The Angels star brought an intimate show to the historic Liverpool venue
08:48, 07 Feb 2026
Robbie Williams performs on stage at the Liverpool Olympia
As someone who grew up in Stoke-On-Trent, Robbie Williams has always held something of a God-like status in my mind. I’ve been lucky enough to see him on several occasions over the years and been bowled over every time by his showmanship, vocals and command of an audience, so when the opportunity arose to see him in an intimate gig in Liverpool, it’s safe to say I was excited.
This excitement was tempered by a slight apprehension that without all the bells and whistles of a stadium show, could Robbie still bring it? – but within seconds of the Olympia gig starting any fears were swept away as he swaggered onto stage with his trademark smirk and confident manner. The crowd roared as he unzipped a red tracksuit to reveal a Brookside top, and energetically launched into Lazy Days, the first song from his first album Life Thru a Lens.
Robbie Williams performs on stage at the Liverpool Olympia(Image: Liverpool ECHO)
For this Robbie gig wasn’t your usual hit-packed stadium show; the Angels star performed the entirety of his first album, followed by his most recent and 16th number one album Britpop – which he claims is the record he always wanted to write after leaving Take That, but never got the chance to.
The audience, many of whom had clearly followed Robbie since the 90s, were treated to a trip back in time as Robbie explained his inspiration for many of the songs on his first album. Guy Chambers, Robbie’s long term writing partner, was also on stage playing guitar and Robbie called for the audience to cheer for him on many occasions.
When the time came for Angels, arguably Robbie’s best known song, the audience sang the first verse as the 51-year-old conducted us from the stage. It was a very special moment and you could feel the electricity in the room as the crowd appreciated the uniqueness of the gig. Let me Entertain You was another highlight as Robbie joked that the song was “mint” but that the audience would have to sing the chorus because he was feeling “middle aged”.
Robbie Williams performs on stage at the Liverpool Olympia this evening
Robbie knows how to get a crowd onside and he made several references to Liverpool, fondly remembering his hedonistic days in Cream and Quadrant Park. He said: “Thank you Liverpool for some of the last great evenings exploring the nether regions of my mind. I remember singing a million love songs on Top of the Pops on a Thursday and then raving in Cream on a Saturday, I was living two different lives, but I always felt safe in Liverpool.”
Another powerful moment of the evening was when Robbie performed his poem Hello Sir, dedicated to his teachers who thought he would never “amount to much.” It brought goosebumps to my arms and the crowd roared as he finished.
Robbie Williams performs on stage at the Liverpool Olympia this evening
Following a short interlude Robbie returned to stage, wearing a Cilla Black Surprise Surprise top, to perform his most recent number one album, which makes him the most successful solo artist ever, knocking The Beatles off their perch with 15 number one records. Robbie was due to release it the same week that Taylor Swift put out her “Life of a Showgirl” album but as Robbie honestly told the crowd he decided to move the release date because “no way” was he going up against her when the 16th number one was at stake.
And Britpop is worth the wait. It’s an album packed with hits and considering it’s only been out a few weeks, many of the crowd seemed to know every word. The songs that got the most reaction were “Pretty Face” written about his wife Ayda, “All my Life” and “It’s Ok Until the Drugs Stop Working” and the final song “Selfish Disco” went down a real storm.
For all his bravado Robbie has been honest in the past about his crippling insecurities and mental health struggles . As he was playing his second album he asked the audience: “Do you like it? Have I still got it?” and following a huge cheer from the crowd he answered his own question by saying: “I’ve still got it”.
Yes Robbie you certainly do.
Rating: 4.5/5