- Before this year, my only other visit to Boomtown Fair was way back in 2011. Even then, it was already clear just how much thought and time had gone into creating this mad and immersive temporary city. At first it feels strange—isn't part of the appeal of a camping festival to party in the lushness of the countryside? Why would someone work so hard to build a crumbling dystopia in a field in Winchester? It totally works, though. and it's easy to see just why Boomtown is so highly regarded by so many.
Boomtown also has to be one of the most apt names in festival history. Its rapid expansion has been staggering—50,000 went in 2015, compared to 10,000 when I first visited. The site itself is massive, and traversing the winding mess of stages and venues can be daunting at times. The increase in capacity has lead to some impressive staging opportunities, most notably the Bang Hai Palace, a gargantuan structure partly designed by the team at Tomorrowland. A worthy replacement for the absent Arcadia, it became the festival's main dance music stage, hosting mostly drum & bass legends such as Dillinja, Goldie and Noisia.
In terms of electronic music, Boomtown is primarily associated with acts that dwell at the harder end of the spectrum, be that the breakneck kickdrums of Hellfish & Producer or the bass wobbles of DJ Q. Their remit is broadening, however. This year included a Swamp 81 takeover, a 10-hour set from Norman Jay and Mr Scruff, and the new House In The Woods stage, which featured sets from The 2 Bears, Horse Meat Disco and Pangaea, whose party-friendly selections were a comfortable, if surprising, highlight of the weekend. The first night also saw a host of dance music's more challenging acts take over the Palace, with Machinedrum, Squarepusher, Surgeon and Truss all performing. Unfortunately the combination of strict volume laws and a slightly baffled crowd made this block a little underwhelming, though it'll be a while before I forget the image of Truss playing amidst jets of fire and giant screens.
What's most impressive about Boomtown, though, is that despite its expansion its charm remains untainted. Some of this you could put down to the lineup, which features many of the same acts and crews year-on-year. (A showcase from UK hip-hop label High Focus for instance, or the inimitable bassline of Phatworld and their label, Off Me Nut Records.) Also, while music is obviously important, it's the production that's most likely to stick in your mind once you've left. The number of stages and venues is astonishing, and each one looks fantastic. You can comfortably spend the entire weekend exploring, and even then you'd probably still miss out a dance floor or two. Glastonbury is the only other event I can think of where this is true.
As so many cookie-cutter festivals flood the market, it's refreshing to see one have so much personality, thought and care put into it. I mean, how many festivals have a storyline that progresses through the years, culminating in 2015 in a revolution against a totalitarian regime? The music isn't for everyone, but if you consider festivals to be an art form in and of themselves, Boomtown is an essential addition to your diary.
Photo credit: Daisy B (Lead), Tom Martin (Trees), The Palace (Jody Hartley)