It attracted 250,000 partygoers and was one of Brighton’s biggest ever events.
But Norman Cook is promising it will be surpassed on every level by this year’s version of the Big Beach Bootique in the American Express Community Stadium next month.
The Hove-based DJ says he is gearing up for the biggest gig of his career with a mixture of excitement and nerves.
The 46,000 fans who will see the two Big Beach Bootique 5 gigs on June 1 and 2 will see one of the biggest large screens this country has seen measuring 60m across.
About 80 technical staff will have a week to create the giant rave show Norman says he has always dreamed of.
Speaking to The Argus this week, he said: “It’s the biggest show I have done, it’s the chance to do the show I always wanted to.
“Whenever we did the beach events we were always struggling with the time we could build it, by the number of close neighbours and because we would have to close the road for a limited time.
“Production was quite shoddy on the beach events, we had to cut corners, but this time it can be lavish.
“I think any nerves I have will just be ‘please not let anything go wrong on these nights’.” Norman said he’s beginning to pick up a positive “vibe” around the city in anticipation of the two gigs which will also feature Carl Cox, Nero and The Two Bears.
He has been planning the show for months and new videos have been shot to adapt to the giant screen.
Norman says one of the biggest problems is having too many songs he wants to play.
Soaking up the atmosphere
The 48-year-old said he’s not sure what he will be doing in the build-up to the event after flying in from Ibiza on Tuesday.
He said: “I think I will be there at the stadium all day. All the rest of the acts I’ve invited so I should be there overseeing it.
“I think I’ll just be walking around in an excited haze soaking up the atmosphere.
“I’ll be keeping all my guests and friends at the other end of the pitch in the West Stand hospitality. It’ll be like a wedding so I won’t have time to speak to everyone.”
Following the Amex gig, Norman will be playing three gigs in Ukraine and Poland this year to coincide with an England group game in the European Championships, the quarter-final and final.
Norm said he was scaling down his usual football-tournament celebrations because the FA have advised him they are not expecting as many fans to travel this year.
Norm also confirmed that he will working with Brighton-based hip-hop duo Rizzle Kicks again having worked on their hit single Mama Do The Hump.
He said: “We’ve been swapping ideas.”
Were you there at the Big Beach Boutique 2 event on Brighton beach in 2002?
Do you recognise your younger self in the picture above taken during that epic gig?
Let us know if you can see yourself in this picture or go to our Facebook page facebook.com/brightonargus and tag yourself in the picture.
Tell us your memories of previous Big Beach Boutique events for a special Looking Back on the classic beach events.
Contact Neil Vowles on 01273 544530 or neil.vowles@theargus.co.uk.
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