Louie Lee Feltrin became a Robbie Williams tribute artist not by his own ambition, A talent scout discovered him and noting the resemblance to Robbie suggested Louie enter the ‘Star Struck’ contest. Louie says he has only really become a Robbie fan this year after the release of Robbie newest and Louie believes very creative, album in November.
Becoming Robbie has been a process of learning the various nuances and ‘to build them up’ to create a ‘close personal study’ of the cheeky superstar.
Louie will be performing in Tassie on New Years Eve but it wont be his first visit. Louie’s been visiting Tassie as his alter ego Robbie as well as with his own band ‘Louie & The Party Boyz’ for some time. To some extent its been to a select audience with his doing corporate gigs like the Melbourne Cup ladies lunch and AFI events. This time the wider public will get a chance to experience Louie’s tribute to Robbie.
Louie praises the Tassie audiences as very responsive and he loves visiting Tassie for its quality food and wine. However, this visit will be a quick fly in and fly out occasion.
In his performance Louie doesn’t fixate on the sex symbol aspect of his alter ego but instead hams up the cheekier larrikin elements of Robbie and he loves the fact that the real Robbie rarely does any two shows the same, yes, there is a loose script and directions of where to stand for,lighting etc. but its very much a response to the audience and their reactions, as it is in Louie’s show. It gives Louie a chance to be creative and also to provide a bit of escapism from the everyday for audiences.
In 2008/9 Louie got to meet his doppelganger. The experience he tells me was surreal. By coincidence or serendipity he was staying at the same hotel in Perth as the real Robbie and pop princess Kylie Minogue. Robbie had the chance to see Louie’s act and surprisingly rated Louie as too loud!
The real Robbie wasn’t very loud at all later in the evening, enjoying drinks at the bar with his and Louie’s entourage. In fact the real Robbie didn’t say a single word! but looked Louie up and down in a careful examination of his look- a-like. Louie says he was waiting for the pat or alternatively the not so friendly ‘pat’ on the back, however the no comment he believes was a good sign from Robbie, a sort of thumbs up, giving him the okay!
Gerry Connelly once said that there is a distinction between being a tribute artist and being an impersonator, he believes the latter resonates as second rate terminology. Louie who has worked with Gerry doesn’t agree with his more purist approach and is quite happy to be called either an impersonator or a tribute artist!
Louie will be performing as Robbie at on New Years Eve at Launceston Country Club Showroom and if you are unable to catch up with him then, there is a good chance you will see him on next years ‘Australia’s Got Talent’ which he has been invited to audition for.
Visit Louie at his web site http://www.rwexperience.com/
Paula Xiberras
