(Review by Ben ‘Jerry’ Robinson & Sara-Louise Bowrey)
FATBOY SLIM + SETH TROXLER + DERRICK CARTER + FISH56OCTAGON + CC:DISCO! + SASHA GIGI – ‘ON THE BEACH’, BRIGHTON BEACH 16.7.26
Under cloudless blue skies and blazing July sunshine, Brighton Beach slipped effortlessly back into Big Beach Boutique mode as Fatboy Slim launched the opening night of ‘On The Beach’ Brighton 2026. The first of four consecutive Big Beach Boutique 7 shows marked the start of Norman Cook’s annual seafront takeover, with the opening three dates selling out well in advance and an extra Thursday show added to satisfy demand, which also sold out.
The opening weekend belongs to Fatboy Slim, but it’s only the beginning. Next weekend the pebbles trade house and breakbeats for ska, indie and electronic icons as Madness, The Maccabees and Moby headline another run of sold-out shows, underlining just how far ‘On The Beach’ has come since launching in 2021. What began as an ambitious post-pandemic concert series has quickly grown into one of the UK’s premier destination festivals, transforming Brighton’s famous beach into a unique open-air venue each July.
For Cook, though, this stretch of coastline means far more than another festival booking. Brighton Beach has been synonymous with his name ever since Big Beach Boutique II drew an estimated quarter of a million people to the seafront in 2002, creating one of the defining moments in British dance music history. More than two decades later, ‘On The Beach’ doesn’t try to recreate that moment—it builds on it, proving Brighton’s relationship with electronic music remains as vibrant as ever.
The atmosphere was there from the moment the gates opened. Sunglasses, bucket hats and broad smiles filled the pebbles as the sea shimmered under clear blue skies, while Brighton Palace Pier framed one side of the site and the city skyline the other. It already felt like Brighton’s biggest beach party before the first beat had landed.
Brighton’s own Sasha GiGi opened proceedings to an enthusiastic early crowd, her name glowing across the giant LED screens in turquoise graphics perfectly matching her outfit. A familiar face on the South Coast scene, she eased festival-goers into the afternoon with a warm Balearic-inspired selection, including Solomun’s ‘Love Recycled 1’, her effortless blend of house and melodic grooves perfectly complementing the blazing sunshine as the beach slowly came to life.
Next came Fish56Octagon, who has gone from lockdown TikTok sensation to one of Britain’s most recognisable dance DJs. Having first started DJing in the mid-1990s before his online following exploded during the pandemic, Fish is now midway through an extensive UK and European tour that has already taken in Creamfields and major festivals overseas. Bouncing enthusiastically behind the Pioneer decks in his unmistakable black ACID T-shirt emblazoned with the famous tongue logo, his infectious personality proved every bit as entertaining as his set. Will Clarke’s ‘WHAT!’ landed particularly well, while Alex Mills’ ‘If You Want Me To’ would later provide a satisfying thread through the day when Fatboy Slim revisited it during his headline performance.
Australian selector CC:Disco! effortlessly shifted the mood. A globe-trotting DJ and broadcaster with a regular radio show, she’s become renowned for sets built around slow-burning, uplifting house, disco and Balearic grooves. Dancing behind the decks beneath a black cap shielding her from the blazing afternoon sun, she made everything look wonderfully effortless. Rico’s ‘Spanish Hustle’ drifted beautifully across the beach, while her feel-good selections demonstrated exactly why she’ll be joining Fatboy Slim again for his Ibiza residency later this summer.
By late afternoon, house royalty Derrick Carter took control. Widely regarded as one of the pioneers of Chicago house since the late 1980s, Carter has spent more than three decades shaping underground dance music while continuing to headline clubs and festivals across Europe and America. His trademark blend of chunky basslines, funk and jackin’ house never felt forced, instead patiently building momentum as the crowd thickened across the boarded pebbles. Chico Rose’s ‘Beep Beep’ slipped seamlessly into a set that balanced underground credibility with irresistible festival energy.
With the beach now packed, Seth Troxler seamlessly took things into peak-time territory. Born in suburban Detroit and now based in Berlin, Troxler remains one of house music’s most charismatic selectors, and Thursday marked roughly the halfway point of a hectic month that sees him play twenty-two dates across London, Malta, Majorca, Ibiza, Marbella and Amsterdam. Sporting a baseball cap and his limited-edition ‘He Ain’t Here’ shirt, he delivered rolling house and hypnotic techno tailor-made for the golden hour. ‘Electric Monkey’ by Dimensional Depth and ‘My Life Is A Disco’ by Mellizos & Mix-Masters landed beautifully before Scott C.’s ‘Tonight’ became one of the day’s defining moments. Troxler clapped above his head as the track reached its crescendo while huge jets of fire and smoke erupted across the front of the stage, sending the now-capacity crowd into full celebration.
By the time Fatboy Slim emerged at 8pm there was barely a spare patch of covered shingle left.
Stepping on stage in one of his famously loud Hawaiian shirts—a dark green number covered with red roses, skulls and ‘I Love You’ slogans—Norman Cook received the kind of welcome reserved only for hometown heroes. As the evening sun began to sink over the Channel, bathing the beach in golden light, he reminded everyone exactly why Brighton and Fatboy Slim remain inseparable.
His two-hour headline set delivered everything expected and more: euphoric classics, fresh edits, playful mash-ups and a spectacular visual production that transformed the beach into one enormous open-air nightclub. Giant lips, the unmistakable smiley face, enormous gold teeth emblazoned with “Fatboy Slim” and a riot of psychedelic visuals filled the towering LED screens throughout.
Halfway through the set, the Purple Disco Machine remix of ‘Praise You’ triggered one of the biggest singalongs of the night, reportedly carrying across the coastline towards Hove, Portslade and even Shoreham. Underworld’s ‘Born Slippy’ injected another huge rush of euphoria before Alex Mills’ ‘If You Want Me To’ resurfaced, neatly linking back to Fish56Octagon’s earlier appearance.
One of the evening’s standout moments came when Cook climbed down to the front barrier during Tim Deluxe’s ‘It Just Won’t Do’, standing above the crowd clapping along as explosions of brightly coloured liquid splashed across the screens behind him. It was impossible not to be transported back to those legendary Brighton beach parties of the early 2000s.
As ‘Push The Tempo’ gave way to Michael Gray and Kimberly Brown’s ‘Fly Away’, anticipation reached boiling point. A tease of Nirvana riffs briefly rippled through the PA before the countdown finally gave way to ‘Right Here, Right Now’, prompting thousands of hands to shoot skywards as darkness settled across the seafront.
That sense of shared celebration is what makes ‘On The Beach’ feel special. Those who danced at Big Beach Boutique in 2002 stood shoulder to shoulder with fans too young to remember it, while locals mixed effortlessly with visitors from across the country. It wasn’t simply nostalgia—it was proof that Brighton continues to reinvent its dance music legacy for a new generation.
Since launching in 2021, ‘On The Beach’ has evolved into one of Brighton’s defining cultural events, attracting global artists while retaining the uniquely relaxed spirit of a city that has always embraced music on its own terms. Judging by this spectacular opening night, the 2026 edition has started exactly as it intends to continue—with world-class DJs, world-class production and one unforgettable backdrop.
Big Beach Boutique may belong to Brighton’s history, but Fatboy Slim proved once again that its spirit is still very much alive.
On The Beach Brighton 2026 continues with Fatboy Slim’s remaining Big Beach Boutique 7 shows across the weekend before the festival returns next week for another virtually sold-out run featuring Madness, The Maccabees and Moby, further cementing its place as one of the UK’s premier seaside music festivals. There are currently at the time of publishing a few tickets still available for Madness’ Thursday 23rd July show – Grab yours HERE. There are also a few tickets still on offer for The Maccebees Saturday 25th July show which also features Editors, Miles Kane, Anna Calvi, Ash, Badly Drawn Boy, & Lime Garden – Purchase your tickets HERE.
