Live Review: Fatboy Slim, Gorgon City, Motez, Spacey Space

The fact that this site is right on St Kilda Beach takes us back to Fatboy Slim's various Brighton Beach parties and we look forward to experiencing one of Norman Cook's DJ sets in a similar setting that's probably as close as we'll ever get to those raved-about raves. There are many Hawaiian shirts on bods in tribute to the great man and a coupla carni rides have been set up on site for those seeking extra thrills.

Boasting a quarter of a century's experience behind the decks, Melbourne's own Spacey Space is in the mix as we enter and plays some n-tish tunes for scattered early arrivals while a large Kermit puppet perched on the front of the console surveys the munters. It smells like chaff in here! A remix of Fleetwood Mac's Dreams is particularly well received.

We notice there's also a punter with Kermit puppet slung over shoulders bouncing through the crowd as Iraqi Australian Motez hits the decks. His energy is soulful and uplifting, and the beats are sick, but we all hanker for more volume!

Going to silence in between sets is a bit amateur-hour. What happened to a bit of pre-set communication and mixing tracks in? There's only one half of electronic duo Gorgon City behind the console, but we're drawn towards the dancefloor nonetheless. You'll definitely know their track featuring MNEK, Ready For Your Love, with its killer, hip-dislocating breakdown. We stand motionless and in awe of the Plasticine Medusa visuals! Duke Dumont x Gorgon City's Real Life is rapturously received and another of Gorgon City's own cuts, Primal Call, sees dancing feet stirring up the dust as siren sounds make us feel off chops.

There's a noticeable volume adjustment just before a barefoot Fatboy Slim hits the decks and a roar goes up as we recognise a down-tempo version of Praise You featuring a female vocalist. Cook's effervescent energy behind the console - and, in fact, all over the stage - is as rambunctious as a toddler and Eat, Sleep, Rave, Repeat turns the foreshore into a sea of flailing limbs and stoopid grins. Bass throbs up through our feet at last!

"If you came to party, let me see your hands up!" Fatboy Slim mixes in heaps of demands for audience participation, which turns the party into a game of Simon Says. He reaches for a pair of air horns and picks them up, but they don't work! There's an "OOooooh!" of disappointment from the crowd. The revellers just love Cook's peacocking style! He's a crowd conductor, miming for us to get down low before launching skyward with the drop.

The Shapeshifters' Lola's Theme incites an instant singalong: "I'm a different person!" But we're all united today. Cook misses a mix 'cause he's having too much fun, looks up while mouthing, "Sorry!" then cranks into Uptown Funk by Mark Ronson. All is immediately forgiven. It's the little snippets and teases of classic tracks (Seven Nation Army, anyone?) that define a Fatboy Slim set.

"Run DMC and Jam Master J," we shout in each other's faces. On the screen, famous faces morph into one another, which calls to mind Michael Jacksons's Black Or White video. We identify some dead legends and pay our respects while we dance: James Gandolfini, Bowie and then Prince becomes a giant, dazzling mirror ball. "Right about now/The funk soul brother" - Fatboy Slim's own Rockafeller Skank ups the ante. "Everyone is beautiful/Alright/Everyone is beautiful/Tonight" - choruses are simple enough to learn quickly and then sing, directing lyrics towards that hot stranger/about to be someone across the dancefloor. Then in comes Groove Armada's I See You Baby ("Shakin' that ass") and asses are obediently shaken. 

We can't quite work out whether Cook is cooked, but he sure does mop his brow with a towel somewhat regularly, also helicoptering it above his head to really get the crowd going. "They know what is what/But they don't know what is what... What the fuck!?" Fatboy Slim's Star 69 is mixed in as the sun sets and then broken up with a snippet of James Brown's Sex Machine, with The Godfather Of Soul also making an appearance on screen. Then we return to Star 69 for some more struttin' and swearin'. House Of Pain's Jump Around is an unexpected addition that gets everyone doing just that - sunnies fly from tops of heads and bevos spill everywhere. We can't get enough of his own cuts and Right Here, Right Now is a spiritual experience while we gaze out over the ocean and up at the vivid pink sunset with arms stretched skyward. 

Cook flings the Kermit puppet from console into crowd. Prince's 1999 is a genius inclusion. And then we return to Praise You, but yet another groovy version as Cook helicopters headphones overhead, beaming. It all feels a bit emotional. Some green lasers cut through the dusk. Cook's energy needs bottling, marketing and selling.

And do you wanna know what else is great? Unused drink cards can be cashed in at show's end.