Fatboy Slim put on a show to remember as BBC Radio 1’s Big Weekend got under way in Sunderland and left the crowd with a number of important takeaways as well as his tunes
BBC Radio 1’s Big Weekend got off to a scorching start on Friday – both in terms of the weather and the tunes. But there was a certain moment on the very last set by Fatboy Slim that really hit a chord with me.
On a day dedicated to dance tunes, Sunderland’s Herrington Country Park welcomed some of the biggest names in the industry to the stage as the crowd were treated to a day of absolute bangers. From Sonny Fodera to MK and Fisher on the main stage, the north east music lovers partied into the sunset with hit after hit belting out beside the scenic backdrop of Penshaw Monument.
The day came to the perfect close with an absolute icon of the genre. Norman Cook – aka Fatboy Slim – has been entertaining crowds for almost four decades. And it’s safe to say he has perfected his craft as he blasted us with a nostalgia-fuelled headline set.
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But there was a surprising message at the very start of his time on stage that really hit home for this fan. As a tiny part of a crowd of over 30,000 people, I was struck by the iconic DJ’s simple, but very effective message that flashed up on the big screen.
It was loud, it was clear, and it appeared to be very well received. It’s something the perhaps should be taken notice of at all gigs.
His message: “Put Your Phones Away Please. Let’s Enjoy the Moment Together.”
You could see cogs were clearly ticking in the sun soaked – and for some intoxicated – brains as almost instantaneously the wall of mobile phones held high into the sunsetting sky dropped down and people just enjoyed the moment.
And what a treat it was to take in the almost hour-long set without needing to duck and dive or watch it through someone else’s device. Now, I have to admit, I was certainly guilty of breaking the star’s golden rule on a number occasion. It’s hard not to with so many belters being reeled off. But, it did have an effect and made me double think each time I reached for that camera and I definitely limited my screen time.
From teasing his classic track Praise You before sampling Queen’s iconic Don’t Stop Me Now, to pairing his hit, The Rockafeller Skank with an unusual tint of Eminem’s Slim Shady and later with The Rolling Stones’ Satisfaction, the DJ showed his impeccable timing and judgement on a night to remember.
Other tunes of note included Eat Sleep Rave Repeat and Right Here Right Now, while he snuck in belters like Run DMC’s It’s Tricky.
But for the bare-footed Cook it was clear that his time on stage was also about more than just music. With the crowd lapping up his every energetic move and impressive visual display, the legend of the dance world not-so-subtly weaved in other clear messages too. After a clip of Swedish environmental activist Greta Thunberg played behind his tunes, he again used the giant monitors to tell us: “Drop beats not bombs.”
“Only Love Can Conquer Hate,” read another before he signed off by saying thanks on the screens in an array of languages.
All in all, it was an epic way to open up the BBC’s annual travelling event. And for Cook, who told me moments before going on stage he was “honoured to be invited after all these years”, I can safely say the honour was all ours.
Catch all the action from Radio 1’s Big Weekend in Sunderland across BBC TV, radio and online.
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