Robbie Williams: 20 years on from historic Knebworth gigs

“I’ve never seen anything like this in my life. Ever. And after these three nights, I don’t think Britain will see anything like it for a long time to come either."

Robbie Williams was correct. It has been 20 years since Knebworth Park hosted the epic Robbie Williams Live at Knebworth concert in August 2003 – and Robbie’s record has still not been broken.

An incredible 375,000 fans attended the shows over three consecutive nights – on August 1, August 2, and August 3 – making it the largest British music event ever.

An aerial view of Robbie Williams' 2003 concert at Knebworth House. (Image: Supplied by Knebworth House)

Harry Styles played four nights at Wembley Stadium this year, but, at 360,000, four Wembley Stadiums falls just short of three nights at Knebworth Park.

Oasis had played two consecutive nights at Knebworth Park in August 1996 - but Angels singer Robbie went one better with his historic three-night residency two decades ago.

Ever the showman, Robbie recreated the cover of album Escapology by dangling upside down above the stage as the curtains parted, before launching into opening track Let Me Entertain You.

Also making the former Take That star’s 2003 gigs unusual was the demographic, which was predominantly female, aged 18 to 45.

The event was sold out 10 months in advance, and so, naturally, a few ticket holders were pregnant by the time of the show.

The promoters installed ‘pregnancy stands’ for fans expecting. Five concert-goers went into labour during the shows.

Four made it to the local hospital, but a fifth gave birth in a St John Ambulance tent on the grounds of the Hertfordshire stately home.

Fans at Robbie Williams' 2003 concert at Knebworth House. (Image: Supplied by Knebworth House)

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One of the three nights was shown on TV.

Robbie later released a massive selling live DVD of the concerts, entitled What We Did Last Summer, and also a live CD, Live at Knebworth.

Robbie's not the only one to have left their mark on Knebworth.

Fifty years of historic gigs have created lifetime memories for the millions of fans who have travelled to the Hertfordshire hillside to see their rock heroes on stage.

Since their inception in 1974, Knebworth concerts have been era-defining.

Pink Floyd debuted songs from their album 'Wish You Were Here' at Knebworth in 1975, while Mick Jagger and The Rolling Stones appeared on their giant inflatable red lips stage in 1976.

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Led Zeppelin played their last ever UK gigs with their original line-up in 1979, and The Beach Boys performed their final ever UK show with their original line-up in 1980.

Queen's Freddie Mercury played his last ever concert with the band at Knebworth in 1986.

MTV took Knebworth worldwide in 1990, broadcasting a charity concert featuring such greats as Pink Floyd, Paul McCartney, Robert Plant & Jimmy Page, Elton John, Eric Clapton, Genesis, Dire Straits, Tears for Fears and more.

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In 1996, Oasis defined the Britpop era with their two Knebworth shows, playing to a sold-out audience of a quarter of a million people over one weekend.

Knebworth's Henry Lytton Cobbold said: "I am so grateful my father had the vision back in 1974, with original promoter Freddy Bannister, to create this extraordinary legacy.

"Before his death last year, he and I had both only ever missed one of all the Knebworth concerts.

"He said the one I missed – Pink Floyd – was the best. But I was quick to tell him that, no, the only one he missed was the best – the last night of Robbie Williams in 2003.

"As Robbie said on the night, ‘This is the best show in the world right now.’ Robbie was right. 20 years on, I’ve not seen a better one."

A programme seller at Robbie Williams' 2003 Knebworth concert. (Image: Supplied by Knebworth House)

The UK’s largest single stage music venue continues to break records in the 21st century.

A cinema film of Oasis’s 1996 concerts became the highest grossing documentary of 2021, and in 2022 Liam Gallagher returned to Knebworth Park to play to 160,000 fans over two nights.

Next year will mark Knebworth Park’s 50th anniversary of hosting music concerts, and an exhibition of film clips and memorabilia from the full 50-year history of Knebworth shows is now open at Knebworth House.

For more information on the history of Knebworth concerts, see www.knebworthhouse.com/concerts/ or visit the Knebworth House Rock History Exhibit in Knebworth House, open daily throughout August and weekends until October 1.

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