🔗 Share this article The Pop Icon Presents Small-Scale Camden Performance with Surprising New Song Regarding The Smiths Frontman What might a world-famous artist do after pulling in over a million fans on a stadium tour? If you're as unpredictable as Robbie Williams, you opt for a small venue—in this case, the 600-capacity Dingwalls in Camden, representing the most compact show of his professional life. Originally planned as a album premiere for his upcoming album, Britpop, the gig took place even with the album's postponement to February. Williams openly explained the reason: the pop phenomenon. Swift's new album, The Life of a Showgirl, is outselling the entire UK Top 20 put together. “It’s easy to claim it’s not due to her, but it is,” he remarked. “It’s selfish. I want a 16th No 1 album.” An Intimate Night with Simplified Renditions Bounding onto the platform right when pubs were closing, a grinning Robbie clearly enjoyed the personal atmosphere. He vowed to skip arena-style antics and instead delivered a complete, stripped-down run-through of his 1997 debut, Life Thru a Lens. Throughout the set, he recalled detailed anecdotes about the record's making. These tales were typically honest. With his heart on his sleeve, the singer recalled leaving Take That and finding himself £300,000 in debt. “I took EMI’s advance to the Groucho Club and used loads of cocaine,” he admitted. “Plus I was close to get cut by the label. Then this happened.” Followed by a emotional performance of “Angels,” the ubiquitous anthem of the 90s. Charisma and New Material This clear-eyed look back at a confusing time was captivating, thanks to Williams’ ferocious talent as an performer. Up close, his star wattage was blinding. This quirky intensity persisted as he transitioned into playing his imminent album, Britpop—initially a guitar-driven, hefty collection of songs. At one point, he mock-worried that one track, “Spies,” might sound too similar to Oasis’s “Champagne Supernova.” “Please don’t be cheeky and take legal action, Noel!” he exclaimed. “Not after everything you’ve nicked!” He also played a lively song titled “Morrissey,” co-written with Gary Barlow, which focuses on the “lonely and abandoned” former Smiths singer. “It’s really strange, isn’t it?” Williams admitted at the end, quite rightly. Upcoming Shows and Final Thoughts Williams announced that more intimate shows—billed as Long 90s—are planned for February. “I knew this would be an extremely special gig,” he smiled, sending the audience out into the street at 1am. No one could argue with that.