Rating: Summary: What an unexpected joy! Review: Something for everyone. After his meteoric rise to fame, Robbie touches down and we find that he has communed with the "Rat Pack". A true showcase for his talent and musical breadth and depth. He may be a cheeky bad boy but this man has talent. He never fails to entertain through this entire concert. His presentations of the great hits from the swing era are classic, flawless and still bear his own personal signature. A true entertainer. A must see.
Rating: Summary: Definitely a Must Have! Review: No detail was missed in this DVD- surround sound and loads of extras. Lots of care went into its creation, as befits the event it records- Robbie's dream of singing Sinatra at Albert Hall. Robbie proves he's one of the best in the business. He loves these songs, and it shows. He's a consummate performer with great showmanship. Not many people his age could hold a sold-out audience in the palm of their hands while performing a basically solo concert of material for which they are not known and in a musical genre not normally associated with them. Leaves you wanting more.
Rating: Summary: a night to remember Review: Robbie Williams is a great singer and everybody should check this live DVD. It's a celebration of old classics performed to a very selected audience, in an one night only concert at Royal Albert Hall. Robbie performs with a big band, recreating some classics --"Things", "Beyond the sea", "my way", etc. There's an original song composed for Robbie's album called "I will talk and hollywood will listen" which captures the show spirit. Robbie is an interesting artist, because he's on the stage in a tribute to Mr. Sinatra, but at the same time tells dirty jokes and talk with the audience. One of the greatest moments of the show happens when Robbie sings a very emotional duet with Mr. Sinatra, featured at the big screen on the stage. The royal albert hall did not resist the performance of "my way", leading Robbie to tears with the audience's response to this song. I'm sure some people may have criticized Robbie for taking the big step of performing sinatra's songs. But if you watch this show, you'll see he is a very talented singer and did a great job. The show/CD are a tribute and an invtation to his fans, who probably do not listen to old classics. But the DVD has a lot to offer. Besides the whole concert, it brings a documentary "Well sung" with the backstage and recording process of Robbie's CD. "The day job" is also a documentary, with bits of Robbie's videos and performances for TV. Very intriguing! Also the DVD has the "somethin'stupid" video and the backstage of the shooting with nicole kidman. Two things I missed: the live performance of "somethi'stupid", even without nicole, and english subtitles to the great songs performed. Anyway, it's a 5-stars DVD!
Rating: Summary: Why has stardom in America deserted Robbie? Review: Last year, I purchased the "Swing When You're Winning" CD through Amazon.co.uk after seeing Robbie on "Parkinson." His first-rate interpretations of songs made famous by Frank, Dean, Bobby and Sammy made an indelible impression on me. Same thing goes for this marvelous concert at the Royal Albert Hall (imagine what actually being in that audience would have felt like)! Here Robbie sings most of the songs from the CD (which came out after the concert), plus a few others that are not, like "Lady is a Tramp," "Let's Face the Music and Dance," and "My Way" (the latter brought me to tears). I thorougly enjoyed every second of this video, especially the segment documenting the recording sessions at Capitol. A concert tour would be nice, Robbie. Let's have an encore!!!
Rating: Summary: Robbie Williams: Big Talent + Humor = Hardcore Goodness! Review: I really don't understand why Robbie isn't the household name in America that he is all over the rest of the world. His first American release "The Ego Has Landed" (a compilation of his first two U.K. albums) is one of the best albums EVER. This is Robbie's third DVD to be released on these shores and it's every bit as good as the first two! If this is your first experience of Robbie- be forewarned. His previous albums are not swing music at all. He's a pop/rock GOD. Doing a swing album just shows that he is an artist in the truest sense. He could have easily recorded another album of pop gems (why fix something that isn't broken?), but instead decided on doing something a bit risky. Imagine Harry Connick, Jr. by way of Tom Jones doing a Las Vegas show and Robbie is what you get. Robbie has packed the DVD FULL o' his out of this world goodness. Anyone that purchases this DVD will not be sorry! Robbie performs most of the songs that are on his "Swing When Your Winning" cd (which hasn't been released in the U.S. yet, inexplicably! How strange that this DVD came out here!) Someone forgot to include the track listing on the DVD cover, so here are the songs that he performs: 1.) Have You Met Miss Jones? 2.) Mack The Knife 3.) Straighten Up And Fly Right 4.) Let's Face The Music And Dance 5.) Well, Did You Evah 6.) The Lady Is A Tramp 7.) Things 8.) One For My Baby 9.) Mr. Bonjangles 10.) I Will Talk And Hollywood Will Listen 11.) Do Nothin' Until You Hear From Me 12.) Beyond The Sea 13.) Me And My Shadow 14.) Ain't That A Kick In The Head 15.) It Was A Very Good Year 16.) My Way Robbie's duet with Nicole Kidman, "Somethin' Stupid" (from the "Swing When You're Winning" cd) isn't performed live (although Nicole is in the audience), but the video is featured here. It's one of the BEST videos EVER! This is the uncut version of the video. (An alternate version of the video that featured scenes from Nicole Kidman's "Birthday Girl" movie with scenes from this video appeared on Vh-1.) Also appearing on this DVD are Rupert Everett, Jane Horrocks (Bubble from "Absolutely Fabulous" and star of the movie "Little Voice") and ex-Saturday Night Live cast member Jon Lovitz (who knew he could sing? And why did Robbie choose him for a duet? It's sort of weird, but it works!) With this concert Robbie proves that he is an absolutely brilliant performer. It's only a matter of time until he winds up with a huge movie career. (Hopefully there's a little bit of truth to the rumor that he could be the next James Bond!) I was sort of hoping that Robbie's entire video for "Millennium" would have been tucked away on this DVD as an extra (about a minute or two of it appear in the extras section). It's his biggest U.S. hit but for some reason it does not appear on EITHER of his previous DVD's "Angels" or "Where Egos Dare". It wouldn't really fit in with the context of this, but it would have been nice to have that video on DVD finally. Anyway, this DVD also contains backstage and aftershow footage, a documentary on the making of the "Swing When You Are Winning" album, and a gallery of Robbie photos. Not to be missed!
Rating: Summary: Unbelievable.... Review: I originally bought this DVD because I love the standards. Most concerts with "standards" lack originality or a personal idenity. "Robbie Williams" is simply brilliant in very since of the word. Any one who believe there never will be another true/original(not a copy) "Frank Sinatra"...."Robbie Williams proves the cynics wrong! Not since watching THE BEST moments of "THE JUDY GARLAND SHOW" have I seen a concert that was absolutely thrilling to the point of moving me to tears of happieness!! THIS IS SIMPLY A GREAT ARTIST WHO PUTS ON THE SHOW OF A LIFETIME, AND PUTS SHAME TO THOSE WHO ARE "SECOND RATE" "FRANK SINATRAS". IF YOU LIKE "MICHAEL FEINSTEIN YOU'LL LOVE "ROBBIE WILLIAMS.....IF YOU LOVE "MICHAEL FEINSTEIN" YOU'LL BE OVERWHELMED BY THIS MAN, WHO I PRAY TO GOD GIVES MORE CONCERTS THAT CAN BE RELEASED ON VIDEO AND DVD!!!!THIS IS THE WORK OF MASTER...A MASTERPIECE! BEST CONCERT I'VE EVER VIEWED!!!!!!!!
Rating: Summary: Leader of the Pack Review: Robbie Williams delivers a performance worthy of Frank, Dean, Sammy, and the rest. Williams shines as he belts out tunes from a bygone era and makes them his own. His version of Bobby Darrin's "Beyond the Sea" surpasses the original, as does his covers of "Me and My Shadow" and "Did you Ever (a duet with Jon Lovitz)." The original track, "I WIll Talk and Hollywood Will Listen," also fits nicely among the classics contained on the rest of this DVD. Williams is one of the most underrated performers to wash up on the shores of the U.S. in recent years. This, in spite of the fact that Entertainment Weekly named his 1999 American debut "The Ego Has Landed" as Album of the Year. If you have not yet enjoyed the experience that is Robbie Williams, this DVD is a good introduction. Unfortunately, the album that accompanies the DVD, "Swing While You're Winning," is only avaiable as an import in the United States (as are Williams two previous efforts, both of which were combined into one album and released stateside as the aformentioned "Ego").
Rating: Summary: My hero Review: When I first heard that this was coming to the US I freaked out and was jumping all over my house (mind you I'm 16). So luckily i had some money on my hands so i bought it right away, and could barely sit still til it came out. But whne i got it i watched it over and over again. My new favorite song is "somethin stupid" which rob sings with nicole kidman. The concert was awesome, but it could have done better without rupert everet. BUt out of it all it was so awesome. I suggest you get this, if your not a rob fan, but a fan of the rat pack of nat king cole get it anyway! it's an awesome buy.
Rating: Summary: He's Swinging, and He's Winning Review: Ladies and gentlemen, the heir apparent to the Sinatra crown is...Robbie Williams?! That might be overstating cases a bit, but one thing is clear after viewing "Live at the Albert"--Robbie is one hell of an entertainer. Charming, cocky, vulnerable, strutting, sexy, vulgar...he manages to be all these, and more, and still have the audience eating out of his hands. This is, make no mistake, a high camp affair--from Rupert Everett's Ecstasy-fueled commentary to "what was he thinking?" duets with the likes of Jon Lovitz from "SNL"; not to mention the flashy marquee-like stage setting and scantily-clad female dancers. But at the center of this 3 ring circus is Williams himself, and he does a bang-up job. His singing is surprisingly strong, and he displays a fantastic sense of real swing. His self-assured swagger would be off-putting if not for the mischievous little-boy grins he is wont to flashing. Just when he seems to be teetering on the verge of becoming insufferably pompous, Williams redeems himself with a knowing, ironic, or even self-deprecating turn. Backed by a crack 52-piece orchestra, Williams puts his own stamp on such well-tread standards as "The Lady is a Tramp," "Ain't That a Kick in the Head" and "Mack the Knife." If his lusty renditions don't exactly obliterate the memories of Mssrs. Sinatra, Martin and Darin, they at least place him as a serious contender to the throne. By the finale--the obligatory, teary-eyed "My Way"--you, too, will be under Williams' magnetic spell. He sounds great, moves like a Rat Pack pro, and is working overtime to make you love him. Resistance is futile.
Rating: Summary: Americans don't know what they're missing! Review: Robbie Williams certainly isnt big in the USA, but if you want to be 'different' to your neighbours, and don't mind listening to classy entertaining music, buy this DVD. Robbie is one hell of a talented artist, and this DVD illustrates his depth and provides a glimps of his funny and at times crazy showmanship. Recorded at the Royal Albert Hall, the DVD provides entertainment, music and side-interviews in stunning Dolby 5.1 sound. Even if you've never heard of, or taken an interest in ...[this genre, you'll soon be loving it.] The music is so universally appealing, and via this DVD sung by Robbie, you'll be huming the words for the next month, after re-playing each track, over and over again. Time to take the dive. Click buy and Jive!
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