Carl Cox Steels the show in London with tribute to Keith Flint – The Sun

KEITH Flint is not dead.

That was the message sent out by his friend Carl Cox on Sunday night as the Prodigy legend’s music reverberated around the Steel Yard festival in Finsbury Park.

Thousands of hands were raised towards a heavenly sky of white clouds and green lasers as Smack My Bitch Up pulsated off the temporary structure’s towering metal walls.

And your heart would have to be made of the strongest titanium not to be moved by the track’s haunting vocals and the sight of so many music lovers – both young and old – paying tribute to the 1990s rave icon.

Prodigy frontman Keith, 49, is believed to have tragically taken his own life in March this year after a battle with depression.

But his memory will never be forgotten and the band’s hits continue to live on.

DJ legend Cox made sure of this at the 15,000 capacity venue when he closed his set with perhaps their most famous and controversial track.

Smack My Bitch Up was slammed for its “misogynistic” lyrics but the group hit back that the words actually referred to “doing anything intensely.”

Most fans cared little either way of course and the track went on to be voted the greatest dance tune of all time.

It has so much visceral energy that even those who had been going for the full nine hours could not resist its appeal as 10pm approached on Sunday.

Friends hugged and people started jumping as green lasers zigzagged through the air.

Yet the tribute is not the only thing to talk about on a weekend that confirmed Steel Yard’s reputation as a major event in the festival calendar.

This is the third time the Creamfields offshoot has pitched up in north London in a huge, arched structure.

The light displays alone were incredible with huge panels creating a constantly moving, 3D image behind the main stage while other effects allowed the creation of a bright, artificial sky even when darkness descended outside.

Nic Fanciulli, Steve Lawler, Eats Everything, Ricky Ahmed and Clara Da Costa were the other DJs on Sunday while Eric Prydz headlined the sold out event the previous day.

But Carl’s fast-paced, funky and finally emotional set was the one that stuck in my mind when I woke up on Monday morning.

Flipping through my photos, it also seemed fitting that an orange and yellow sunset coloured the real sky above the Steel Yard’s fairground rides just minutes before he got on stage.

The glow was eerie, not of this world, as it merged with thick white clouds. It felt like maybe Keith was popping by to have a look around.

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