Live Review: BoomTown Festival 2012

This year’s BoomTown Fair 2012 can only be described as how you would imagine a party at the end of the world to be.

The amount of effort that goes into this incredible festival is just amazing, and quite frankly one of BBM’s favourite festivals this year…and trust us, we’ve been doing the rounds!

So let’s take you on a tour of the Town…

BoomTown Fair presents a wonderland town with all the amenities built in. From a faux bank, to an invisible circus, pizzerias, noodle bars, telephone boxes, the old school garage. You name it – Boomtown has it. But if you’re entering say, the bank, you certainly won’t find any money – however you will find half naked women writhing around wrestling in a pool full of jelly. So that should give you some idea of what you can expect from these makeshift buildings, residing in the middle of a field in Wiltshire.

Awash with tents, BoomTown presents the opportunity to really get involved in the festival experience as you can camp right next to all the action. However we wouldn’t advise it, as due to the old school portaloos in abundance at BoomTown the stench would send the more sensible/sober of you further afield.

BBM spent the majority of our time at BoomTown between the Lions Den raving out to some amazing tunes from reggae, roots, dancehall and dub from acts such as Blak Twang, The South Rakkas Crew, Deadly Hunta, Bush Chemists, Jah Shaka and loads more. What was great was that there was never a moment no matter what stage you visited that the crowd weren’t dancing. BoomTown was up and jumping, and with a spectacular line up of perhaps some lesser known people, BoomTown is perfect for those with more underground tastes.

The ‘Town Centre’ played host to Asian Dub Foundation, Caravan Palace, The Beat and Molotov Jukebox. Whereas the ‘Bassline Circus’ gave it some with acts such as Caspa, Breakage, The Nextmen and MC Wrec and DJ Parker.

When it was time for a little breather from all the bassy raving, a short hike up to the ‘Hidden Woods’ was just what the doctor ordered. In the Hidden Woods is where you’ll find a sandy beach, tiki bar, and of course the reggae stage. In the shade of the pine trees, it was the perfect spot to sit back and rest weary feet, whilst taking in the hippy atmosphere. And that’s generally the vibe of BoomTown. It is a hippy fest. But in the good way bringing a rare mix of bass and tranquillity to a festival that usually doesn’t happen. Well, it’s rare these days. BoomTown certainly has the air of ‘one love’ and with it come a completely mixed crowd…which is just what we like to see.

As otherworldly beings trampled through the festival on stilts, you were certainly transported to an underworld utopia that let your imagination run wild. And if you were surprised the first time you saw a tribe of black nightmarish distorted figures looming on the horizon, you’d certainly be taken aback when a heard of bronzed heathens flooded the festival, covered in body paint and metal contraptions and trying to steal festival goers booze (as did the fake beggars) their mouths oozed with blue goo. The added affect of these actors to the festival really did solidify that you were away from “real life” whilst at the festival.

The highlight of our time at BoomTown 2012 however was the Arcadia. As we saw the first huge fireball plume into the night sky – instant excitement was induced as everyone rushed to the Arcadia. With the music sonic-booming from the DJs within the mammoth metal contraption, areal acrobats span down from the heavens all the while avoiding the hug fire balls that pushed into the night warming weary festival goers faces. In fact…you know in the second Matrix film when they’re at that weird party and everyone’s going nuts and dancing around in their uninhibited state? Well BoomTown’s a bit like that – with a dash of that 80s film Willow, you know, the one with the dwarves.

Either way, we’re definitely going back next year. The music is amazing, the atmostphere is out of this world, the outfits on show are tremendous, and it’s just basically an amazeballs festival that you need to add to your 2013 festival schedule.

By Hannah Shakir
@Hanshak

Check out our interview with The Beat who played at BoomTown 2012.

Not done with your UK Festival season check out what other festivals are going on this year.