
Robbie Williams, 50, (pictured) took Melbourne by storm on Thursday afternoon when he performed a free concert at Federation Square
The English pop star packed the venue with fans who camped out for hours to catch a glimpse of the singer-songwriter during the surprise performance
The iHeartLIVE concert was completely free to spectators as Robbie belted out his biggest hits to promote his new bio-pic Better Man
Fans in attendance quickly took to X – formerly Twitter – to share their experiences, with one person writing: ‘Just saw Robbie Williams perform live. Impressive artist.’
‘Free Robbie William’s concert at Fed Square? Yeah, f***it,” another added.
A third said: ‘God bless crazy people going live on social media. Robbie Williams is bloody brilliant.’
Other Melburnians were stunned to come across a sudden pop concert during their day out in the city.
“I was just walking through my town and saw Robbie Williams perform,” one person said.
‘The commute home has just been postponed because Robbie Williams is playing a random free gig in the middle of the city. So I ended up hearing Angels live while waiting for my tram,” wrote another.
In footage and footage from the concert, screaming fans were seen standing shoulder to shoulder as they watched Robbie take the stage.
And the singer proved he’s as charming as he looks, taking time between songs to share jokes with the audience.
Fed Square quickly reached maximum capacity as fans rushed to get a spot at the concert, while hundreds of people were left on blankets on a hilltop above the river
Fans in attendance quickly took to X – formerly Twitter – to share their experiences, with one person writing: ‘Just saw Robbie Williams perform live. Impressive artist’
Footage and footage from the concert showed screaming fans standing shoulder to shoulder as they watched Robbie take the stage
The award-winning hitmaker opened the show with his 1997 smash hit Let Me Entertain You, as he stepped out in a crisp white blazer and stunning sunglasses.
He later stripped down to a white tank top that showed off his numerous tattoos
“What makes me laugh about this whole thing is the police horses here because of the menopausal crowd I attract,” he joked at one point.
“They’re violent bastards.”
Emily, a fan in the front row, broke down in tears when she was approached by Robbie and revealed it was her first time seeing him live as she had never been able to afford tickets to his previous concerts.
Moved by her tears, Robbie dedicated his song She’s The One to his fan, supplementing the text ‘somebody’ with ‘Emily’.
“This is what you call pandering to the locals,” he joked cheekily.
The all-ages concert kicked off at 5pm on Thursday, with Robbie moving to the Astor Theater in Windsor to take part in a question and answer session before the screening of his bio photo.
During his time in Melbourne, Robbie will also receive a key to the city from Mayor Nick Reece in recognition of the contribution his film has made to the city.
The Better Man clip was filmed in Melbourne, created 2,929 jobs and raised $142 million in Victoria.
Robbie arrived at Fed Square and was surrounded by a horde of screaming fans
The all-ages concert kicked off at 5pm on Thursday, with Robbie moving to the Astor Theater in Windsor to take part in a question and answer session before the screening of his bio photo.
During his time in Melbourne, Robbie will also receive a key to the city from Mayor Nick Reece in recognition of the contribution his film has made to the city.
It follows Robbie’s rise in Europe and Britain, with Jonno Davies playing the hitmaker in the form of a CGI monkey.
According to a City of Melbourne spokesperson, only 40 keys to the city have been handed out in history, with Robbie joining the likes of Muhammad Ali, Dame Edna and Olivia Newton John in receiving the honour.
Mayor Nick Reece said: ‘There is no better man to hold a key to our city than legendary British pop singer Robbie Williams.
“From one tragic Carlton to another, I can’t wait to share the stage with Robbie and create another iconic Melbourne moment for us all to cherish.”