Marianne Gunn's verdict: Four stars
Robbie Williams 'played a Madonna' on Tuesday night in more ways than one. A state-of-the-art stadium tour, where the 39-year-old wowed his loyal fans, was only the first in a series of shrewd moves. His second? Asking young pretender Olly Murs to be his support act, an "if you can't beat 'em, get them to join you" move astutely used by Queen Madge.
Take the Crown, the name of Williams' ninth studio album, is also a statement of royal intent: he's a man on a re-loaded post-post Take That mission - new album producer Jacknife Lee seems to have re-energised him.
Descending onto the stage via quite a gently-paced zipslide, the entertainer was clad in sparkly tailcoat and ready to rock new material. Once he had shimmied back on to his feet - and grabbed a jaunty cane to hammer home the showman message - Let Me Entertain You was prefaced by some typical colourful language and a mock Highland Fling before he placed some Saltire boxers over his already sweaty head.
The impressive staging was all about his ego: a gold gilt bust dominated the backdrop, with some phrenology thrown in too (left brain for sport and right for style, apparently).
Murs reappeared for a slick Kids duet after Williams' show-stopping cover of Cab Calloway's Minnie the Moocher, an absolute highlight which showcased a husky hidden talent he should mine. Bodies and Come Undone utilised some more pyrotechnics and hyrdraulic lifts, before there was a bit of camp nonsense during Everything Changes complete with audience participation.
The final nod to Madonna was in the religious imagery used as the former cheeky boy from Take That begged the crowd to still believe in him. With a stained-glass window effect projected onto his deity-like form, he cried: "Is this the end, Scotland?" And quickly answered his own question by sagely saying he didn't think so. He certainly gave it his all to renew the faith.
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