I’ve at all times stated Dubai is one of the best place on this planet to see reside music – with good climate (nearly) assured, a venue proper outdoors my workplace, and, at this specific amphitheatre, my work carpark – which means I could make the quickest get-away within the Center East when it’s throughout.
The unbelievable Eminem live performance the earlier week may not have lived as much as these expectations organisation-wise – and I gained’t be hurrying again to the Du Area any time quickly – however Celebration within the Park on the Media Metropolis amphitheatre promised to be a hassle-free solution to see Fatboy Slim in Dubai, and with out that nail-biting, stomach-in-your-mouth drive to Abu Dhabi.
I’m so glad I went! There have been quite a few performances – from Lighthouse Household and Richard Ashcroft amongst others – because the lead-up to the headline act, Fatboy Slim. Bear in mind him? He’s the famous person DJ, producer and hit-maker (aka Norman Cook dinner) who’s been persuading individuals to bop their socks off for many years.
My ticket for Fatboy Slim in Dubai was for entry after 9pm, which meant by the point I arrived many hard-core concert-goers had been consuming for hours. By myself, with a really imprecise association to satisfy a good friend of a good friend, I used to be instantly apprehended by Mr Off-his-Head from Eire.
“The place you from?” he requested. His phrases had been slurred, however the Irish lilt was unmistakable.
“Erm, England,” I replied cautiously. I didn’t need to give him the fallacious concept, however I additionally didn’t need to be impolite – and I’d be mendacity if I stated I wasn’t a tiny bit happy I used to be nonetheless chat-up-able!
A number of minutes of drunken lechery later, I gave up being well mannered and, after he merrily instructed me how a lot he hated the English, I tried to shake him off. I strode away however he adopted, stumbling alongside as if the bottom was the deck of a storm-tossed boat.
“St-st-stop,” he known as as he lurched forwards. “Get misplaced!” I needed to answer, however once more, politeness, gained the day. He caught up with me, and when he reached me, the rank odour of his booze breath was much more pungent than earlier than.
“I lurve you,” he spluttered and threw his arms round me like I used to be the final life jacket on a sinking ship. “No I do, I lurve yoouu!”
“You don’t even know me,” I retorted and fled!
At 10pm (and that little incident forgotten), Fatboy Slim appeared on set to rapturous applause and cheering. “I’m in Dubai,” he roared as hearth jets let off completely timed, big flames on the entrance of the stage. “Eat, Sleep, Rave, Repeat” spurred the gang on much more and, inside no time, 56-year-old Norman had reworked the amphitheatre right into a thumping rave.
Nonetheless filled with vitality, Norman pumped his fists, mimed alongside to the songs, and stored his viewers mesmerised. I used to be loving it – the half carnival, half superclub expertise, the stomping beats, the sensation I used to be at a mid-life rave, the hands-in-the-air moments, the unbelievable lighting, imagery, video and graphics. Slim, a seasoned performer and the lip-syncing lifetime of the social gathering, was giving us his finest and never about to go gently into the night time. It was AWESOME, nearly like being transported into one other realm!
Till the rave actuality examine occurred.
Son1, aka The Teenager, known as my telephone. “Mother, WHERE are you?” he demanded. “I have to borrow some cash.”