Live Review: Fatboy Slim - On The Beach, Brighton 16/07/2026
The local legend brings his euphoric brand of dance music back to his old stomping ground: the inimitable Brighton beach.
Out of all the famous people who call Brighton and Hove home -and there’s a few, including rocker Nick Cave, comedian Maise Adam, and eccentric ex-boxer Chris Eubank - iconic DJ Norman Cook, AKA Fatboy Slim, is perhaps the most synonymous with the seaside city. Having moved to the vibrant Sussex enclave in the 80s to attend university, the man who would help define late 90s & early 00s rave culture has enjoyed a longstanding love affair with the city ever since, culminating in the record-breaking Big Beach Boutique II, which saw around 250,000 people descend on the pebbles for the biggest outdoor party in UK history.
Since then, Fatboy Slim has hosted numerous sequels, if you will, leading all the way up to today’s first of 4 nights on the beach. Dubbed Big Beach Boutique 7, the stretch also acts as an opening salvo for Brighton’s annual On The Beach festival series, which has seen the likes of The Libertines, Chase & Status, Noel Gallagher’s High Flying Birds and Underworld grace the East Sussex shores.
Bolstered by an extensive supporting lineup of DJs and producers including Seth Troxler, Derrick Carter and Fish56Octagon, it’s a proper all-dayer, though of course, Norman is the main event. He appears on stage just after 8pm, with the searing sun still blazing down over a sea of floral shirts, handheld fans, and bucket hats. As ever, Cook is dressed in one of his signature Hawaiian shirts, and -like his fans - he seems incredibly happy to be here.
He bounces around behind his decks as psychedelic visuals swirl on the massive screens behind him, mouthing the words to his 1998 classic ‘The Rockafeller Skank’ as the crowd erupts in elation. After a hype-inducing detour into Iggy Azalea & Charli XCX’s 2014 staple ‘Fancy’, we’re treated to a string of Fatboy Slim standards, including ‘Fucking in Heaven’ and ‘Weapon of Choice’, both of which have the loyal, largely older crowd whooping and jumping with abandon.
Cook doesn’t ever speak to the sold-out audience in a traditional sense, but he’s extremely engaged with them via facial expressions, physicality, and, on occasion, notes written on his vinyls, which he holds up for all to see. One such note reads “My favourite sunset in the world” during a musical tribute to his home city (‘Put your hands up for Brighton!’), before the camera pans to highlight the beautiful orange glow which frames the sea behind us, serving as a suitably majestic backdrop to Cook’s heartfelt celebration of love and community.
At another point, he holds up a sign which says ‘Put your phones away. Live in the moment’, though in fairness, the vast majority of punters appear to be doing exactly that, arms aloft and ecstatic. This hysteria surges even further when Fatboy Slim delivers his signature song roughly halfway through the 2-hour set - yes, it could only be ‘Praise You’, an anthem that’s immediately recognisable from its opening piano refrain right through to its singalong chorus, which - in a shock to precisely no one - the crowd bellow back at him with verve.
As much as Cook’s own material (ostensibly at least, given the number of samples featured throughout most of it) is what people are here to hear, it has to be acknowledged that the man, like all great DJs, knows how to craft a quality mashup. We’re treated to several over the course of the evening, even if the first one is more of an inspired transition rather than an out-and-out melding.
Slowly incorporating the timeless melody of Stevie Wonder’s ‘As’ into his layers of electronics and big beat backing, Cook gradually increases the volume until we’re all singing along to the soul icon, before diluting it back down into the mix, effortlessly replacing it with Radiohead’s moodily surreal ‘Everything in Its Right Place’, which works wonderfully within the sonic landscape of Fatboy Slim.
It’s not the only time he’ll triumph with such an audacious pairing. Later on, he gives every punter goosebumps by teasing the start of Underworld’s ‘Born Slippy’ - well remembered thanks to its starring role in Trainspotting - only to subvert expectations and pair the rave classic with The Killers’ beloved megahit ‘Mr Brightside’, a move that pays off in spades, as the audience experience the 00s indie anthem like never before.
Soon after, Cook deploys one of his own megahits: ‘Eat, Sleep, Rave, Repeat’ is performed and met with absolute aplomb, it's simple but effective lyrical hook ready-made for nights like this. By now the sky has darkened, but the audience’s spirits are as bright as ever, aided by a spectacular, laser-laden lightshow which helps the beach party feel increasingly like a legitimate rave. Two more seismic mashups are in store, though this time they consist of Fatboy Slim classics paired with legendary rock tracks, as opposed to unexpected pairings of generally famous songs.
First up is an effective melding of Nirvana’s iconic ‘Smells Like Teen Spirit’ and Fatboy Slim’s ‘Right Here Right Now’, Kurt’s raspy, largely isolated vocals planted over Cook’s atmospheric synth intro before the song begins in earnest. Last, but certainly not least, is the genius combination of ‘The Rockafeller Skank’ with The Rolling Stones’ ‘(I Can’t Get No) Satisfaction’, dubbed ‘Satisfaction Skank’ upon its long-awaited official release late last year.
It’s raptously received, and with good reason. When you hear the "Right now, funk soul brother, check it out now" refrain sung over the ‘Satisfaction’ riff, it just makes sense. It honestly sounds as if it was always meant to be, and the audience reacts as such. Throw in the jangly riff of The Beatles’ ‘Day Tripper’, and you have a fab start to Fatboy Slim’s 4 night residency on the beach.
Perhaps fellow Brightonian Matt King - AKA Peep Show’s lovable rogue Super Hans - said it best - “Big beats are the best”.
Words by Ben Left
Photo Credit: Josette Crispin @jcrispinphoto
