THE BIG BOOMTOWN REVIEW

Hidden within the hills of the South Downs National Park, Boomtown returned for it’s annual five-day get-together – a festival that can only be described as an immersive world of music, art, and theatrical storytelling. Unlike the typical music event, Boomtown takes place in a diverse ‘city’, complete with streets, characters and a narrative that evolves as the weekend goes on. From the industrial chaos of Area 404, to the tranquillity of Thrutopia, each district and stage held a unique perspective to the festival that ensured every citizen of Boomtown could find something that they enjoyed. 

Across the five intense days of music, the festival was overflowing with a wide range of genres which catered to each taste. From punk legends like the Sex Pistols, to the iconic club hit king Sean Paul – Boomtown truly provided something for everyone. 

Gladde Paling 

To kick off the beginning of the weekend, many were lucky enough to catch the much-loved Dutch artist Gladde Paling at a very busy Spectrum 360. With the stage placed in the middle of the crowd, the high energy set perfectly captured the excitement of the festival’s opening day, and it didn’t take long before the audience were hooked. His genre-defying chaos had the crowd dancing and singing as techno beats were mixed with classics such as “Pretty Rave Girl” and even some Nickelback anthems. It was a most definitely a set that raised the bar for the entire weekend – and one that might be impossible to top. 

Friday

Opening Ceremony

To mark the official beginning of the festival, Boomtown held an opening ceremony to introduce the citizens to the weekend and speak about the importance of the festival beliefs and what it all means. Symbolic dancers and performers graced the stage as coloured smoke lit the air. Audience members stood in awe as a speech was displayed on screen, promoting unity and togetherness – and the importance of these at Boomtown itself. Joining the dancers for their own unique sections were vocalists Eva Lazarus, Namesbliss and Grove, each bringing their personal talent to deliver a surprisingly emotional show to the Grand Central stage. The ceremony closed with a display of fireworks and confetti cannons – preparing the audience for the weekend to come. 

Joey Valence & Brae 

Providing a wave of old-school skater energy to the Grand Central Stage, Joey Valence & Brae delivered one of the most energetic sets of the entire weekend. With mosh pits forming in every direction, the two-piece made their presence known as they jumped around the stage, conducting the crowd. It was clear to see the duo loved their performance just as much as the audience did, and the chaos only got more and more intense as the set went on. “PUNK TACTICS” was the highlight of their show, with not one body remaining still.

Souls of Mischief 

As the sun started to cool down on Friday afternoon, the Grand Central stage filled up with those awaiting the hip-hop legends that are Souls of Mischief. Largely inspired by A Tribe Called Quest, the four-piece perfectly balanced the chill energy alongside getting the audience moving. Their set blended a mix of fresh tracks with older classics, but it was noticeable that most were there to celebrate the iconic 1993 album 93 ‘til Infinity. During their set, the band conducted a ‘colour war’, handing out bags of vibrant dye to throw into the air – leaving those who saw their set marked for the rest of the day and creating a fun interactive experience which stood out as one of the weekend’s most unique moments.

Lady Leshurr 

As a childhood favourite for many, Lady Leshurr packed out the Nexus stage with an overwhelming crowd – full of those excited to hear any version of the iconic “Queen’s Speech” series. Known for her freestyling talent, Lady Leshurr began her set by rapping over a number of well-known classics such as “The Fresh Prince Of Bel-Air”, warming up the people for what was about to come. Just as the set was seemingly coming to an end, she surprised everyone by announcing she would perform all ten “Queen’s Speech” tracks live for the very first time, as a preview for her upcoming tour later this year. The energy arose almost instantly as the crowd sang along word-for-word, leaving a wave of nostalgia. It was clear she left a huge legacy on this generation, proving she was a great addition to the Boomtown lineup. 

Kurupt FM 

Taking over the Grand Central Stage and closing the Friday night main performances, Kurupt FM performed their widely adored hits and had the crowd enjoying it from the first beat. Known for their humorous tunes and iconic grime style, the place was packed shoulder-to-shoulder – which was no surprise, seeing the reception they received for “Your Mum Loves Garage” and “Heart Monitor Riddem”. The group knew how to get the audience going with their feel-good energy that left the people wanting more. 

Saturday

The Wurzels 

Bringing their unforgettable blend of humour and timeless tunes, The Wurzels performed to a busy crowd at the Engine House. Known for their classics like “Combine Harvester” and “I’m a Cider Drinker”, the five-piece created a fun atmosphere, turning the performance into a sing-along that had festival-goers laughing and dancing alongside each other. The band delivered a refreshing show that wasn’t quite what was expected when thinking of Boomtown, but nevertheless a very memorable experience. 

Fat Dog 

At the Grand Central stage, Fat Dog dove headfirst into their set with “Vigilante”, building the atmosphere from ground up as the crowd waited to go wild. Their blend of electronic rhythms and grainy vocals drew in a bigger crowd than expected, delivering an overwhelming amount of energy that had the audience moving. Frontman Joe Love knew exactly how to co-ordinate such a large number of people, and at one point throwing himself into the crowd. They’re not one to miss!  

Nova Twins 

Next to hit the stage were the genre-bending duo Nova Twins, consisting of childhood friends Amy Love and Georgia South. They powered through a hour-long set on the Grand Central stage, providing a high energy performance to a crowd of chaos. Ending their set with “Monsters”, the duo brought the energy into the crowd – guitars in hand – dancing and connecting with the fans beside them. This two-piece consistently prove why they are a essential addition to any line-up, and Boomtown’s vibrant atmosphere was the perfect stage for their intensity. 

Sex Pistols 

Making their grand debut at Boomtown, the Sex Pistols lit up the Grand Central stage on Saturday – uniting all of the rock-lovers of the festival together in one place. Whilst now fronted by Frank Carter, the raw punk energy still remains electrifying and the stage presence immense. Iconic anthems like “Anarchy in the UK” and “God Save The Queen” sparked mosh pits and movement throughout the crowd, which only became rowdier when Frank entered and joined them himself – fuelling the atmosphere even further. 

Carsick 

Later into the night in Fogger’s Mill, the upcoming band took to the stage to what begin a small audience, but the bands wild energy, catchy tunes and vibe only ever drew in a bigger crowd, with some devout fans bringing the mosh pits. These boys certainly showed they’re here to have fun, playing all of the hits and making sure they gave it their all, with the bassist even jumping in to mosh with the crowd for the last song, closing off Saturday in Fogger’s Mill with a bang.

Sunday

Sean Paul 

At the peak of the Sunday heat, a huge crowd gathered at the Grand Central stage in anticipation of the dancehall legend that is Sean Paul. From the moment he appeared on stage, the atmosphere instantly lit up. Joined on stage by a DJ and two dynamic dancers, the king of club anthems powered through all of his best hits back-to-back, with tracks such as “Get Busy” and “She Doesn’t Mind” sparking an instant party. Sean’s stage presence was

impressive and left everybody smiling as he commanded festival-goers to wave their arms as well as handheld fans into the air. Halfway through the set, Sean was joined on stage by up-and-coming jungle artist Brodie to perform their newest song “Darlin’” and despite her recent broken ankle, the energy was at it’s highest. Closing with an extended rendition of “Temperature”, Sean left the audience eager for more – undoubtedly one of the weekend’s standout moments. 

Boney M 

Another memorable moment from the weekend was the timeless disco magic of Boney M. The group brought their infectious groove to the Matterly Bowl as the sun shone at it’s brightest, captivating the crowd with their globally-known songs like “Daddy Cool” and “Rivers of Babylon”. It can only be described as an honour getting to witness the original member Maizie Williams performing on the Grand Central stage. The band closed their set with an unforgettable performance of “Rasputin”, as the audience gave their best shot at attempting the iconic dance routine – leaving wholesome vibes all round for the last day.

Dimension

For the final set at the main stage of Boomtown, Lion’s Den, Dimension took to the stage, accompanied by flames and possibly the best lights show of the whole weekend, this DJ utilised every inch of the humongous stage. Many could sense Dimension’s effort to play a proper finale set, mixing a lot of ethereal motifs to the DnB that would make every punter ascend to the heavens, he took everyone on a journey for those final ten minutes of the closing ceremony.

Closing Ceremony 

As Dimension finished up and said good night to Boomtown, the stage erupted with sound and lights as the Collector, a prominent character in the Boomtown storyline, revealed he had been deepfaked and was in hiding, leading to a speech that promoted waking up, seeing the truth and fighting for what’s right, exercising the idea that only us as people can control the people, the music arose into a brilliant cacophony as the words of The Collector rung through the head of every punter there; the stage ignited all its fireworks, flames and brought the music to an epic conclusion.

Words: Rianna Ram

Photos: Ben Blissett