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.
