Words and photos by Rachel June
Step out of the shallow confines of reality and enter the bizarre, bonkers, and brilliant adult playground of Boomtown! Boomtown Fair 2024 was an experience like no other, and of course, ASBO magazine was there to see and hear it all! More than just a music festival, Boomtown is like entering a dream come to life, with phenomenal sound systems erupting in every corner.
“Electric, erotic and erratic. An absolute blinder of a festival with every bit of wonder and cookery one would expect from a staple like Boomtown” – Alex Bach
From Wednesday the 6th – to Sunday the 11th of August, music lovers swarmed to Winchester Matterley Bowl for a wonderfully weird and wacky weekend. This year saw the likes of Damian Marley, Pendulum, Katy B, Ezra Collective, Greentea Peng, David Rodigan, Folamour plus heaps more!
The possibilities for exploring are utterly endless, with secret rooms, hidden parties and astonishing scenery at every turn. Smiles and feel-good energy light up the festival, with music lovers dancing from venue to venue and exploring the nooks and crannies of the town.
“The best experience of 2024, a crazy utopia with the best people known to man!” – Mia
“BOOMTOWN WAS SO DEMURE SO MINDFUL” – Emily Hope
Old town, consisting of clowns and pirates hosted fire shows, beheadings, protests and bizarre behaviour. The seedy and seductive bar ‘Pomegranate Parlour’ played a selection of sounds as red lights lit up the room. ‘Fools Leap’ was filled with brass instruments; jazz, ska, and hip-hop infusions. Knees were up, and strangers were arm in arm spinning and soaking in the glorious sunshine.
Area 404, was an acid-leaked punky and rough-edged town, where spiky-haired rockers walked around with guns, terrorising passersby or welcoming them into their clan. Rock bands strummed to mosh pits in hardcore ‘Hangar 101’, and ‘Acid Leak’ hosted DJs of varying genres with lighting that was out of this world.
Botanica: decorated with flowers and animals was run by a cool old hippy wearing sunshades! Cheerful workers hosted epic parties in the ‘Garden Centre’, a conservatory full of dreams. Human butterflies perched upon the walls, their wings swaying in the wind – amongst the tropical beauty of Botanica.
Letsbe Avenue was a wild and crazy town, stapled by the giant ‘Paradise Hotel’ that towered above, you could walk straight into a washing machine and end up on a dancefloor where bubbles fill the air and you have a chance to ‘Wash away your sins.’
Metropolis is a modern slick cutting-edge city of wonder, with endless adventures and extravaganzas, get down at the dance Olympics, test your skills using the DJ experience, play arcade games, and sing at karaoke.
“Booming thunderous eclectic mix of good vibes” – Ben Louko
The dreamland that was the Tribe of Frog featured hanging butterflies whilst dancers felt the sandy floors beneath their feet. Trance music filled the air, and relaxed visitors hung around like monkeys in trees, dancing their troubles away in a tropical oasis. The Hidden Woods and Tangled Roots were wonderful woodland utopias filled with colourful lights and music pounding through the atmosphere, a place to relax and explore.
If you are experiencing the ‘Boomtown Blues’, or want to come to the most magical place on earth, book your next adventure now. Tickets are on sale here. Bring an extravagant wardrobe, and trinkets to trade, along with your dancing shoes. Boomtown 2025 is waiting for YOU!
