Live on Brighton Beach

Because We Love House Music
by: bill aicher

Throughout the building of the "electronic movement" two names became common in households throughout the world: Moby and Fatboy Slim. Both artists, though prominent names in their respective genres prior to the rise in popularity of modern dance music, quickly rose to their elevated status due to immensely popular radio and commercial play. However, due to different approaches to live music, relatively few people have actually had the chance to experience a live Fatboy Slim show.

Live on Brighton Beach is the second major U.S. release of live Fatboy Slim material; the first being On the Floor at the Boutique. Recorded at the seaside beach in Brighton during a 2001 homecoming performance for nearly 40,000 partygoers, it's also deeply resonant of the actual feel of a Fatboy show.

Over the past several years Norman Cook (Fatboy Slim) has weaned himself of much of his big-beat styles, opting for a more trance-house feel at times, a move which is thoroughly represented on Brighton. Still it's a dirty, grimy record featuring some of the biggest and baddest mixing ever heard - along with some of the hottest records of recent times.

Highlights include Black and White Brothers "Put Your Hands Up," the Ghetto funk of Scanty's "Southern Thing," and one of 2001's hottest dance tracks - Basement Jaxx's "Where's Your Head At?"

Save for a small public service announcement break to move audience members from the incoming tide, Brighton is exactly what you'd expect from a Fatboy Slim set. It's high energy, ragged as hell, and unbelievably spiritual.

This being said, it's still just a Fatboy Slim mix record. Those who've seen him before will be pleased to own a set more akin to his recent work, and those who haven't experienced one of his sets will find this a worthy substitute. However, it's just another in a long line of mix CDs being put out in recent years. Luckily this one's a sure-thing. 15-Jul-2002 8:45 PM