Legendary DJ Fatboy Slim brought energy and nostalgia to the opening night of BBC Radio 1’s Big Weekend with a crowd-pleasing headline performance in Sunderland.

Performing at Herrington Country Park, the 62-year-old electronic music icon had thousands of festivalgoers dancing and chanting throughout a high-energy set packed with classic hits and creative mashups.

Fatboy Slim opened the performance by teasing his iconic track Praise You before blending it with Don’t Stop Me Now by Queen, instantly igniting the crowd.

The veteran DJ kept the atmosphere alive with a nonstop mix of dance anthems, samples, and crowd favourites that highlighted his decades-long influence on electronic music culture. Fans were eventually rewarded with a full version of “Praise You,” which triggered one of the loudest singalongs of the evening.

The performance marked a standout moment during the dance-focused first day of the festival, with attendees embracing the event’s party atmosphere under the theme of “eat, sleep, rave, repeat.”

BBC Radio 1’s Big Weekend continues across the weekend with performances from major artists spanning pop, rock, dance, and alternative music genres.