Veteran DJ Fatboy Slim concluded the opening day of BBC Radio 1’s Big Weekend with a headlining set steeped in nostalgia, igniting a massive crowd at Sunderland’s Herrington Country Park.
The legendary artist had thousands of festival-goers enthusiastically singing and dancing along to a relentless stream of his most beloved tracks. His performance showcased the breadth of his extensive discography, weaving in teases of classics like “Praise You” and sampling Queen’s iconic “Don’t Stop Me Now.” The 62-year-old DJ eventually delivered the full anthem, masterfully blending it with a series of clever samples, a theme that defined his electrifying performance.
Fatboy Slim’s signature hit, “The Rockafeller Skank,” received a vibrant update with a dash of Eminem’s “Slim Shady.” Demonstrating a keen understanding of UK dancefloor dynamics, he also ignited the main stage crowd with The Killers’ “Mr Brightside,” which was met with every lyric being chanted back by the jubilant audience. The set took an energetic turn with an acid house interlude, encapsulating the spirit of “eat, sleep, rave, repeat” across the festival grounds.
Ahead of his performance, Fatboy Slim shared with BBC Newsbeat his anticipation for playing his own songs “without any swear words,” humorously noting that he had spent the preceding week deconstructing his setlist for the live broadcast.
Real name Norman Cook, Fatboy Slim first garnered attention in the 1980s with bands such as The Housemartins and Beats International. He solidified his status as a dance music icon throughout the 1990s, contributing significantly to the popularisation of the “big beat” genre, a hybrid of hip hop and acid house, alongside contemporaries like The Chemical Brothers and Death in Vegas.
Friday marked the festival’s inaugural dedication to a “huge dance party” across all its stages for the opening day. The lineup also featured Australian house and techno producer Fisher, who delivered a visually spectacular set complete with pyrotechnics.
Fisher’s high-octane performance included hits such as a remix of Gotye’s “Somebody That I Used to Know” and his Grammy-nominated 2019 banger “Losing It.”
He followed American producer MK, a pivotal figure in electronic dance music for the past three decades. MK transformed the atmosphere around the main stage into a vibrant spectacle of purple hues as confetti cannons celebrated the introduction of singer Poppy Baskcomb for their new track “Zone.” During his dynamic set, MK treated the audience to crowd favourites like “Back & Forth” and a dance-infused remix of Celeste’s “Stop This Flame,” culminating in his recent hit “Dior,” which quickly became an instant club anthem.
Earlier in the day, Sonny Fodera set the tone for the festivities under the bright sun, delivering a powerful set filled with hits such as “Think About Us” and “All This Time,” alongside a remix of Disclosure’s “You & Me.” Clementine Douglas made a surprise appearance during Fodera’s set to perform their collaboration “Tell Me” and a high-energy rendition of “Asking.” The Birmingham-born singer had earlier captivated the afternoon crowds accompanied by a live band.
The festival’s opening day, dedicated to dance music, spanned a diverse range of styles and eras, featuring notable performances from bassline DJ Notion and trance artist Marlon Hoffstadt. German artist HorsegiirL, known for her unique human-horse persona and mask, was scheduled to perform but had to withdraw last minute due to illness.
This three-day event is expected to draw tens of thousands of attendees, with pop sensations Zara Larsson and Olivia Dean slated to headline the subsequent days.
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According to the portal: www.bbc.com