Robbie Williams headlines MEO Kalorama opening night in Lisbon with Dolly Parton tribute

Opening night in Lisbon

Robbie Williams headlined the opening night of the fifth MEO Kalorama festival at Parque da Bela Vista in Lisbon on Friday, 28 August 2026. Taking the main stage after 01:00 following an initial 01:20 timetable listing, the British singer opened his performance with "Let Me Entertain You" dressed in an all-red outfit before later switching to hot pink. His setlist surveyed his multi-decade solo catalogue, including "Rock DJ", "Millennium", "Supreme", "Kids", "Candy", and "Let Love Be Your Energy", as well as "Pretty Face" from his 2026 album Britpop. Despite telling the crowd that he had been ill throughout the week leading up to the concert, Williams completed full dance routines across the main stage and catwalk.

Tonight is my love letter to entertainment.

Tributes and audience interactions

During the performance, Williams addressed the death of American country music singer Dolly Parton, who died earlier in the week at the age of 80. Before his choir delivered the chorus of "Jolene", the British singer dedicated the moment to her memory from the MEO stage.

Not many people have a public life and are universally loved by everyone. And Dolly Parton was loved by everyone. God bless you, Dolly.

The tribute formed part of a classic rock and pop medley featuring "Ace of Spades", "Another One Bites the Dust", "We Will Rock You", "Y.M.C.A.", "Sweet Dreams (Are Made of This)", and "Hey Jude". Williams also maintained comedic banter with individual attendees, joking about an alleged past romance with an audience member named Pedro and serenading Isabel, a fan from Porto celebrating her birthday at the front barrier, with a rendition of "She's the One". He shared reflections on his 1990s career with Take That, personal recovery, and family life with his four children.

Festival schedule and organisation

Attendees gathered outside Parque da Bela Vista hours before the gates opened at 16:30, with the earliest fans arriving at 06:00 to secure front-row spots along the barrier. The opening day lineup featured performances by Angine de Poitrine, Grace Jones, American rock band Interpol, and Portuguese singer Maro. Maro, who performed tracks from her album "So Much Has Changed" after supporting Shawn Mendes on tour in Europe, stated in an interview before the event that Williams was the festival artist she most wanted to collaborate with.

Festival organiser Diogo Marques addressed the logistical challenges of the event on television programme Cartaz, explaining how organisers arranged replacements following two artist cancellations. Marques emphasised that the festival operates around three structural pillars: music, art, and sustainability. The fifth edition of MEO Kalorama runs across three days, with Lauryn Hill and Deftones headlining the remaining dates.