Boomtown has revealed the main line-up for the 11th instalment of the 66,000 capacity music festival taking place over August 7th – 11th 2019 at the Matterley Estate in Winchester. The multi-genre ‘Radical City’ themed festival mixes music, theatre and performance in a bid to help the public “escape from normal life”.
Top acts will include Ms Lauryn Hill with rock-rap supergroup Prophets of Rage, who combine members from Rage Against the Machine, Cypress Hill and Public Enemy, pioneers of alternative hip-hop meets garage The Streets, and drum and bass royalty Chase and Status with their RTRN II JUNGLE takeover. Other major acts which have been confirmed for the 5-dayfestival are British electronica duo Groove Armada, female rap crew Salt-N-Pepa, and reggae band UB40 ft. Joining these are Ali Campbell and Astro, unapologetic punk from Slaves and the very welcome return of the riotous Gogol Bordello for their third appearance at Boomtown.
Commenting on the announcement, a Boomtown organiser said: “This is by far the most eclectic and diverse line-up we’ve ever had, it’s even more ‘Boomtown’ than ever before. There is something really special about completely different artists, who are at the top of the genre they represent all together on the same bill. It feels like a true privilege to be able to introduce thousands of people to a huge amount of totally different music from all over the world and the entire spectrum of musical tastes.”
Performing on the main live stages in the Town Centre, Whistlers Green and Copper County districts will be Swedish electronic quartet Little Dragon, multi-instrumentalist Xavier Rudd; poet, rapper, playwright and novelist Kate Tempest and Canadian influenced Bedouin Soundclash.
In Hangar 161, the district’s squatted ex-military aerodrome, expect energetic crust-punk from Leftöver Crack, pioneering dub punk from Inner Terrestrials and hardcore punk from Russia’s The Svetlanas and Siberian Meat Grinder as well as the return of Moscow Death Brigade with their unique politically charged blend of techno, rap and punk. The brand new techno focussed district, ‘AREA 404’, will host some of the genres most influential figures with headliners including Amelie Lens and FourTet and techno-house founding father Carl Cox.
At the Metropolis district, the main house and disco stage, Horse Meat Disco return to the festival on Saturday alongside Mighty Mouse and The 2 Bears. On Sunday, Patrick Topping makes his Boomtown debut with a world exclusive all day long set, with closing show appearances from garage and bassline producer Flava D.
Boomtown has said that the 2019 festival will include its biggest drum and bass lineup so far with the likes of Bad Company UK, Meftjus and Break all performing across its two main stages. Other DnB allstars across the weekend include Calyx & Teebee, Black Sun Empire, Total Science b2b DLR as well as Boomtown favourites My Nu Leng returning for the Sunday night closing set.
Emily Ford Sustainability Coordinator at Boomtown, said: “It’s about the bill. We deliver a headline line up that guarantees artists from international superstars through to grassroots talent. It’s a programme that takes the public on a musical journey of discovery that isn’t found anywhere else.”
Image taken by Mike Massaro at Chris Lorenzo’s 2018 Boomtown set.
