Fatboy Slim on the deck. Photo courtesy Sachyn

Global Icons, the hospitality company behind Cape Town’s Biggest Football Party at the Cape Town International Convention Centre, are giving away 10 sets of double tickets to see Fatboy Slim on Friday, June 18.

Fatboy Slim is one of the most popular disc jockeys of the last two decades, with hits such as The Rockafeller Skank, Right Here, Right Now, Praise You and Ya Mamma. He is the official football DJ for England and tickets to his concert on Friday, to start after England play Algeria at Cape Town Stadium, are sure to sell quickly.

To stand a chance of winning one of 10 sets of double tickets to this concert, leave a comment below, explaining why you are such a big Fatboy Slim fan.

Winners will be contacted on Thursday, June 17. Terms and conditions apply.

Find out more about the Global Icons Expo-tainment experience on their Facebook page: www.facebook.com/globalicons.

THIS COMPETITION WAS CLOSED AT 12 NOON, THURSDAY JUNE 17. SEE OUR VIDEO OF HIS CONCERT.

Without further ado, here are some of the people and the sights that supplied the “wow” factor to Cape Town’s Welcome Party tonight. Wearing their colours with pride, people off all shapes and sizes pulled through for what was the first in a line of awesome parties to come. Ayoba! Photos by Ingrid Sinclair.

With only a few hours to go until the 2010 FIFA World Cup™, celebrations have begun in earnest at Soweto’s Orlando Stadium. True to African style and a first in FIFA history, this year’s tournament is bursting onto international screens with a song. This is the first World Cup to be inaugurated by a concert, and billed are the likes of Alicia Keys, the Black Eyed Peas, John Legend, The Parlotones, Angélique Kidjo and South Africa’s Voice, Vusi Mahlasela.

Waka Waka, the official FIFA World Cup™ anthem, will also be performed by Colombian superstar, Shakira, and our very own Freshly Ground. Somalian K’Naan will be calling out for football freedom with his own Waving Flag.

Broadcast to over 30 000 audience members and millions more worldwide – with the help of the South African Broadcasting Corporation, ESPN2, online music site VEVO and a little primetime coverage from ABC – this concert promises to raise the roof on international expectations.

When 70% of the music line-up are African, you can be sure the world will know where the heart of music for 2010 beats.

Tiffany Turkington-Palmer is at the event and says, “It’s absolutely fantastic! The organisation has been superb. There are thousands of people here, but the toilets are spotless and the organisation is really impressive! There is an amazing atmosphere!

In the queue for the concert. Photo: Tiffany Turkington-Palmer

The vibe is fantastic! Photo: Tiffany Turkington-Palmer

Bafana Bafana supporters turn out in their thousands. Photo: Tiffany Turkington-Palmer

Celebrating the start of the 2010 FIFA World Cup™ at the kick-off concert! Photo: Tiffany Turkington-Palmer

Bafana Bafana may have not quite been up to the task in their 3-0 loss against Uruguay in Pretoria last night, but at the Cape Town International Convention Centre (CTICC) local Afrikaans hip-hop act, Die Antwoord, ensured that football fans kept smiling as they enjoyed Cape Town’s Biggest Football Party.

The controversial trio, who go by the names Ninja, Yolandi Vi$$er and DJ Hi-Tek, were superbly unorthodox as they performed hits such as Enter the Ninja and Fish Paste.

The photographs below were taken by Travis Robertson.

International dance act, Flash Republic, will be entertaining fans at Cape Town’s Biggest Football Party at the CTICC on Thursday evening.

Spirited fans joined in the Cape Town celebrations tonight. Photos by Ingrid Sinclair

It was a party that only Cape Town could deliver – a thousand vuvuzelas blown by revellers who were dressed up to represent South Africa, to support Bafana Bafana and to show the world, to “show ‘dem”, how it is done here at the southern tip of Africa. Big and small, old and young, ugly and not, it was an incredibly diverse crowd (as cosmopolitan as the Mother City herself) united under one banner – South Africa is ready to host the 2010 FIFA World Cup™!

Not to be outdone by our sister in the north, Cape Town came out in full support and gates to the Welcome Party, which was held at the Grand Parade (also the site of the FIFA Fan Fest), were closed earlier in the afternoon when the grounds reached capacity.

Facilities at the Fan Fest are top notch, with more than enough bar staff, plenty of visible security and a comfortable amount of space for everyone. If this is a sign of things to come, we are in for one doozy of a party! No-one had anything to complain about and, in fact, complete strangers came together to build an amazing camaraderie. 

We even got to take a get a photograph of Cape Town’s favourite weatherman, eTV’s Derek van Dam. A procession of TV characters and mascots, Cape minstrels and other over-the-top but ripe-for-a-celebration individuals were making their way up Darling Street and beyond to complete the Fan Walk in front of thousands of cheering locals and internationals.

But these were not the only interesting characters around tonight. People were sporting their Bafana Bafana shirts, their loudest (and biggest, and most colourful) hats, flags were big and flags were small … It was a festival of colour and sound unlike anything the city has seen. Even babies and toddlers were dressed up in beanies and bright yellow jackets to show their support.

eTV’s Derek van Dam gave the Welcome Party the thumbs-up!

What had been a beautiful winter’s day turned into a gorgeous winter’s night; there was no wind, the sky was clear, Table Mountain was lit up in all her glory, and not a sign of rain.

These are exciting times indeed as Cape Town’s biggest event – and the country’s proudest moment – comes to life. And the best part? It’s all happening here at home. We welcome all the visitors from far and not-so-far away, and we say … Ayoba!

Check out some of the photos from the night here.

See also:

•    Welcome the World party in full swing
•    Welcome party injects Cape Town with 2010 FIFA World Cup fever
•    Awesome concert kicks off 2010 FIFA World Cup