s shaping up to be huge. It was free and his partner Zoe Ball was on the national radio every morning talking about it. I even saw mention of it on BBC national weather forecasts the night before. Stupidly I didn't try and get a photographers pass as I'd never bothered for anything else and thought I'd blag it if I needed to. As the day drew on and numbers swelled I felt too embaressed to try and ring for a blag. (I had a home phone number, but convinced myself all week it would be pushing it to phone as I didn't know them. I just had it from letting them know a print was ready - not a proper photographer approach at all!) Instead I tried a blagg as the imminent gig approached, but at the back stage entrance both me and the bouncer were laughing as I did so. Brighto is acity of blaggers and he must of been getting a lot of attempts. It was down to Martin at 'Bone Idol' to get me as close as I could. His beachclothes shop was where I took some shots from and the 70-200mm was the minimum I needed - glad to have at least that. All week I'd been planning to take this shot as you see it now - but from behind Fatboys raised arms , wideangle with a sea of people in front of him. Realistially even with a pass I wouldn't of been allowed behind him for more than a few seconds. Still I like this shot as there's plenty going on in the audiece - he does have ye olde hans raised... and blow me ... there's the West Pier having its last party before being burnt down. Photography wise this is just before the huge expplosion in mobile phone cameras and the consequent boom in camera sales. So there aren't many good crowed shots around as you'd think there'd be. I think the Argus one taken from the Grande is the closest to getting something of the feel when 200,000 people decended to party in a town of total population 250,000. This ones a good commemeration shot of the atmosphere with Mr Slim clear enough on the larger prints! Used on introduction page of the 2003 calendar.