Living in the Power of Now [Event Review] – EARMILK

Boomtown has always defied easy definition. It’s not simply a music festival, but an entire city built from imagination, theatre, and community spirit, underpinned by some of the most adventurous line-ups in the UK. For 2025, the Hampshire spectacular felt even more ambitious. Its sprawling set design, storyline-driven performances, and kaleidoscopic cast of artists created a weekend that proved why Boomtown continues to occupy a singular space in festival culture.

The centrepiece of this evolution was the debut of the Lion’s Gate main stage, replacing Origin and setting the visual and thematic tone of the weekend. The stage’s unveiling also brought confirmation of the next step in Boomtown’s narrative: Chapter Five “Radical Redesign”, which will see the festival return to its 2015 roots with the resurrection of the colossal Lion’s Den. For longtime fans, it was a symbolic moment that signalled both progress and a return to heritage.

This year’s theme, “The Power of Now,” threaded through the entire weekend. It was more than just a slogan. From the opening ceremony to the closing fireworks, the message was clear: immerse yourself, be present, and let the city take over.

Thursday

Arriving on Wednesday gave time to take in the new map and prepare for what was to come. By Thursday night, Boomtown’s streets and woods were alive with sound. In the newly unveiled Anara Forest, Prozak opened proceedings before Breaka b2b Surusinghe laid down a furious session of speed garage, breaks, and bass that announced the festival had truly begun.

The first real goosebump moment came with Boomtown veteran Inja, who has become almost inseparable from the festival’s spirit. Performing his self-styled This Is Inja set at the new street venue Sub Bus stage, he seamlessly MCed and DJed by himself, dropping mega freestyles, forthcoming material and the bangers we know and love him for including his and Serum‘s remix of Badger“Yapa” to the now-iconic “Shanice” that has become it’s own released single and lighting up crowds all summer. It was raw, emotional, and celebratory, a reminder of Boomtown’s ability to turn a performance into something deeply communal.

Elsewhere, Spectrum 360, curated by Mandidextrous, pushed the harder and faster end of the spectrum, while the new Reactor: Red Bull Selector stage flipped convention on its head by handing track selection over to the crowd. Inside a reactor-like structure, dancers waved red or blue wristbands to choose the DJ’s next move, with Chloé Robinson orchestrating one of the most interactive parties of the weekend.

Friday

Friday marked the festival’s official opening, beginning with a spine-tingling opening chapter performance of “Power of Now” by Inja, Emily Makis and Kreed on Lion’s Gate whilst Eva Lazarus and Grove delivered their next level opening on Grand Central. As fireworks shot into the sky, the message to live fully in the moment rang out before Born on Road took the reins with a high-octane two-hour set, packed with dubs, edits and guest MCs Inja and Carasel that ensured the weekend started at full throttle.

The day continued with explosive energy across the site. Gardna drew a packed Grand Central stage crowd with his distinctive blend of bass and lyrical dexterity, while Hidden Woods hosted a soulful set from DJ AG, who invited Eva Lazarus and Ayadadream to join in. Over in Area 404, Badger drew such a crowd that the Wrong Side of the Tracks stage became gridlocked, delivering an emotional golden-hour set that balanced playful pop edits with heartfelt drum and bass reworks, including a soaring remix of Coldplay’s “Fix You”.

Later, Anara Forest became a haven of reggae, dancehall and bass with Mungos Hi Fi, Eva Lazarus and Aziza Jaye, followed by a heavyweight sequence from Flowdan and General Levy & Friends that left the trees shaking. The night carried a bittersweet edge as My Nu Leng announced their split earlier this month, turning their Boomtown set into a farewell drenched in nostalgia. Closing on the era-defining “Shizam”, it felt like a curtain call for a duo who helped define a generation of UK bass music.

By evening, the tempo lifted again. Kurupt FM finally graced a major stage, bringing their tongue-in-cheek garage energy and tongue-twisting bars to Grand Central. They were followed by Rudimental, who headlined Lion’s Gate as part of BBC Radio 1’s Dance takeover, rounding off a day of emotional highs and frenetic energy.

Saturday

Saturday unfolded as a masterclass in eclectic programming. On Grand Central, drum and bass pioneer Goldie commanded the stage with his live band and singers, blending raw jungle power with soulful flourishes that highlighted his enduring influence. The Hydro stage followed later on with a twist, as Serum swapped his usual DnB arsenal for a special 90s rave set, reviving breakbeats and euphoric synth lines for a crowd eager to lose themselves in nostalgia.

From there, the energy only escalated. The end of Girls Don’t Sync led directly into one of the weekend’s most anticipated pairings: Skream b2b Partiboi69. The rare collaboration spanned garage, house, techno and bass, weaving in euphoric builds before closing in mischievous fashion with Dizzee Rascal’s “Bassline Junkie” – a quintessentially Boomtown ending that was as tongue-in-cheek as it was euphoric.

Boomtown’s joy often lies in its rogue decisions, and Hang the DJs at Spectrum 360 proved exactly that. From bass-heavy mash-ups of Celine Dion ballads to impromptu crowd games of musical statues, the set was equal parts chaos and catharsis, embodying the carefree spirit the festival thrives on.

Later, MJ Cole Presents: Sincere on the Nexus stage live delivered a dose of UKG heritage before the Lion’s Gate became the epicentre once more. Nia Archives closed her set to rapturous applause, seamlessly handing over to Clipz b2b Lens, whose jungle and drum and bass blends stood out as one of the weekend’s most electrifying highlights.

As Saturday night deepened, Mandidextrous closed out the Hydro stage, offering a journey in speed bass and jungletek that pushed bodies and minds to their limits. It was an education in underground sound and a fittingly ferocious send-off to Boomtown’s second night.

Sunday

Sunday arrived with blistering heat and the promise of one of the festival’s biggest bookings. After daytime firepower from OKO b2b DJ Limited and the ever-energetic Basslayerz at Lion’s Gate, attention turned to Grand Central, where Sean Paul delivered what will be remembered as one of the defining Boomtown moments.

The sheer size of the crowd spoke volumes, as thousands packed the stage to dance, sing and dutty wine to hits like “Get Busy”, “Temperature”, “Glue”, “Rockabye” and more. His performance of “Darlin’”, his new collaboration with Luude and Brodie (who joined him live on stage), underscored how seamlessly he can cross into the world of drum and bass. As the sun set, the atmosphere was euphoric, emotional and deeply nostalgic, one of those rare festival moments that crystallises into memory.

The nostalgia continued with Boney M, led by original member Maizie Williams, whose disco anthems from “Daddy Cool” to “Rasputin” had the crowd in full voice. Hidden Woods offered high energy into the dusk with Shogun Audio’s takeover, where Emily Makis marked her birthday with a stunning, full throttle performance.

As the weekend drew towards its close, the emotional weight grew heavier. Maribou State provided a soulful, vocal-led live set that reminded everyone of Boomtown’s depth, while 4AM Kru delivered a powerhouse live jungle performance at Grand Central. Accompanied by a dance crew whose stamina matched the music, they closed with “Ribena”, a feel-good anthem that epitomised the festival’s energy before the final ceremony began.

Closing Ceremony and Beyond

For the first time, we decided to experience the closing ceremony unfold at Grand Central rather than Lion’s Gate (previously Origin). The storyline revealed that The Collector, elected as leader in 2024, was not who he appeared to be, as The Network overthrew Mr Biga and emerged to share a message with the real Collector to save Boomtown. For outsiders, the plot may seem abstract, but for Boomtown’s community it is integral, fusing theatre, politics, and spectacle into the heartbeat of the festival.

Accompanied by fireworks, lasers, pyrotechnics and a Prodigy-inspired jungle closing ceremony score by Kreed and Pete Cannon, the finale encapsulated Boomtown’s creative ambition. As the new map for 2026 and the “Radical Redesign” theme were revealed, the crowd erupted, excited not just for next year’s acts, but for the ongoing story that ties this city together.

Boomtown 2025 felt like a turning point. The expansion of Lion’s Gate, the emotional weight of “The Power of Now”, and the confirmation of Lion’s Den’s return all added to the sense of a festival both reflecting on its history and reaching into the future.

If there is one suggestion for 2026, it might be a return to secrecy around the lineup, encouraging people to attend for Boomtown itself rather than individual stage takeovers or artists. That surprise has always amplified the festival’s unique magic.

Yet even without it, Boomtown 2025 was a triumph. From Inja’s heartfelt Thursday night set to Sean Paul’s roadblock Sunday, from My Nu Leng’s farewell to 4AM Kru’s euphoric finale, it was a weekend of highs, chaos and connection. Most of all, it was a reminder that the real headline act at Boomtown is the community itself, united, if only for a few days, in the pure power of now. A huge shout out goes out to all the artists, crew, familiar and new faces, and new memories made, uniting for this one special weekend in the festival calendar.

Tickets for Boomtown 2026, taking place on the 12–16th August at Matterley Estate, are now on sale. More information is available at www.boomtownfair.co.uk.

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