BoomTown Fair 2015

[gooner1990]

Anyone else planning to go?

Going to give this another go this year I think. And thankfully they've moved it to a weekend later this year, as I would have been unable to make the other one due to a wedding clash. (Just as well as I've already missed out on Glastonbury tickets!)

Tickets on sale from 7pm tonight here >

http://www.boomtownfair.co.uk/tickets/tickets-2

[gooner1990]

Ticket booked!

[tjamest]

I'll probably do the same as last year - try again in the resales for Glastonbury and if unsucsessful go back to Boomtown.

I enjoyed it last year, but not sure if i would do it again solo and i must admit at 54 did feel a bit of an oldie

[eFestivals]

i must admit at 54 did feel a bit of an oldie

then, as an old git myself, it's lucky you didn't go in 2013.

This year had a hugely better spread of ages than the year before did.

[foolee]

What is this festival like?

I don't really recognize hardly any bands playing but as a festival it looks quite amazing so kind of considering it. Going to do Werchter next year and another but not sure what the other should be.

[5co77ie]

it's a great festival, it shows up how rubbish the so called Festival Awardsa are that it's not in them.

[eFestivals]

What is this festival like?

I don't really recognize hardly any bands playing but as a festival it looks quite amazing so kind of considering it. Going to do Werchter next year and another but not sure what the other should be.

It's the best festival in the UK by a long way, i'd say.

Having said that, it won't be for everyone (like any festival). It's not a festival that has many big or familiar names, unless you're a big fan of reggae/dub &/or know some of the low-level-but-very-popular 'festival bands'.

It's a festival that people with an open (musical) mind will find enjoyable because there's so much there to explore, but even for those it might not be a festival they'll want to go back to for a 2nd time - because for those whose musical likes are outside of the music it offers, they might struggle to find enough to want to give it a 2nd go.

Be warned: it's one of the more expensive festivals for what you buy inside. Think Bestival prices (£4.50 a pint this year at Boomtown, more than I paid at the other 5 fests i went to this year).

[seantizz]

It's the best festival in the UK by a long way, i'd say.

Having said that, it won't be for everyone (like any festival). It's not a festival that has many big or familiar names, unless you're a big fan of reggae/dub &/or know some of the low-level-but-very-popular 'festival bands'.

It's a festival that people with an open (musical) mind will find enjoyable because there's so much there to explore, but even for those it might not be a festival they'll want to go back to for a 2nd time - because for those whose musical likes are outside of the music it offers, they might struggle to find enough to want to give it a 2nd go.

Be warned: it's one of the more expensive festivals for what you buy inside. Think Bestival prices (£4.50 a pint this year at Boomtown, more than I paid at the other 5 fests i went to this year).

I would echo all of what Neil says here... I've somehow managed to 'do' 19 festivals this year and Boomtown was the best.. Interesting that my favourite from 2013 (Shambala) also never features in the so-called festival awards.. I smell a rat - or somebody making money out of festivals and festival goers...

[Town Mayor]

The only competition we ever enter is against ourselves :-)

Every festival that manages to succeed in the UK is a winner and shouldn't be in competition with each other....

Neil / Seantizz - thanks for the support x

Some extremely interesting ideas coming out of HQ at the moment ...will keep you fully posted ;-)

[eFestivals]

The only competition we ever enter is against ourselves :-)

then you should set yourselves a competition of getting a decent bar company that has a system that can serve more than o0ne person every decade, who charge decent prices rather than above the festival norm, and who also know a decent beer.

Oh, and perhaps get three times as many bogs, and actually empty them?

There's an awful lot you're doing right, but not everything.

[Paul ™]

lol thats the mayor told.

Anyway I got a ticket (again) so hopefully all going well I will make it this year!!

[gooner1990]

Oh, and perhaps get three times as many bogs, and actually empty them?

I echo those points Neil, especially in the campsites! The lack of toilets in the campsite was pretty disgusting and led to lots of other people relieving themselves against the wire fences backing onto the campervan field or in the middle of the campsite.

[tjamest]

then, as an old git myself, it's lucky you didn't go in 2013.

This year had a hugely better spread of ages than the year before did.

I think it was at the campsite that i noticed it most, i'd struggled up the hill after the 2 hour queue to get in and pitched in the Wild West camp in Uptown which i thought was going to be less youth orientated than Downtown (and i'm sure it was).

However i seemed to be about 30 years older than the rest of the field. There was a couple in their 40s close by, but they moved further up the hill to Whistlers Green after one night.

I'm sure it was just the luck of the draw 50 yards in any direction may have been totaly different.

I would also echo the comments that it is a superb festival especially if you are there for the whole festival experience rather than to see well known bands and i'm pretty sure that i will return again

[tjamest]

What is this festival like?

I don't really recognize hardly any bands playing but as a festival it looks quite amazing so kind of considering it. Going to do Werchter next year and another but not sure what the other should be.

Sometimes the best way If you don't know the bands. You then don't have to work to any sort of timetable and can spend four days just enjoying the experience.

[gooner1990]

However i seemed to be about 30 years older than the rest of the field. There was a couple in their 40s close by, but they moved further up the hill to Whistlers Green after one night.

I'm sure it was just the luck of the draw 50 yards in any direction may have been totaly different.

We were in the Wild West too - further down the hill. Group of 8 of us ranging from 29-36 years old. Didn't feel out of place, there was a camp near us of a similar age, and although other nearby camps were younger it wasn't like at Reading where they were all 16-17 !!

[tjamest]

We were in the Wild West too - further down the hill. Group of 8 of us ranging from 29-36 years old. Didn't feel out of place, there was a camp near us of a similar age, and although other nearby camps were younger it wasn't like at Reading where they were all 16-17 !!

Definitely not as young as Reading, although last time we went we camped in White over the river and it wasn't too bad.

I think at Boomtown for some reason (possibliy age) i didn't immediately bond with my fellow campers as much as i have done at other festivals when going solo, although that didn't stop me having a great festival.

If i'd camped 50 yards away of course we could have been neighbours and i'd be talking about how wonderful everyone was in Wild West

[Harry3]

Gonna wait for the lineup this year, and confirmation of the capacity. I hope it isnt increased to the 50k they are hoping for.

[eFestivals]

so Scott said to me the other day, it's now 45,000.

[random_man]

I'm in as usual!!! See you all there!!

I'd echo everything Neil (efestivals) said - Maybe keep the bar as it is, but let people bring in what every amount of beer/spirits as they'd like - Im not sure why they have the 16 beer rule

[gooner1990]

so Scott said to me the other day, it's now 45,000.

Any idea roughly how many people were there this year Neil?

[eFestivals]

Any idea roughly how many people were there this year Neil?

38,000 I believe it was.

You should be able to see the exact capacity details on any page on efests for that year's fest (it's in the 'info box').

[frostypaw]

I'm in :-D confirmed the volunteering action is on again with the same bunch and looking forward to it

After over a decade of festival funs Boomtown was a wonderful kick up the arse, very excited to be returning!

Hoping the volume levels can be up a bit, and the rain doesn't put so much effort into spoiling things - considering the challenges they faced was just so impressed

[Harry3]

See Im afraid the increase in capacity will make the volume restrictions even worse, and they proved with the state of the loos, under-manned bars and confusion over noise levels on the Friday night that they struggled with the capacity increase, so I dont understand why they just dont make improvements in those areas before upping it even more?

Whens the license meeting thingy with the council? Around Spring-time isnt it?

Edited November 17, 2014 by Harry3

[mr flow]

Was chatting to someone who works for Boomtown at the weekend. They're well aware of the issues of this year and are already addressing them. The noise restrictions we due to the direction and strength of the wind causing the volume to sound louder in the local villages which is where the council had monitoring devices.

I think the increase isn't much to worry about. They've coped with all increases previously and an increase in the capacity won't just be punters, it'll be an increase in crew too. They're not a greedy bunch so wouldn't jeopardise the future of the festival unless they believed they could retain the charm it currently has.

[eFestivals]

They're well aware of the issues of this year and are already addressing them.

I'll keep my fingers crossed, seeing as this year they hadn't addressed some of the issues from the previous year, they'd in fact gone the other way.

There's a lot they do right, but they seem too focused on the fun things and forget some of the basics.

Edited November 18, 2014 by eFestivals