From 13th to 16th August, Boomtown will once again be opening its gates to music fans for its seventh installment. An ephemeral city made up of nine districts, from the thigh slappin’, whisky drinkin’ saloons of the Wild West to the carnival atmosphere of Barrio Loco, there’ll be plenty to explore for those curious enough to make the journey to Matterley Bowl, a natural crater on the outskirts of Winchester.
Musically, there’s something for everyone with an aural smorgasbord that takes in ska, folk, gypsy, reggae, world, punk, pirate, disco, electro-swing, jazz, blue-grass, breaks, bass, jungle, techno and a whole lot more over twenty-two stages. Headliners include Stephen ‘Ragga’ Marley, Kate Tempest, Norman Jay, Mr Scruff, and Squarepusher, joined on the line-up by Joyzine faves Gogol Bordello, Beans on Toast, Mr B The Gentleman Rhymer and Trans Siberian March Band.
And if your ears need a rest, there’s plenty more going on to keep you entertained with street theatre and circus performance throughout the site and surprises around every corner. The Boomtique Village (tickets required) includes a chill out lounge, hot tubs, sauna and luxury showers, and for families there’s a whole district dedicated to kids activities.
One of the things that makes Boomtown stand out from the overwhelming mass of summer festivals is the storyline which has been running through the festival since its inception in 2009 with it’s own mayoral elections, citizen passports and convoluted political history. Fancy dress is encouraged and there’s always the chance that you could become part of the evolving storyline. You can read up on the tale so far at the Boomtown website – look out for further developments in chapter seven this year.
Tickets for Boomtown Chapter 7 are available now priced £155 + booking fee. Family deals and concessions are also available – get your tickets here.
Check out the official Boomtown 2015 trailer for more information: