'Party of the year' is just around the corner

Fatboy Slim, one of the biggest names in music, is heading to Giant’s Park, Dargan Road, Belfast, on Saturday May 8 with one of the most spectacular stage shows ever seen in Northern Ireland.

Fat Boy Slim, AKA Norman Cook, who took the weekend number one spot on the Beatport download chart with Weapon Of Choice (Lazy Rich Remix), returns to Northern Ireland for the first time since his triumphant performance at the Portrush Beach Party in June 2006.

The superstar DJ and producer does not travel light; a specially strengthened stage has had to be shipped in to support the weight of the high tech equipment that will accompany the first ever concert at the new park on Belfast Lough’s North foreshore.

Speaking of his plans for the show Fatboy Slim said: “It’s great that we’re the first to hold a party in the park! I love the idea that we go to interesting new places where no-one’s had the bottle to do a party before. When we do it outdoors in a beautiful park or on a beach people just go that little bit crazier. We were the first to do it at Loch Ness, we did it on Brighton Beach, we did it in Yokohama in Japan.”

The show will feature the biggest lasers ever brought into Ireland, up to eight times brighter than local audiences will have seen before, and a giant 6m x 10m super high quality video screen.

“Fans can expect a huge outdoor dance party with as much visual entertainment as we are allowed. Everything we are allowed to do we will.

“There’s nothing I can tell Irish crowds about how to behave - just keep on doing exactly what you do. I’m really looking forward to it.” exclaims Cook.

Fatboy Slim is noted for chart topping tracks such as 'Praise You', 'Right Here Right Now', 'Rockafella Skank' (Funk Soul Brother), 'Weapon of Choice' and massive open air concert spectaculars. He has headlined major global festivals such as the O2 Wireless Festival, Global Gathering, Rockness and Glastonbury.

In July 2002 a free homecoming gig on Brighton beach drew an audience of a quarter of a million people; the local police stepped in stopping the gig and Norman Cook was barred from playing in his home town for the next five years.

The full line-up for the Giant's Park concert includes Fatboy Slim with support from Deadmau5, Zane Lowe, Kissy Sell Out, Sidney Samson, Thomas Gandey and Belfast's very own DJ Mog.

The show will be complemented by a gigantic funfair located on site with an abundance of rides and games as well as merchandise stalls and a selection food stalls with an international twist.

Gates open at 4pm with artists on-stage from 5pm-1am. Tickets, priced from 39.95 plus booking fees, are on sale now from Ticketmaster, www.plmpromotions.com and independent outlets nationwide. Full concert details can be found by logging onto www.plmpromotions.com

Belfast Bus Company is running shuttle buses from Belfast city centre to Giant’s Park from 3.30pm. For more information on shuttle buses and for a full list of services to other parts of Belfast phone 028 9074 2444.