It was in Newcastle where Fatboy Slim first played as a sober DJ 10 years ago - but he still has a pre-show routine to get pumped up.
Fatboy Slim returns to the North East on Friday, to headline the .
The DJ - whose real name is Norman Cook - is one of the biggest names in dance music, with a career stretching back to the 1980s.
It will surprise nobody to hear that a lifetime behind the decks late at night means the Brighton native has done a fair amount of consumption.
But a decade ago, the You've Come a Long Way, Baby hitmaker decided enough was enough, entered rehab and put the booze away.
As Fatboy Slim told the Independent in 2015: "I gave up because I'd had enough. I gave it 30 good years. I caned the a**e out of it and left no stone unturned. But I would encourage everyone to have as much as fun as possible – while it is still fun."
It was in Newcastle's Digital club where an anxious Norman found himself playing his first set to a crowd without any Dutch courage.
"Ten years ago, was my first sober gig in my life," said Norman.
"That was the first gig I was able to do sober. It was a real test: can I still do this, have the drive and enjoy it?"
Norman admits he was 'petrified' that night in Times Square, but - a decade later - he is still touring and performing sober.
"Ten years on, I'm still here," the 56-year-old told ChronicleLive.
So, how does a DJ who spent decades indulging himself get in the zone without touching a drop?
"Three Red Bulls and a Hawaiian shirt, that's all I need these days," says Norman.
"The real key is to take my shoes off, that's how I get into character. Every time, I look down and it's absurd. It means I can't take myself seriously."
Norman does have one 'hit' before he walks to the turntables.
"My tour manager slaps me - hard - in the face and I come out fighting," said Norman.
"It just gets the blood going, so I go on stage, ready for action."
Fatboy Slim will play at Shindig in MainYard, Gateshead on Friday. It is the first event at the 4,500 capacity venue. Patrick Topping and his Trick label .
Norman is looking forward to opening MainYard.
He said: "There's a certain excitement about it, if you're playing a venue created for its atmosphere, as a DJ, sometimes the environment dictates the atmosphere," .
"I'm assuming it's kind of a warehouse vibe; if you go to a dirty venue, you behave in a dirty way, which I'm always in favour of."
Final tickets for Shindig presents Fatboy Slim are on sale here .
