Boomtown Fair looks set to be bigger and better than ever before. Running since 2009, this year’s instalment- titled ‘Chapter 11: A Radical City’- is a musical amalgamation of epic proportions. The line-up features over 1000 artists across 38 stages this year, the event’s largest ever. With acts spanning a number of genres from drum & bass, techno and house to folk, there’s something for everyone here. Headlining acts include the festival’s founders, Groove Armada, the truly unmissable heroes of electro.
If you’re looking for Leeds favourites aka the drum and bass corner, consider heading to the Relic Stage: recognisable names like Chase & Status, and My Nu Leng are sure to deliver heavy beats over the weekend. Shy FX brings his new Raggamuffin SoundTape to Friday’s lineup, where you’ll hear his amazingly varied sounds from his original jungle edge to new big hits like Roll the Dice.
Highlights for rap acts this year include Little Simz on Saturday, at the Barrio Loco – another area of the festival that will be packed to the brim- and Slowthai arriving on Sunday as High Focus Takeover’s special guest. For something a bit different, rising spoken word star Kate Tempest will be performing on the Whistler’s Green stage – she’s a politically-minded south Londoner whose edgy lyrics and rhythms fit the frenetic tempo of Boomtown perfectly.
Alternatively (or, for the more alternative of you) head down to Diss-Order Alley for a selection of punk, metal and ska acts, most notably the rip-roaring duo Slaves still riding the wave of their popular third album Acts of Fear and Love.
These are but a tiny sample of the many artists heading to the Fair this year, with each stage or DJ bringing a new flavour to the festival. Psychedelic Forest, the Town Centre, Hangar 161- each themed area belies new opportunities for experience, as is the motive of Boomtown- an adventure in “the very best party the world has ever seen”.
If you’re dying for an early taste of the lineup, you can listen to Boomtown’s official Spotify playlist for this year’s event.
What to wear: since you’re already attending Leeds, I probably shouldn’t have to spell this one out for you too much. Kit yourself out in Blue Rinse’s finest and you should be fine.
Where to stay: Due to its enormous size you have plenty of choice for camping areas, from themed areas like Boomtown Springs or Camp Skylark, and even VIP areas if you’re feeling fancy.
How to make the most of the festival: don’t spend the whole time glued to the stages, head out there and explore! Known for its immersive nature, with a theatrical team of actors playing the inhabitants of the city, and a mind-blowingly enormous set of districts all with different themes, Boomtown is not for the fainthearted or shy. Play along with certain strange scenarios you find yourself in with these odd characters and locations, and you might end up with some new stories to tell.
Boomtown takes place at the Matterley Estate in Hampshire, from the 7th to the 11th of August 2019.
So go on, begin your adventure into the Radical City and grab your tickets here!