Thousands swarm to free Robbie Williams gig at maxed out Fed Square in Melbourne

Fans started gathering from 8.30am and by late afternoon the crowd had swelled to fill the outdoor space, which has a capacity of about 8,000

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British pop star Robbie Williams's free Melbourne gig prompted city road closures as thousands of fans descended on Fed Square, many gathering more than eight hours before the 5pm start time.

Just 15 minutes shy of the scheduled start, the venue declared it was full and directed fans not yet inside the main area to an overflow site at Birrarung Marr, next to the Yarra River.

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