With yet another Electric Picnic kicking off today I thought I would take a walk down memory lane and rekindle my memories of Underworld’s Fantastic performance in the Electric Arena at the festival on the Saturday night.

My whole summer had moulded itself around this one day, this one performance. Tickets bought moments after reading the line-up in early March, all friends notified and recruited, tent bought, bags packed…

Electric Picnic is one of those rare festivals where things run smoothly, people are open and friendly and there is always a sense of pure joy no matter where you go. This is very much the case when the bad weather stays away, and with 2008 having the wettest summer on record, our hopes were not high – but somehow the weekend was bone dry!!

The Arena was packed full by the time Underworld took to the stage, many people having to stand outside or reduced to catch the P-Funk All Stars on the Main Stage. Luckily I had found a spot right in front of the stage  on a high ridge in the ground that gave me a great view over the crowd. It also helped being tall!

With the atmosphere being so positive the whole weekend, I was blown away by surge in blissful celebration that occurred when Rick and Karl fired up the happiness machine and drenched the masses with showers of beautiful sun filled beats. Karl was his usual self, dancing to every minute rhythm, while Rick and Darren occupied themselves busily behind the machines. ..

The usual mix of new and old stuff for a festival set-list.. no surprises!

• Spoonman
• Glam Bucket
• Cowgirl
• Rez
• Beautiful Burnout
• Two Months Off
• You Do Scribble
• King of Snake
• Born Slippy .NUXX

By the time Rez/Cowgirl had finished it was like Rick and Karl had just made a few thousand new best friends… the craic was mighty.. it was a party… one of those pure parties where there is not one person in the room who is not having a good time.. nobody has work the next morning.. there is plenty of booze and whatever else to go round.

Whether it was the horseman waving at Karl and getting a response during KOS (“its the Horseman!..the Horseman!”)… a man in a Banana suit with a Mexican wrestler on his back… or most amazing light show on offer at the whole festival… everyone in that room was overcome with joy…

The Boys left the stage after Two Months Off as Darren took his time in the sun firing up You Do Scribble… the unknowing were suddenly blown away by the unreal pace of the now newly released track. Rick returned soon after to kick the synth into life.. Karl danced on and took to the mic.

As KOS fired up and people sensed the climax was approaching Karl was dancing on “Celtic Energy” and a deep mix grew into the heavy drums of Born Slippy .NUXX — the roof was taking off… the sound of the crowd nearly louder than the music…

…The outro to .NUXX is still one of my favourite yet.. Rick at the absolute top of his game rising beats to catastrophic levels.. and the release of those famous synth lines matched by the release of the now famous Inflatable balls… the Arena had turned into a playground…

The best party I have ever been to… by far