ROBBIE WILLIAMS IS coming to Dublin today to make an announcement.
An announcement so exciting that he’s holding a special press conference in a Dublin hotel this afternoon. Could it be a show in Croke Park? Maybe a big night at the Aviva? Maybe he’s making a song an dance about a 3Arena show?
Or maybe, just maybe…
Williams played a huge concert at Slane Castle in 1999, which was shown live on Sky One in its entirety in a massive outside broadcast.
1. The build up was immense
The live broadcast pushed the anticipation of the event up a few notches, with Sky counting down the minutes until Williams arrived on stage as eighty thousand fans waited at Slane.
2. Because Robbie had form at Slane
The singer had stolen the show at the 1998 event, when he stole the show from headliners The Verve and Manic Street preachers. In fact, he was so energetic that he ripped the trousers of the tux he’d chosen to wear, and had to change into tracksuit bottoms.
Also on the bill that day were Finlay Quaye, James and The Seahorses.
3.Tickets for the 1999 gig sold out in record time, with fans queuing overnight to get their hands on them at £34.50 a pop
4. The trek to get there
Waving goodbye to your bus parked at least 12km from the entrance, wondering if you’ll ever see it again.
5. The fashion
So many string tops, Hobo hoodies and Susst flares.
6. The support
Nothing says 1999 quite like David Gray, Gomez, Placebo, Happy Mondays and Stereophonics.
7. That entrance
Finally, he arrived, to the strains of Let Me Entertain You, roaring at the crowd to “BOUNCE! BOUNCE”.
And they bounced…
8. The Strong singalong
“The people in the chip vans! The posh people who haven’t paid!”.
9. Angels
Williams was able to take a break and smoke a cigarette while the crowd did a lot of the work for him in the opening verse (not before whipping them into a frenzy with an Irish flag and a burst of Olé Olé.
10. So much shifting, so many romances
11. No phones, only lighters
12. Watching it all when you got home
Your mam and dad were threatened with death if they hadn’t managed to tape it all off Sky. The VHS is probably still hanging around somewhere. Dig it out and have a watch.
