FUSSING But Despite being familiar with all the vain antics at top catwalk shows across the world, Helena was not prepared for Williams' preening. She said: "He took much longer, fussing with his hair and face. Bless him! I guess the girls are more used to being photographed. I'm more like his sister, so I can say he's very vain." But she had a few kind words to say about him too - while insisting there's no romance. "Robbie's fantastic. he is a very, very caring, sensitive, vulnerable person. He's a darling but I doubt he'd be interested in me." Helena said her photographric work was great fun: "I would just shoot them exactly how they were. I think I spent more time chatting and having a drink with them than actually photographing them." Probably just as well, considering some of the pampered males she had in front of the camera. But we thought Robbie was used to Life Thru A Lens?
-1.Let Me Entertain You
-2.Let Love Be Your Energy
-3.(We Will) Rock You
-4.Monsoon
-5.Come Undone
-6.Me & My Monkey
-7.Hot Fudge
-8.Mr Bojangles
-9.She’s The One
-10.Kids
-11.Better Man
-12.Nan’s Song
-13.Feel
-14.Angels
Record experts predict Robbie Live At Knebworth will surpass any live album ever sold in the UK. And he will double his cash by releasing a DVD of the event as well.
The gigs over three nights at the beginning of August were the biggest live performances ever seen in this country. More than 360,000 people travelled from all over the country to see pop’s prodigal son celebrate his British homecoming after spending a year in Los Angeles. But the £10million he pocketed for three nights’ work in the grounds of the Hertfordshire stately home will be dwarfed by his takings on CD and DVD sales.
Live albums are very much a phenomenon of the Seventies and recent efforts have failed to set the album charts alight. But experts reckon Robbie can change that with the millions of fans who saw him on his Europe-wide tour wanting to relive the experience.
He already holds the British record for live music DVD sales with his performances at London’s Royal Albert Hall in 2001 on the back of his Swing When You’re Winning album.
The biggest-selling live album in the UK is by British Seventies star PETER FRAMPTON. Frampton Comes Alive from 1976 has sold more than three million copies in the UK and was said to capture the feeling of the time. HMV spokesman Gennaro Castaldo told me last night: “The real heyday of the live album was back in the Seventies when there were definitive releases from the likes of BOB DYLAN, THE WHO and PETER FRAMPTON. “It has been a neglected format of late but as we saw with the Swing album, if anybody can revive the live album concept, it would have to be Robbie Williams. “He has a huge and very dedicated following.
“His Knebworth concerts have been the event of the year.
“A live recording on CD and DVD would have truly massive appeal and not just to the fans who attended but to the wider record- buying public. “I think we are already looking at the best-selling CD and music DVD in the run up to Christmas.”
Tracks on Robbie Live At Knebworth will include Let Me Entertain You, Angels, She’s The One, Me And My Monkey, Come Undone and Feel. It is also likely to include special backstage material and an appearance by his former TAKE THAT pal MARK OWEN on Back For Good. The artwork on the front cover of the CD and the DVD shows a fierce Robbie on a backdrop of flames. A similar image was used on the tickets for the tour.
Louise was left in tears after she was voted out of BBC1’s Fame Academy on Saturday. But now it seems she will have the last laugh. The generous offer came after Louise and Jenson bumped into Robbie during a night out in London.
The trio got chatting about music and at the end of the night, Robbie offered her the as yet untitled song that hadn’t made it on to any of his albums. A source close to Louise said: “Jenson knows Robbie after they were introduced some time ago by a mutual friend.
“They all got chatting during a night out and, not surprisingly, the conversation soon came round to music.
“They all ended up back at Robbie’s place in Notting Hill. Louise told him she was about to go into the Fame Academy and jokingly asked if he had any spare tracks lying around. To her amazement he went out of the room and came back with a CD.
“He said it was written by him and Guy but it was so raw it didn’t even have a title.
“Now, after losing Fame Academy, Louise is very keen to get into the studio and record it.
“You don’t have to be an expert to know a track written by Robbie is going to do well. He seems to have the Midas touch.”
Louise was distraught at being kicked out of the academy. She had been tipped as a possible winner of the show, which has a prize of a recording contract with Polydor, a luxury London apartment, a car, a holiday and VIP tickets to a host of star-studded events. Her performance on the live show of DUSTY SPRINGFIELD’s I Just Don’t Know What To Do With Myself was slated by the judges and the voting public agreed she should go.
If Robbie’s track finally helps her hit the big time, it will be at the third time of asking for leggy Louise.
Before entering Fame Academy she was a member of a band called ORCHID. They recorded Sound Of The Underground, later a No1 hit for GIRLS ALOUD.
UK - No.2 The Netherlands - No.2 Denmark - No.3 Germany - No.9 Italy - No.18 Australia - No.25 France - No.34
But there was bad news for Robbie as he also came seventh in the world's unsexiest man poll, narrowly beating Prime Minister Tony Blair. In the sexiest man list, Irish bad boy Coin Farrell was the highest new entry at number six.
And Shane Ritchie was named the 17th-sexiest man on the planet after his role as EastEnders' Alfie Moon turned him into an unlikely heart-throb. Company editor Sam Baker said: "It takes a special sort of bloke to knock David Beckham off his throne but Justin has done just that in the space of 12 short months."
Top 10 Sexiest Men of 2003:
1 Justin Timberlake
2 David Beckham
3 Brad Pitt
4 Duncan James
5 Robbie Williams
6 Colin Farrell
7 Josh Hartnett
8 Ben Affleck
9 Jude Law
10 Hugh Grant
Top 10 Unsexiest Men of 2003:
1 Michael Jackson
2 Russell Crowe
3 Chris Evans
4 Liam Gallagher
5 Ozzy Osbourne
6 Peter Stringfellow
7 Robbie Williams
8 Tony Blair
9 Marilyn Manson
10 Gareth Gates
Now Robbie himself has added his voice to the complaints about how the traffic was organised for the concert. A Robbie spokesman told the press: "Robbie was devastated when he found out that so many people who had come to see him ended up missing what he considers the greatest show he ever put on. He really wanted to give each and every one of his fans a treat."
"He was still on an emotional high from the show as he flew over the thousands of people below him - but realised pretty quickly that a hell of a lot of people were just sitting on the motorway unable to get in."
Maybe you should consider just doing a gig on the M1 next time, Rob?
In other news Robbie is earning his elusive Take That rival Gary Barlow large sums of money - by covering a track his former friend wrote for the hit 90s boy band. Robbie has been performing a revamped rendition of Take That chart-topper ‘Back For Good’ on his current Escapology tour, a song written by Barlow for their 1995 CD ‘Nobody Else’. Barlow - who has disappeared from the limelight since the band's demise - has reportedly earned a sum of around A$123, 000 so far.
“It was an amazing night and one of the most incredible experiences of my life. The crowd just went on and on and you could feel the energy when you were up on stage.
“It was great performing with Rob again and it brought back a lot of memories.
“A few years ago I would never have dreamed of performing at Knebworth. I am very grateful to Rob. The decision to sing together was left hanging in the balance until just before the gig. I wasn’t told I was definitely going on stage until the last minute.
“That’s a good thing because I wasn’t as nervous as I would have been if I had had all day to think about it.
“We had a quick rehearsal beforehand but that was it.
“You could tell there were a lot of Take That fans in the audience because some of them were crying. It was an incredible sight. We certainly didn’t play to that many when we were in Take That.”
Mark also revealed that Robbie wished him good luck in launching his solo comeback this week. His new single Four Minute Warning was released yesterday — his first for six years.
Robbie and Mark’s duet is the first time the pair have sung together since Robbie walked out on Take That in 1995. They only recently started speaking again and are now rebuilding their friendship. The £80million star barely spoke to his former bandmates after the bitter break-up as he felt he had been poorly treated by them. Robbie showed he had finally buried the hatchet when he paid tribute to each of them by name at his Knebworth gigs. Even old arch-rival GARY BARLOW got a mention.
But before you all start bombarding me with calls demanding to know whether a Take That reunion is on the cards — don’t bother. Mark ruled out any chance of the five-piece reforming during our chat yesterday.
He said: “We won’t be getting back together. We have all moved on from that.”
Meanwhile, the Knebworth effect has boosted sales of Robbie’s Escapology album. The CD jumped 26 places to No17 — let’s hope Mark’s single gets a boost from Knebworth too.
Robbie's gig at Knebworth was filled with surprises. He made a dramatic entrance by swinging down from the roof and brought several people up on the stage with him including a girl from the crowd, best mates Jonathan Wilkes and Max Beesley and his mum.
He also announced that he's moving back to Britain and said the crowds love made up for all the rubbish that gets written about him.
Ash were supporting and stopped for a quick word about the crowds at Knebworth:
"They're a bit more relaxed than most of our crowds. If that crowd walked into a bar as a crowd it would probably order a white wine spritzer"
It re-entered the top 20 of the UK chart on Sunday at No 17, after launguishing down in the 40s.HMV, which says Escapology sales have leapt almost 300% in the past few days, reckons there is more to come as the effect of the concerts and massive publicity "is fully felt".
Robbie described his Knebworth audiences as "the best" as he returned to his UK roots and fan base. His US gigs were disappointing and he and his managers badly wanted him to do well in Britain. His new single, Something Beautiful, entered the chart at No 3 on Sunday.
That was higher than the No 4 slots the two previous tracks from Escapology - Feel and Come Undone - both achieved. HMV's Head of Rock and Pop, Rob Campkin, said: "There are some great UK acts around at the moment.
"But the massive success of Knebworth and the increase in CD sales shows there's nobody who can touch Robbie in the UK right now."
The singer witnessed the extent of the traffic chaos as he left the gig by helicopter and saw the 16 kilometre (10 mile) tail back of disgruntled fans below. The open-air gigs are sold-out with 125,000 attending on each day this weekend.
A spokesman for Robbie says, "He was still on an emotional high from the show as he flew over the thousands of people below him - but realised pretty quickly that there were a hell of a lot of people just sitting on the motorway, having obviously not been able to get in."
Another insider says, "Robbie was devastated when he found out that so many people who had come to see him ended up missing what he considers to be the greatest show he has ever put on."
Thousands missed the show as they sat on gridlocked roads around the Hertfordshire stately home, and many who did get in endured a five-hour wait to get out of car parks afterwards.
The star hit out after he saw the extent of traffic problems as he flew out of the gig by helicopter.
Williams' Friday gig was the first of three at Knebworth over this weekend, with 125,000 tickets sold for each show.
A spokesman for the singer said: "He was still on an emotional high from the show as he flew over the thousands of people below him - but realised pretty quickly that a hell of a lot of people were just sitting on the motorway unable to get in.
"Robbie was devastated when he found out that so many people who had come to see him ended up missing what he considers the greatest show he ever put on. He really wanted to give each and every one of his fans a treat."
Many fans blamed poor organisation and planning by police. Sam Ottoway, of Theale, said: "There were 25 lanes of traffic converging on just two exits. It was mayhem. There were no police or stewards anywhere."
A spokesman for the Hertfordshire constabulary claimed the jams were caused by people turning up without tickets who had been turned away.
The gig on Saturday night went much more smoothly, although the AA still described the roads around the venue as "heavily congested". The last of the shows takes place tonight.
It would have cost £2 million to help Port Vale - £2 million! That's a lot of money. And how much money I have is nobody's business. Are people dying as a result of Port Vale's troubles? No. Go into a hospice and have a look at the kids, that's where my money is going."
When asked if he'd be returning to the Midlands and getting involved in the team in the future he replied: "Just let me weather my own storm. I don't know where I'm going to end up, who I'll be with or how many divorces I'll have. I would have to be based in Stoke-On-Trent for that role and yes, I would do that. I get really emotional about this and the situation angers me." That's us told!
Does he really have casual sex with loads of fans? Did he sleep with Geri Halliwell/Nicole Kidman/Kylie Minogue? Or is he gay?
Well, first things first. He is, of course, a brilliant performer. Anyone who's seen the stage act that will be on display at Knebworth this weekend knows that this is what he does best. He throws his arms wide, inviting everyone in. He does something his dad taught him - looks deep into the eyes of an individual, makes her feel for 10 seconds that the song is just for her.
Then he gives her his cutest smile, tosses his head back and strides off. The relationship is over. He's back with the rest of them, doing all the other tricks that pull in sympathy - his little-boy-lost look, his hand crossed on his heart, the mic held out for everyone to join in the choruses.
It looks easy, but it's not. Robbie (Rob as he's known to those around him) is consumed with fear before every performance. He paces under the stage, kissing a sequence of talismanic photos. He hugs his security guards. 'What a f***ng leap of faith,' he muttered to me the last time I watched him being catapulted up to face the 70,000 or so who were chanting his name in Dublin two years ago. But it's that very nervousness that fuels his act. If he were super-relaxed, he'd be crap.
Offstage, as we all know now, he is beset by self-criticism. When I first met him and saw this side he was in the first stages of recovery from big-time alcohol and drugs abuse, so it was possible to think this was just a passing phase. But he has been clean for more than two years now, and he is still pursued by his demons.
So much so, he revealed recently, that if he were not taking the anti-depressant Effexor, 'the Shitty Committee would be up an hour before me planning how they were going to f*** me up'. This isn't an act. I've heard him voice worries that he can't really sing, that he's 'socially inept', that he's not as good-looking as he's cracked up to be.
It is an honesty that irritates many. For God's sake, they say, why does he have to moan so? He is worth millions, he is handsome and talented. This is all true. But, if you think about it, it's the public confessional that's put him where he is.
Robbie wears his heart, not just on his sleeve, but on his album sleeve. 'Not sure I understand', he sings, 'this role I've been given'. This isn't the artificial pop-concoction of a cynical crooner, it's the truth. And when you see the die-hard fans queuing for the possibility of a glance, or to touch his hand, this is what they're relating to.
The teenage girls eventually grow up and settle down and watch with a smile as their kids dance to 'Angels'. Robbie, meanwhile, goes on being Robbie. And satisfying though it is being the superstar, with the luxury pads in Holland Park and Los Angeles and the hotandcold running staff, what he really craves is some sort of normality.
When have I seen him happiest? At home, surrounded by his closest mates. No one special. Jonathan Wilkes, his oldest friend. A couple of girls nobody's ever heard of. A security guard or two. Watching TV, horsing around, talking about footie, playing word games, throwing things, farting, giggling. He wants a wife, he says, and kids. Meanwhile he's got some very normal dogs, which he walks in a very normal way, and a not very normal wolf.
This is Robbie's problem. He's not normal and he never will be. He left the normal world of buses and nine-to-five and getting pissed on Friday 13 years ago when he was 16 and joined Take That. And in some ways, he is as frozen as he was then - a big teenager with lots of cash. One of the more endearing things about him is that despite all the spoiling things around him, he still makes an effort to be a nice guy. Though he may be the rude, arsebaring eternal youth on stage, offstage he's polite and thoughtful, even with people he doesn't much care for.
His life as a superstar is a cliche of loneliness. He's the first to admit that he has few real friends. Who can he trust? The kind of people who want a piece of him are not those he'd really want to be friends with. He's mainly surrounded by people he employs. Top of the range, every last one of them, but all people who are only ever going to offer limited criticism of anything he does. Whereas, if he'd remained as he once joked, 'a binman in Stoke', he would probably have lots of friends.
He finds himself in a quandary. Intensely self-critical, but with hardly a soul around him who will tell him where to get off. Anybody who does is swiftly removed from the scene (his musical collaborator Guy Chambers being the most recent and obvious example). So what will become of him now he's so huge? Will he suddenly 'break' America and recoup that £80million EMI spent on him? I doubt it.
The only way the Americans will get Robbie is if they see him live. Which means a long and gruelling tour. And does he still have the drive for that? As he has said himself: 'Do I want to spend three years touring arenas? Done that. Don't need the cash, thanks.'
Over here, and in the rest of the world, his future will depend on the music. Compelling though the lyrics are to fans, it's the music that gets people chanting in pubs. If new collaborators like Robin Thicke and Dan Wilson don't produce the tunes, and his own compositions turn out to not quite have Guy's magic, what then?
There's also the wee problem that the richer and more successful you become, the less universal your lyrics are. 'South Of The Border' was always going to identify with a whole lot more people than 'A Gated Community On Mulholland Drive'.
Robbie Williams, Fri 1-Sun 3 Aug, Knebworth Park, Stevenage, Herts (0871 220 0260). 'Something Beautiful', the third single from Escapology, is out now. Robbie Williams: Somebody Someday by Mark McCrum is published by Ebury Press.
The undisputed superstar of British pop is set for the huge payday as 375,000 fans troop through the gates of Knebworth Estate in Hertfordshire in a pilgrimage to see his live extravaganza.
He will pocket around £2million from ticket sales alone.
The sums working-class Robbie will pull in are almost unsurpassed for a solo live performer in this country.
And he should feel immensely proud of his achievements.
This is without doubt the biggest rock concert ever staged in this country and I can’t think of any other performer in the UK who could sell that many tickets.
Robbie’s record label EMI are also rubbing their hands. The unique £80million deal they signed with the former Take That star last year entitles them to a cut of ticket sales, merchandise and TV rights.
This weekend alone they will recoup several of the millions they have invested in the singer once so cruelly written off as a waste of space. An aide of Robbie’s told me: “What you are seeing here at Knebworth this weekend is British music history in the making.
“Never has one person stood up on a stage and entertained so many people over one weekend — and that includes OASIS.
“It is a highly lucrative weekend for all parties involved with Robbie Williams.
“He will take just under 15 per cent of ticket sales, merchandise and general spend on other items. That is not to mention his cut of the TV rights sold to Channel 4 which is considerable.
“This is only the tip of the iceberg. We fully expect to make big sums of money after the event too, with sales of videos and DVDs of the event.
“They are perfect to show your grandkids if you were there. But the money is not Robbie’s driving force.
“This is about him being at the peak of his career and achieving something that he never thought possible.
“That is a very proud lad standing up there who still finds it hard to believe how many people seem to love him. It’s a special weekend for him that he wants to share with as many fans as possible.”
EMI moneymen reckon each punter will spend on average £30 at the gigs. Programmes for the show were priced at a whopping £12.
But have some sympathy for the poor souls selling them. They were only getting 10p a copy — the rest goes to Robbie Williams Inc.
And there is the usual unofficial tat on sale, ranging from cowboy hats to ponchos, for prices too embarrassing to mention.
The official vendors weren’t much better. Robbie T-shirts were a cool £28 while some nasty-looking velour hooded tops were £60. That’s on top of the £35 fans have spent to get in.
Let’s hope Robbie’s buying the drinks on Sunday night. His celebrity mates, including Radio 1 DJ SARA COX, JONATHAN WILKES, and DANNIELLA WESTBROOK, are all expected to turn up to support him.
By the end of this tour Robbie will have performed to a staggering 1,222,000 people.
Then he can go back to LA and sit by the pool for a year counting his cash. Army of roadies
A HUGE army of staff is working at Knebworth to make sure everything runs smoothly for Robbie’s spectaculars.
The site took nearly two weeks to get ready and the stage needed three days’ work by 65 people.
After Sunday night’s gig in Stockholm, Sweden, all the tour gear was loaded on 40 trucks and driven through Europe, on to a Channel ferry and then to Hertfordshire.
Robbie’s road crew come from countries all over the world, including New Zealand, Australia, Canada, South Africa, France, Belgium, Germany, Sweden, Ireland and the United States.
ROBBIE tucked into a healthy meal of sushi washed down with Evian before the show.
Fatty foods were banned from his dressing room. It was feared he might be tempted to break the diet he has been on for the past 12 months after claiming anti-depressant tablets left him bloated.
Robbie has even stopped bingeing on his favourite Red Bull sugary drink because he was worried about the effect it was having on his waistline.
Don’t worry Robbie — I think you look great as you are, don’t become a diet bore.
Robbie and his entourage have set up base camp for the duration of their stay at the Hanbury Manor Hotel in Ware, Herts, about 20 miles from the venue. Robbie wanted to be nearby rather than have to make the trek from his swanky Chelsea apartment. Apparently, he was worried about making the journey up every day because of the expected heavy traffic. Surely it would have only taken you a few minutes by helicopter, Rob?
ROBBIE WILLIAMS’ brilliant opening at Knebworth last night saw scenes not witnessed in this country since The Beatles.
Around 135,000 devoted fans crammed into the grounds of the historic Hertfordshire venue to see their rock hero.
And when he announced: “I’m Robbie Williams, this is my band and this is the greatest show in the world,” you couldn’t help but believe him.
Kicking off with the frenzied Let Me Entertain You, he made the mammoth crowd his own.
Before blasting into Let Love Be Your Energy, he said: “After this weekend, British music will never be the same again.” Too right.
Performer ... working the crowd
Although the skies were overcast, Robbie’s power seemed to bring light to the proceedings. This was what this huge crowd had waited hours for — and they were clearly not disappointed.
Seamlessly, Robbie went into new tracks Feel, Come Undone, Monsoon and Monkey, occasionally showing nerves but gaining confidence with each number.
Not disappointed ... huge crowd
Yet all the time he seemed stunned and amazed that so many people had bothered to turn up to see him.
In fact, tens of thousands of them had arrived as early as 11am in readiness for the gig. And when the star of the show arrived three hours before kick-off in his private helicopter with its famous RW logo, he was greeted by a crescendo of welcoming screams.
Robbie waved to his fans briefly before being whisked backstage. Later he repaid their loyalty with a set of his classics.
She’s The One and Strong were particularly resonant with a crowd predominately made up of twenty to thirty-somethings.
Inspired ... loyal fans
The highlight of the night was, as expected, Angels — a song almost as famous as Robbie himself.
Many couples moved that bit closer to each other but such sentimentality seemed somehow acceptable in the setting.
Robbie is a very odd modern British phenomenon. It’s almost as if he belongs in a different decade.
At times on stage he’s Frank Sinatra and the next moment he’s working the crowd like Freddie Mercury, before settling back into his cheeky and familiar Norman Wisdom routine.
What is significant in the Robbie Williams story is just how far he has come as a performer.
The Knebworth experience is a big step for the young lad who used to sing in his mum’s pub.
Many British musical legends have played this fabled venue before him — MICK JAGGER, ROBERT PLANT, MERCURY even the GALLAGHERS and Robbie’s performance will be compared to theirs.
Perhaps you’re reading this on a packed train from King’s Cross to Stevenage or even stuck in a traffic jam in the middle of the Hertfordshire countryside on your way to Robbie’s second night tonight.
Don’t worry, it’s worth all the hassle. It may not be the most polished performance you’ll ever see but you will feel like you are part of British music history.
The boy from Stoke has shed the “Fat Dancer In Take That” tag once and for all and can now walk tall with this country’s music aristocracy.
Last night the genius that is Robbie Williams confirmed his status as our No1 superstar. Cheeky? Yes. Spontaneous? Certainly. A superstar? Without doubt
The 7Cs project was formed in 1994 by a small group of Shelton residents who felt there was a need for a community-led celebration of the growing multi-cultural nature of Stoke-on-Trent and the fact certain inner city areas sometimes missed out on opportunities.
Their first project - a carnival in 1995 - became an annual event and is now the charity's flagship activity. This year's is taking place on Saturday leaving from Hanley Park at 1pm.
The charity soon extended to involve local children in various projects from rope skipping, to DJ-ing and other creative workshops with the aim of opening up the opportunities available to them.
The 7Cs group has received funding from Give It Sum over the past two years.
Mr Beazley said: "It is one person's right to spend their money how they want, but having met Robbie Williams I am quite convinced that he's a sensible and very concerned individual and that we certainly are grateful for the money he's given to us and I am sure other groups are.
"Let's face it, there are plenty of rich people in the world who never give a penny to anything other than their own private agendas. Robbie does, so let's honour him for that."
Mr Beazley added: "The major benefit to us was the fact that most funders that we approach give us money for specific purposes, such as a particular project or a member of staff.
"But the great thing about Give It Sum is that they gave us the money for running costs and that's very difficult to get.
"It means we can use the money for everyday things like paying the phone bill and buying stationery - things that organisations like ours can't function without."
Mr Beazley said Robbie seemed genuinely interested in 7Cs when he visited last November.
He said: "He was there for hours, having a go rope skipping with the DJ lads and talking to everyone about what we do.
"He seemed to take a personal interest in 7Cs. Having dealt with these things I can tell the difference between people who just smile, shake hands and ask what you are doing and those who take a genuine interest."
FANS CRAZY FOR SPARE KNEBWORTH TICKETS
11:08 - 01 August 2003
Robbie fans who cannot make the star's sell-out concerts at Knebworth tonight, tomorrow and Sunday have been inundated by callers desperate to take the tickets off their hands. Dozens of adverts offering tickets for the biggest shows in Robbie's career have appeared in The Sentinel's classified pages over the past fortnight, placed by unlucky fans who have found themselves unable to make the dates.
The disappointed fans who are having to pass up the chance to see their idol say their phones have not stopped ringing since the adverts appeared.
Gaynor Tweedie, of Alsager, booked her tickets in November, but had to sell them because the concert clashes with her five-month-old daughter's christening.
She said: "The tickets went more or less straight away when the advert went in on Monday, and we've had about 10 calls since."
"We tried to change the date of the christening, but we've got friends coming up from around the country for the christening, so we have to be here for them.
"My husband and I are big fans of Robbie, so we're really disappointed not to be able to go, but the christening is more important.
"We've seen Robbie in Manchester and hopefully we will get the chance to see him another time."
Alan Tempest, of Trentham, had tickets to see Robbie tonight and tomorrow, but had to sell them after landing a new job at Sainsbury's warehouse.
He said: "It's disappointing, but there's no way I can change my shift.
"The phone hasn't stopped ringing since we put the advert in and there have been a lot of people disappointed when we told them the tickets had gone.
"I would have loved to have seen Robbie, just because he is a local lad and I like his music."
Dave Copeland, of Fulford, had to sell his tickets because the show clashes with his holiday to Spain.
He said: "I booked my Robbie tickets as soon as they came on the Internet last year and didn't realise I had booked my holiday for the same weekend until it was too late.
"I sold them the first day they were in the paper, but I've had people phoning me up all week.
"I saw Robbie two years ago in Manchester and was looking forward to going again."
Robbie is set to play to 375,000 fans in three sell-out shows at Knebworth as part of his UK tour, with the second being screened on Channel 4 tomorrow night.
He will be following in the footsteps of acts such as Led Zeppelin, Queen, the Rolling Stones and Oasis by playing at the legendary venue.
Alison Hill, aged 17, a student from Longton: "I don't think he should have put money in - he shouldn't feel obligated just because he's from Stoke-on-Trent. So I don't feel he's let anyone down."
Annette Dale, a 25-year-old housewife from Tunstall: "Just because he's got a lot of money doesn't mean he should put it into the club. It would be great if he did but Robbie says one thing and then does another. He says he loves and supports Port Vale but he won't put money in."
Gary Owen, aged 42, a forklift operator from Knypersley: "I'm surprised he hasn't put money in because when he visited Vale a few years ago, thousands turned up .If he's on a good contract like he is then he should remember his roots."
Stuart Bailey, aged 34, a warehouse worker from Tunstall: "I think Robbie's got a bit too big for his boots now. People say he's down to earth but he should have helped the club when it was in trouble."
Mark Pike, aged 43, a forklift truck driver from Tunstall: "I think he should have helped out last year, seeing how he claims he's such a big fan. This suggestion he might put money in in the future is too late really, he should have done it"
Kerry Biddulph, aged 22, a data input clerk from Fegg Hayes: "I think Robbie should have helped out more because he's got the money and so we could have used it at the time."
He launched the fund using money from a sponsorship deal with Pepsi. More than 50 grants have so far been awarded to projects across North Staffordshire to the tune of more than £1.2 million.
Mothers, children, homeless people and disabled folk are just some of the groups to have benefited from the fund, which is run by Comic Relief. And Robbie's aim is to support a broad range of self-help projects and voluntary organisations that tackle poverty, disadvantage and discrimination.
In the first year of its existence, 13 projects received a share of £210,000, one of them being Robbie's former school St Margaret Ward RC High, in Tunstall. In 2001 Robbie auctioned off a selection of stuff he had collected over the over the years at Sotheby's, with items including rare Take That vinyls and some platinum discs.
Part of the collection included the hand-written lyrics to songs such as Angels which fetched £27,000. The auction raised £221,044 in total for Give It Sum.
Another charity that has benefited is the North Staffordshire Gay and Lesbian Switchboard, a phone-in help service. A successful Lottery bid in 2000 meant the organisation was able to buy much-needed equipment, including a minicom, to make the service available to the deaf community. The Movement to Music group, based at the Haregate Community Centre, on the Haregate Estate in Leek, has also benefited. Their grant will help members pay for trips and equipment .
The Sutton Trust, in Abbey Hulton, received a grant for a computer room that gives internet access and training to those who would normally be unable to get online.
Robbie, who is also a patron of the Donna Louise Trust, has visited many of the organisations that Give It Sum has helped.