Basement Jaxx | Gilles Peterson | Rob Galliano | Tom Central| Josh Parkinson
Dreamland, Margate, Kent
twenty sixth July 2025
Basement Jaxx introduced their visually arresting reside present to the Kent coast on Saturday night time after they whipped up a storm on The Scenic Stage at Margate’s Dreamland.
2025 has seen the welcome return of Basement Jaxx to the reside area for the primary time in 10 years, and Dreamland’s Summer season Sequence had been very fortunate to safe such a treasured alternative. Having performed a handful of gigs already, together with Latitude and Coachella, Basement Jaxx had been able to social gathering by the point they arrived in Thanet. The duo of Felix Buxton and Simon Ratcliffe, accompanied by some very particular performers, noticed to it that nothing was left on the desk as they threw the kitchen sink, and extra, into delivering a surprising reside efficiency.
Earlier than the principle act, simply as coach a great deal of day trippers made their approach off the seashore, had their final go within the arcade and completed off their Fortnum & Mason chips from Pete’s Fish Manufacturing unit, it was the flip of three DJs to entertain the rising crowds. First up, in his leopard print jacket, gold mirror shades and Magenta baseball cap was Josh Parkinson.“I grew up right here, I needed to transfer away”, mentioned Josh, “it is a dream come true”. A short spell of rain simply earlier than the park opened to the general public dissipated shortly to convey again the nice and cozy glow of the summer time solar as Josh introduced a smile to the faces of these earlier than him as he performed some Sade, some En Vogue and even some Angie Stone. “Thanks for dancing with me”, Josh mentioned earlier than handing over to Tom Central.
Tom Centrals set was a bit extra area of interest and a bit extra laid again as he spun some Latin rhythms for the Margate large. Glitter and sequins had been most definitely de rigueur for the carnival crowd. As Tom warmed up the viewers, it was clear that at the very least one girl had undoubtedly acquired the memo concerning the gown code. In a sequined bathe cap, a sequined vest and with a sequined bum bag, right here was one strolling glitter ball prepared to bop the night time away. Central completed off his set with tunes from Jamz Supernova and Homicide He Wrote earlier than Gilles Peterson and Rob Galliano took to the Pioneer DJ decks.
Peterson, in double denim, stone suede desert boots and a pink Astro Black T, started his set with a tune lifted from that day’s GP 6Music present, particularly Joe Bataan’s The Bottle. Peterson, with the occasional assist of a relatively nonchalant, poorly microphoned Galliano, handled the packed crowd earlier than them to some Jazz dancing, a bit Dub and a bit Reggae earlier than signing off with Invoice Withers Beautiful Day.
Because the solar dropped decrease within the sky, an enhanced stage was arrange for the night time’s a lot anticipated headliners. In entrance of the large video display screen in the back of the stage, Basement Jaxx had constructed a sloping addition to the stage, full with an enormous cutout, simply sufficiently big to accommodate Buxton and Radcliffe. To the left and proper of the stage had been two units of steps main as much as the again of the slope, and additional ahead stood two units of drums and percussion. Even earlier than the present started, it was clear that one thing out of the strange was about to occur.
As 9pm arrived, so too did Basement Jazz. The massive ape that had been surveying the group from the video wall gave approach to Felix and Simon because the band’s intro was spliced right into a thumping model of Good Luck. The social gathering had effectively and really begun, and there was no turning again now. With every tune, the present, and it was most definitely a present, acquired larger and greater.
Bingo-Bango shifted into Soar N’ Shout as two singers turned three, after which three singers had been joined by elaborately costumed dancers. Raindrops slowed the tempo however upped the spectacle as an enormous flower walked onto the stage and unfurled her petals to the beat of the monitor. This was, you needed to remind your self at instances, Margate, nevertheless it may simply have been Vegas. The visuals had been breathtaking because the dancers slid throughout the stage in a vivid and vibrant piece of efficiency artwork.
Silver area age attire, metallic leotards and neon pink sea urchins ensured that you possibly can not avert your eyes for a second as Basement Jaxx performed one banger after one other. Crimson Alert (“Margate, are you able to social gathering? Effectively alright then”), Romeo, Rendez-Vu and Simply 1 Kiss enthralled the dancing Dreamlanders. As ten o’clock approached, so too did the tip of the night time as Cish Money led Basement Jaxx into the night’s greatest second. It was inevitable, and it was sensible, that The place’s Your Head At would finish the principle set and whip the group right into a frenzy. WYHA was the spotlight of so many as apes bounced down from the again of the stage while the efficiency was nonetheless happening. BJ reappeared for a brief encore of Categorical Your self and a brand new monitor, Bambina, earlier than leaving the stage for the ultimate time. Because the delighted viewers began making their approach house, they had been nonetheless chanting – The place’s Your Head At?
Basement Jaxx curated a setlist that delivered at every flip, in a beautiful, whirlwind efficiency that had every little thing however left you craving for just a bit extra. Felix and Simon, along with a supremely proficient forged, introduced a circus efficiency to The Scenic Stage and carried it off with aplomb. Saturday nights don’t get quite a bit higher than this.
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You could find Basement Jaxx on-line right here: They’re additionally on
Fb and X, as @TheBasementJaxx
You could find Gilles Peterson on-line right here: They’re additionally on
Fb
You could find Tom Central on Fb and X, as @tomcentral
You could find Josh Parkinson on Fb and Instagram
All phrases and picture gallery by Andrew Lockwood. Extra writing by Andrew Lockwood might be discovered at his writer’s archive.
Important pictures by Hels Millington.
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