Robbie Williams delivers two contrasting sets at the Melbourne Cup
The pop star’s brief midday burst and later evening marathon at Flemington showcased his trademark showmanship amid a tired crowd.
Midday flash: a 15‑minute spectacle
The first Robbie Williams concert at the Melbourne Cup began at 2.15 pm and lasted just 15 minutes, yet it was described as a “raging success.”
Four songs were performed on a hastily assembled portable stage in the Mounting Yard in front of the Grandstand. Williams barely touched the stage, preferring to roam the grass and mingle with the crowd. Dressed in a dark blue suit that the writer likened to racing silks, he strutted across the enclosure, drawing attention from both on‑site spectators and television viewers.
The band, a ten‑member ensemble, launched straight into “Rock DJ” as Williams began “Feel.” White‑clad dancers with yellow parasols surrounded him, creating a condensed greatest‑hits medley reminiscent of his 2022 MCG show.
VRC chief executive Kylie Rogers was credited with securing the appearance, and Williams delivered a near‑full version of his club anthem before leading a sing‑along to the ballad “Angel.” He closed the set with “Let Me Entertain You,” a song he has performed at virtually every major gig.
Evening marathon: about 90 minutes of entertainment
After a three‑hour interlude filled with “many glasses of Mumm,” Williams returned at 5.45 pm for a longer set on the western edge of the complex, near the Elms.
The show opened to the strains of Strauss’s Also Sprach Zarathustra before quickly shifting back to “Let Me Entertain You,” as if rebooting the earlier performance.
Williams appeared in a bedazzled red tracksuit and urged the crowd to raise their hands, though the writer noted that “many seem unwilling or incapable of getting into the spirit,” possibly due to fatigue or inebriation.
Undeterred, the singer emphasized his philosophy: “The number one rule is you must love your audience,” adding that in the ’90s he tried to love each fan individually. He concluded the evening on a high note, reinforcing his promise to entertain.
Audience reaction and atmosphere
Approximately 10,000 spectators who stayed beyond the final race appeared “spent after a day on the turf, and the turps.”
Williams addressed the crowd near the end of the evening set, saying, Good work, Melbourne. You’ve really put in a shift today.
Despite the crowd’s weariness, the pop star’s energy and willingness to move among fans kept the atmosphere lively, fulfilling the expectation that he would “let you entertain us – any time, Robbie. Any time.”
