Robbie Williams has launched his bid to return to the top of British pop with his first full concert for three years.

Robbie Williams沉寂三年以来首次举办演唱会，并试图以此回归英国流行榜首位。

Robbie Williams mixed new material with old favourites at the concert

Fans treated the star as a returning hero as he put comeback nerves behind him at the Roundhouse in London.

They helped Williams, still smarting after critics mauled（打伤，虐打） his last album, to overcome much-publicised stage fright（怯场） and an unsteady X Factor performance.

"It's a bit nervewracking - first gig for three years," he told fans. "Thank you for making me feel comfortable."

The concert was intimate（暗示，通知） by his standards, playing to 3,000 people to kick off the BBC's Electric Proms.

He is more used to playing stadiums, but has said stage fright has so far deterred¹（制止） him from announcing a full tour to promote his new album.

A widely criticised appearance on ITV's X Factor increased the pressure on his full comeback.

He put his shaky performance on the ITV1 show down to fear, likening himself to a "deer in the headlights".

At first, it looked like those nerves might get the better of him at the Roundhouse too.

During his first two songs, the new tracks Bodies and Morning Sun, he seemed stiff and unsure, running through his stage moves without great conviction.

But the third track, Come Undone², was the first old tune³ of the night and the first where the fans could sing along in full voice.

As the crowd bellowed⁴ the words back at him, the confidence appeared to flow back.

After the show, fans were convinced that Williams was back to his best.

"A long time waited and he didn't disappoint," said Kirsty Stirling, 35, from Gosport, Hampshire, who has seen the star live 35 times.

"He looked like he absolutely loved it, so if he was nervous he hid it really well."

Hayley Willerton, 28, from Peterborough, said: "The venue⁵ was great and his performance was amazing after mixed reviews from X Factor.

"We were really impressed with how he came across. He looked like he was really enjoying it - I don't think there was any sign of nerves. He looked really confident and back to what he used to be."

Paula Danylevich, 45, travelled from Toronto, Canada for the show. "I think he's absolutely proved himself and I think sometimes people are a little too critical of him," she said. "He is an absolute entertainer."