On the day of Fatboy Slim's Big Beach Boutique 4 gig, the local paper -
The Argus - ran with the headline: "Fears thousands of gatecrashers will target Fatboy gig." But all such fears were unfounded. It's true that many more thousands were there than the 22,000 ticket holders, milling all around Madeira Drive and Marine Parade, and the beaches next to Brighton Pier that survived being closed off. The gig was a curiosity for many onlookers. Not that they could get very close. There was even a flotilla of yachts, anchored off the beach. They were the lucky ones. Unlike any other event, staged in Madeira Drive, the view from Marine Parade above was completely screened off. There was little pavement room left for pedestrians to walk along.
Unlike his last gig in the bitter wet and cold of New Year's Day, Big Beach Boutique 4 enjoyed the sunny and balmy weather of a late September day.
There were plenty ticket touts about, and one or two bootleggers with mobile recording equipment.
