Robbie Williams Succeeds in His Entertaining Mission

The sound system blared Tom Jones’ “It’s Not Unusual,” the 20th Century Fox fanfare and then the “Star Wars” theme, to which Robbie Williams and his six bandmates strode onto the Mayan Theatre stage Wednesday, launching into the majestic, “Quadrophenia”-like opening of the English phenom’s boisterous manifesto “Let Me Entertain You.”

And for the next 75 minutes he did just that, with--as that opening salvo trumpeted--the style of a natural-born showman and the drive of a man on a mission.

Like ex-Menudo member Ricky Martin, Williams survived teen life in a pop boy band (U.K. sensation Take That) and clearly has something to prove--though Williams’ campaign and style seem far less soaked in show-biz razzle-dazzle.

Dressed merely in a black T-shirt and warmup pants and white cross-trainers, Williams showed abundant enthusiasm, charmingly mischievous wit and always-winking hubris to break the crowd through any L.A. cool reserve.

His material taps the pop savvy of Elton John (the ballad “Angels” could pass as Ol’ Pink Eyes himself) and Paul McCartney (the “Live and Let Die” flourishes of “Karma Killer,” a poison-pen letter to his former manager) and the brash strut of early Mick Jagger--but less mannered than any of them.

There’s no sense that Williams’ music will break new ground or that his lyrics could make him a spokesman for a generation. And versions of Eminem’s “My Name Is,” the Clash’s “Should I Stay or Should I Go” and Blur’s “Song 2” seemed included solely to pump up the crowd and offered no artistic revelations--though the range of tastes is intriguing.

But there’s enough substance here that there’s no need to attach guilt to partaking in his pleasures. It’s simple: Let him entertain you.