Boomtown Festival 2016

[eFestivals]

and not forgetting Prince Fatty and Horsie.

 

 

 

[Paul ™]

Going again Neil?

[eFestivals]

8 hours ago, Paul ™ said:

Going again Neil?

yeah ... did think we might skip it this year but the missus wants to see Damian.

And we get to add Morgan Heritage and Inner Circle to the 'seen before they get too old' list, too, which will be nice.

[Wow-wys-buzzing]

On 4 March 2016 at 1:13 PM, jimmyt said:

So, Neil - what are the highlights from the Trenchtown announcement?

Fat Freddy's Drop will be insane, also General Levy and obviously Marley buzzing

 

was thinking of camping in trench town also, anyone been before and could recommend the best place to camp for a hectic time 

[jimmyt]

9 hours ago, Wow-wys-buzzing said:

Fat Freddy's Drop will be insane, also General Levy and obviously Marley buzzing

 

was thinking of camping in trench town also, anyone been before and could recommend the best place to camp for a hectic time 

It's my perception that the more "hectic" camping is in the bowl in Barrio Loco, Chinatown and DSTRKT5 - it's a bit more chilled in Trenchtown and up the top in general.

[Debsh2]

Missing out on Glastonbury this year ( Hubbies 50th so he wanted to do something different) so I am going solo polo with some friends to Boomtown..... any pointers on surviving this would be greatly appreciated,  someone told me boomtown is crazy and she couldn't cope with going again  so slightly concerned.....

 

aside form that the line up looks good 

[eFestivals]

16 minutes ago, Debsh2 said:

Missing out on Glastonbury this year ( Hubbies 50th so he wanted to do something different) so I am going solo polo with some friends to Boomtown..... any pointers on surviving this would be greatly appreciated,  someone told me boomtown is crazy and she couldn't cope with going again  so slightly concerned.....

 

aside form that the line up looks good 

Be fit! It's tiring like Glastonbury, but with added hills!

 

[tjamest]

2 hours ago, Debsh2 said:

Missing out on Glastonbury this year ( Hubbies 50th so he wanted to do something different) so I am going solo polo with some friends to Boomtown..... any pointers on surviving this would be greatly appreciated,  someone told me boomtown is crazy and she couldn't cope with going again  so slightly concerned.....

 

aside form that the line up looks good 

Went a couple of years ago and definitely felt my age and felt that it was best left to the youngsters, however went again last year with a certain amount of trepidation and had a great time.

Camped in between Wild West and Psy Forest which was pretty quiet at night with plenty of room and sent most of the time Uptown at the Old Mines or the Lions Den and then Wild West when the main stages closed. Had the occasional foray down the hill to China Town and Hidden Woods. There are also areas like Whistlers Green which is a mini version of the Healing & Craft Fields at Glastonbury.

There is no doubt that it is a full on festival, but there are so many different areas with their own personality that as long as your idea of a great festival is is not sitting on your comfy chairs at the Pyramid Stage for three days straight then you should have a great time.

As Neil says it is hilly which is hard work (especially if it rains), but l'll be going again this year at the grand old age of 56 

[Wow-wys-buzzing]

6 hours ago, eFestivals said:

Be fit! It's tiring like Glastonbury, but with added hills!

 

How many hills we talking??

 

[eFestivals]

3 minutes ago, Wow-wys-buzzing said:

How many hills we talking??

 

it's all the same hill ... how big it is depends how far you go up it, and how steep it is depends which path you're walking on..

[Wow-wys-buzzing]

52 minutes ago, eFestivals said:

it's all the same hill ... how big it is depends how far you go up it, and how steep it is depends which path you're walking on..

should be fine, I do live in the valleys of stroud, also does anyone know how the uptown and downtown bit works, the map is very hard to understand 

[tjamest]

17 minutes ago, Wow-wys-buzzing said:

should be fine, I do live in the valleys of stroud, also does anyone know how the uptown and downtown bit works, the map is very hard to understand 

Chinatown, Barrio loco and Dstrkt5 run along the valley(downtown). From Chinatown you go up a mother of a hill to Mayfair and then you continue on to Uptown where you have Old Town and the Wild West. After that you have Williams Green and along to Trenchtown from there you can then go back down the hill to Dstrkt 5. (or visa versa) There are also quite a few other stages dotted around in the woods.

[Wow-wys-buzzing]

42 minutes ago, tjamest said:

Chinatown, Barrio loco and Dstrkt5 run along the valley(downtown). From Chinatown you go up a mother of a hill to Mayfair and then you continue on to Uptown where you have Old Town and the Wild West. After that you have Williams Green and along to Trenchtown from there you can then go back down the hill to Dstrkt 5. (or visa versa) There are also quite a few other stages dotted around in the woods.

cheers this is v helpful 

[Debsh2]

Thanks guys, all really helpful, best get training for the hills then and praying it doesnt rain!! mud is hard work generally let alone when had a few ciders........ 

looks like we will be trying to camp up the hill then where its a little quieter at night.. 

is it a really young festival then?  my 46 year old bones can't stay up as late as they used to 

[eFestivals]

31 minutes ago, Debsh2 said:

best get training for the hills then

I'm older than you, and I've been to the last three.

In reality, the hill don't have to affect you too much.

Depending what you want to see and where exactly it is, it's easily possible to spend most of your time on the upper bit or the lower bit, and not really have to deal with the major part of the hill very much. I think it's the case that each time I've been there's been at least one day where I've not gone down to the bottom part because I've not needed to for what i've wanted to see/do.

It's getting hard to remember how much energy I had as a youngster so perhaps they might skip up and down the hill like it isn't there, but for this not-particularly fit oldie I find myself thinking and planning about how I might go down the hill to see something so that I'm not doing it all more than I need to.

 

31 minutes ago, Debsh2 said:

is it a really young festival then?  my 46 year old bones can't stay up as late as they used to 

The first one was predominately youngsters, but the age range has spread out a little since then.

It's a proper all-night raving do if that's your bag, but it's also a festival where you can watch live acts all day and be tucked up in bed by midnight - so much like Glastonbury you can take what you want from it, because it caters for almost everyone.

I met someone what was about your age last year who was at her first festival and definitely wasn't an all-night raver, and she was having a wail of a time.

 

[Paul ™]

Just go, you won't regret it! 

Am 44 and not as fit as I used to be, and like Neil there was one day where I didn't go Downtown. However, there was still plenty up the top and a few bits in the middle that were messy

[Debsh2]

Oh I am going, just wanted some pointers on best places to camp etc  

what ever we do and where ever we end up, we always have a good time, so I'm not too worried, but also wanted to enjoy it and not have to worry about being 'fit enough' to get about.... so I guess I will just re start the ski fit and will be totally fine come August... I cant wait 

[mattrik3]

whats the deal with alcohol? The rules seem a bit extreme about quantities you can take in with you. How strict are they with this? It also says any liquid in unsealed bottles will be confiscated and no glass allowed, does that mean you're not supposed to be allowed to take spirits?

[tjamest]

1 hour ago, mattrik3 said:

whats the deal with alcohol? The rules seem a bit extreme about quantities you can take in with you. How strict are they with this? It also says any liquid in unsealed bottles will be confiscated and no glass allowed, does that mean you're not supposed to be allowed to take spirits?

I heard that they were quite strict last year, although I arrived after the main queue had gone down at about 6 on Thursday evening and walked straight through with no probs. I think you are right about spirits according to their FAQs, but i'm sure that a few of these at the bottom of your rucksack should not be too much of a problem

 http://groceries.asda.com/product/vodka/petrov-vodka-ecorefill-pouch/910000254009 

6.5 There is a limit to the amount of alcohol you can bring on site.  You may bring up to:

• 16 x 440ml cans of lager/cider/beer OR
• 17 x 250ml cans of premix spirit drinks OR
• 3-litre box of wine OR
• 7 litres of cider/lager/beer in plastic bottles or cans 
• Plastic or glass bottles spirits are not allowed. 

They also seem to have another carpark and entrance open this year which will certainly make it easier if you want to camp Uptown as last year unless you came by coach/train everyone came through the same gate and then have to cope with the hill.

Edited March 8, 2016 by tjamest

[Debsh2]

On 07/03/2016 at 0:37 PM, tjamest said:

 

There is no doubt that it is a full on festival, but there are so many different areas with their own personality that as long as your idea of a great festival is is not sitting on your comfy chairs at the Pyramid Stage for three days straight then you should have a great time.

 

Meant to say that no that isn't us, whilst we do like sitting down occasionally, it isnt always at the pyramid stage 

Edited March 10, 2016 by Debsh2

[jimmyt]

Surely Toots can be persuaded to turn up and play now he's over here a couple of weeks later? Doesn't he (the loon with the bottle, in reality) owe us a Boomtown show?

[seantizz]

It's a fabulous festival but definitely not for the faint hearted... Here's my review from last year... might give you a sense of the sort of thing that goes on there... Some of the pics taken by Kerplunk are great

It is tiring and I proved that I was rubbish at pacing myself...

http://www.efestivals.co.uk/festivals/boomtown/2015/review-overview.shtml

[Wow-wys-buzzing]

16 hours ago, seantizz said:

It's a fabulous festival but definitely not for the faint hearted... Here's my review from last year... might give you a sense of the sort of thing that goes on there... Some of the pics taken by Kerplunk are great

It is tiring and I proved that I was rubbish at pacing myself...

http://www.efestivals.co.uk/festivals/boomtown/2015/review-overview.shtml

Read that a few days ago, very good thanks! 

 

Been listening through lots of the lineup.. Look out for KOAN Sound and Mad Apple Circus 

[Flounder]

On 3/8/2016 at 9:52 AM, Debsh2 said:

Thanks guys, all really helpful, best get training for the hills then and praying it doesnt rain!! mud is hard work generally let alone when had a few ciders........ 

looks like we will be trying to camp up the hill then where its a little quieter at night.. 

is it a really young festival then?  my 46 year old bones can't stay up as late as they used to 

I'm a similar age and we produce The Rusty Spurs ( Wild West) and play in a couple of bands ( The Boot Hill All Stars & The Back Wood Redeemers). Yep its tiring if you are wanting to roam around all day, but Neil has pretty much summed it up. I really enjoy the mix of ages, but there's a fair few ( loads) of the over 40's hanging out up townJust to add....the whole thing is a fully interactive theatrical experience - you can take part as much or as little as you fancy. There's a sitewide storyline that each area participates in, with own theatrical direction. Last year punters really got involved, did citizenship tests ( getting stuff from each area), dressed for their chosen camping areas etc etc......or wandered around, watched bands and watched the world go by....or both. I'm blown away by the enormity of the concept and how it's working - and it's a LOT of fun

[tjamest]

The Wild West was my area of choice for last year after the main stages had finished and had a great time alternating between the Rusty Spurs and Crazy Calamities until the early hours.