Glastonbury’s fallow year has opened up a huge opportunity for the expansion and potential future domination of Boomtown on the UK festival scene. After complaints last year of horrific delays getting into the site, it seems all of these problems have been addressed and everyone who has a ticket can stimulate their excitement and sanction their worries.
With an incredible amount to do and see, it is impossible to come away from the festival saying you saw all that it has to offer. With such a variety of music, drama and mayhem to explore, Boomtown is the ultimate escape from reality, so we thought we would share how we will be freeing up our minds at the weekend of inevitable anarchy.
ESSENTIAL ACTS TO SEE
Kojey Radical
If there was one artist that I would label ‘unmissable’ at this year’s Boomtown, it would be Kojey. His tribal trap is both thought-provoking and mosh-worthy, making him a true original and modern day artist. Collaborations with big-name DJs MJ Cole and Swindle shows his versatility and genre-bending talent.
808INK
Featuring in our songs of the month (for July), the collection of creatives are a group that we have loved for a while. They have been labelled by many critics as the future of English hip-hop, and this is a well-rewarded classification considering their prolific and consistently excellent releases.
Ho99o9
Playing one of Boomtown’s new areas, ‘Disorder Valley’, American hardcore punk duo Ho99o9 (pronounced Horror) is a band that epitomises the festival. Tying them down as a punk outfit is actually pretty unfair, as their blend of electronica, rap and metal puts them on a spectrum between Bad Brains and Death Grips. This will be a thrilling set, expect encapsulating energy, provocative costumes and raw instrumentation; it’s a treat to have them on British soil.
LEVELZ
The Manchester grime scene is never given the attention it deserves, with ‘fans’ confining themselves to the saturated London market. LEVELZ are a collective reaching over 14 members; their album LVL 11 is a big fuck you to life and society, utilising quirky, stomping beats and their individual flows to keep you skanking. Listen to ‘LVL 07’, a track that defines the word heavy.
Coops
Signed to High Focus records, Coops’ lyrical purity and lo-fi, old-school production is a rare diamond amongst the dirt of the music industry. To put his talent into perspective, his first ever live performance was supporting Nas at the 02 Arena; aged only 23. his three albums have been an eclectic mix of soul, Jazz and rap, so definitely one to check out if you’re looking for a calm and summery vibe.
UNMISSABLE DJ SETS
The Crucast Takeover
As the most hyped bassline label in the U.K, Crucast will be gracing Sector 6 with a whole host of talent this year. Skepsis, Darkzy, Notion, Bru-C... the list goes on. They are going to tear Boomtown to shreds, in similar circumstances to My Nu Leng and TQD last summer.
Royal-T
1/3 of TQD, Royal-T’s influence on grime, bassline and garage is absolutely undeniable. His frequent sets on Rinse FM, and TQD’s monthly Radio 1 residency are certified legendary and he will be lighting up Barrio Loco among Britain’s finest DJs.
Dimension
Robert Etheridge is one of the biggest drum and bass acts on the circuit at the moment. The 26-year old’s recent singles have been a historical journey through the best electronic genres the UK has to offer, and have shut down raves all over the world. Lighting up the legendary Bang Hai towers, Dimension will bring all the VIPs, remixes and classics any DnB nut could wish for. Boomtown will quake in its boots as soon as that first record is spun.
The Off Me Nut Takeover
Off Me Nut is an underground Bassline label that is beginning gaining a lot of attention. 2019 could see them breakthrough more commercially, so see the likes of Thorpey, Dr Cryptic and Phatworld before they are blowing the speakers off of the biggest raves Britain has to offer. This will be big.
The Upbeats
Credited as one of the most successful acts to come out of New Zealand’s fertile DnB scene, Terror Snake and Downie Wolf will be bringing their acclaimed style to Hampshire this summer. Their mix of emotional melodies and neuro bass makes them one of the most well-respected Drum and Bass acts in the world, allowing them to collaborate with the likes of Noisia and Ed Rush.
WHAT ELSE CAN I DO?
GO TO THE PSYCHEDELIC FOREST
The psychedelic forest is undoubtedly one of Boomtown’s main attractions. As this is my first year, I’m planning on spending a lot of time here, hoping to experience the best Psy-Trance has to offer and observing the absolute nutters who live and breathe psychedelics. Charlotte De Witte’s techno set here will be one of the best of the weekend, her 2018 Tomorrowland performance has racked up over a million views already.
LISTEN TO JORDAN STEPHENS TALK ABOUT TOXIC MASCULINITY
Best known for being half of Rizzle Kicks, Jordan is actually a multi-talented rapper and actor, who has confessed to suffering from mental health problems. His talk will be animated, passionate and highly intriguing. If you can get away from the seshing for half an hour or so, I’d highly recommend giving this a listen, it will be a thought provoker.
WATCH THE CLOSING CEREMONY
There are rumours that this will be the last Boomtown ever, with the narrative concluding on the Sunday night. The chapter 9 closing ceremony was breathtaking; intense strobe lighting, flames, fireworks, lasers, smoke and much more contributed to the eruption of bang Hai towers. This year will be even better, considering it is the grand finale of the story.
Wherever you go and whatever you see at Boomtown this year, you are destined to have a good time. It will literally be impossible to feel bored, and if any of your mates complain about being so, then just take them to the psychedelic forest and force feed them a few tabs of acid. Jobs a gooden.
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