Fatboy Slim Smiles High at Global Gathering Georgia

Ok, so I should have written this yesterday. But, to be honest, I was still in recovery mode. I considered the headline: Mother of Three Survives Global Gathering Georgia, but couldn't fairly take the limelight from the true star of the show- 51 year-old British DJ Fatboy Slim who bounced around and shook his hips in a way my half-his-age (or so!) body could only remember! But then, this is what he does for a living. And does he do it well? I'll let the crowd he wowed on Friday answer for that:

(Overheard conversation): "Ra magaria!" (How coool!)

"Wasn't it awesome?"

"Beyond awesome!"

Bravo Records is responsible for organizing the September 11th wowzer that took place at the Rustavi Racecourse, inviting such greats as headliner Fatboy Slim (Norman Cook) to play alongside Kryder and Godskitchen resident Paul Thomas, amongst many others- including some up-and-coming Georgian DJs- from 6pm to around 8am.

Young Georgians came in dribs-and-drabs, transported to Rustavi from the capital on free buses provided by the organizers; smiling, giggling, excited and unsure what to expect. Such music and such festivals are a new thing here- many festival-goers were only just recovering from the August GEM Fest, many were unable to even go to GEM because of the distance (it was held at the beach resort of Analkia- in the top-most north-western corner of the country) and the cost of the tickets. Global Gathering, present in Georgia for the first time, however, offered free tickets to all.

The racecourse, with its two constantly-busy stages, thrumbed with an energy that all there seemed to feel in abundance. Fatboy Slim, coming on just after midnight and introduced by a round of fireworks, shook the stage with his enthusiasm. I had used my press band and sharp elbows to make sure I was centre floor to enjoy the show, having last seen him back in 2000 in a club in Barcelona. He teased his fans with tantalising shots of his well-loved 90s tracks- which immediately got people singing/shouting along, though he predominently stuck to his latest electronic material, with a creative screenshow rolling non-stop behind him crowned by his well-known Smile High Club logo which we saw not only on screen but on the huge bouncy balls he launched into the crowd halfway through the show.

Undoubtedly, it was a more subdued Global Gathering festival than one might experience in other locations, particularly Europe. But this can, I'm sure, be attributed to Georgia's inexperience in the field. Certainly, I could see (and hear) that the Georgians are ready for more!

Katie Ruth Davies

The video below shows Fatboy Slim's show at T in the Park, July 2015- the exact same format as that he gave to the Georgians at Global Gathering Georgia September 2015. The audience in Rustavi may have been smaller, but the enthusiasm was just as Smile High!