Fatboy Slim headlines intimate gig at The Pipeline
Norman Cook, known globally as Fatboy Slim, took to the stage at The Pipeline in Brighton on Sunday for a sell-out performance in front of just 60 fans. The Brighton-based DJ described the experience as 'very humbling' and used the opportunity to champion the grassroots music scene.
The venue, a small room above a bar, is currently earmarked for purchase by Music Venue Properties (MVP), a community interest company often described as the 'National Trust for music venues'. MVP aims to secure the venue under community ownership to ensure its survival.
Fatboy Slim on supporting grassroots venues
Ahead of his set, Fatboy Slim told the Press Association that he felt 'strongly' about supporting grassroots music venues. 'They start careers, and in the twilight of mine, I wanted to give something back,' he said. 'There’s a lot of DJs in my family, we all feel the same, it’s a nice thing to do. They are really important for preserving.'
The high-energy headliner delivered a set packed with hits including 'The Rockafeller Skank', 'Right Here, Right Now', and more, as the crowd jumped, clapped, and cheered in the intimate space. He admitted he knew the venue would be 'intimate' but wasn't sure if it would feel like a 'fun house party' before music lovers were dancing on cushioned seating and singing along.
Everywhere At Once festival finale
The gig capped off the final night of the debut festival 'Everywhere At Once', which organised over 2,000 artists performing at more than 400 grassroots venues across the country. The festival took place on what would have been Glastonbury Festival weekend, aiming to remind audiences that live music is not just for major cities or festival fields but can be found 'on your doorstep'.
Fatboy Slim’s support act was Jacobi Knight, his daughter Nelly Cook’s boyfriend, while his son Woody Cook supported hip hop duo Rizzle Kicks at Patterns on Brighton seafront. The star-studded lineup over the weekend included Tinie Tempah and Becky Hill.
Music Venue Trust calls for government support
Mark Davyd, chief executive and founder of Music Venue Trust, one of the festival’s organisers, told the crowd before Fatboy Slim’s set: 'These venues are absolutely essential. We are a music nation. We should be demanding the Government do more to support them.'
The Everywhere At Once festival is backed by the National Lottery, which has funded £1.3 billion in music-related projects since 1994.
Pipeline owner on venue's future
The Pipeline owner, Thomas Evrenos, told PA the festival was a 'great idea'. 'We usually compete with Glastonbury, and a lot of people, bands, are going away during this weekend, and suddenly we have a really good festival for everyone,' he said. 'We’re honoured to have a pretty cool lineup, so we’re happy.'
Mr Evrenos set up The Pipeline nine years ago after being made redundant from his banking job in 2008. On plans for the MVP purchase, he said: 'If it happens, I think for me it will feel really good to know that this place will continue to be a music venue even when I give up and I will have better support. I think for the community in Brighton as a whole, if it’s a designated earmarked live music venue, I think that would be fantastic. I probably still have to pay rent, so it will still be a struggle for me, but it would be really good to have a landlord that understands my situation.'
MVP's Own Our Venues campaign
MVP’s Own Our Venues campaign seeks to save community venues by adopting a 'cultural lease' for affordable rents, maintenance contributions, and long-term tenure security. Created by charity Music Venue Trust, MVP has bought nine properties since 2022 that house grassroots gigs to conserve them as 'cultural sites' and has raised around £7 million through crowdfunding and fundraising to support the projects.
