Beach Break Live:The Ultimate Success Story

• 24th Jun 2009

The UKs biggest student festival took place last week giving 10,000 revellers the ultimate party of the summer after the event moved site with just 6 days to go! After doubling in size and selling out of tickets for the first time ever, organisers were dealt a huge blow when they lost their site leading to the most emotional and turbulent week in BBL history. The unprecedented circumstances have had everyone in the industry talking about it with early reviews proving exceptional. Virtual Festivals gave Beach Break Live 10/10 for atmosphere and BBC website front-page story saying, “It’s their type of determination and spirit which would make established business tycoons proud”.

Both Dizzee Rascal and Ladyhawke said BBL was one of the best gigs they had ever done, with Dizzee’s turbo charged anthem ‘Bonkers’ setting the arena alight to close his Thursday night headline set with thousands of revellers bouncing with euphoria following Ladyhawkes stunning sun drenched set.

Celia Norowzian, co-founder of Beach Break Live said “I still can't quite believe the event happened. It has literally been the most emotionally and physically challenging weeks of our lives. On Monday the 8th, just 7 days before ticket holders were set to arrive we had exhausted all possibilities and were facing the end of Beach Break Live. In a last surge of hope and energy we found ourselves driving through the night 325 miles across the country to Kent. By Tuesday afternoon the event was back on… we just had the small hurdle of building it in only 5 days! It was totally insane. We can't thank the crew, artists and ticket holders enough for the over whelming support and extra effort from everyone. What this journey created was by far the best atmosphere we've ever had at Beach Break and a real feeling of something special. Thanks for keeping the faith!”

Last year Celia Norowzian and Ian Forshew, founders of Beach Break Live were the stars of a BBC documentary about the highs and lows of making a festival and this years Beach Break Live was the ultimate turbulent ride. Industry and ticket holder support for BBL 09 has been immense as the festival HQ has been flooded with letters and calls of support from people amazed by how organisers managed to turn the situation around when they lost their site just a week before the show.

The crew were undeterred and after locating Port Lympe Safari Park as the new site the beaches were built! Complete with palm trees, volleyball nets and the whitest sand to be found in any Kentish zoo, festival goers were playing beach games in their bikinis in no time!

The massive success of BBL 09 was unprecedented, a huge congratulations goes out to everyone who made this happen. Bring on 2010!