In two months (August 10th 2022) Boomtown, the UK’s largest independent music and theatrical events, will open its doors for Chapter One: The Gathering. After a two year hiatus, the festival will showcase some of the most musically diverse artists, and offer a completely immersive theatrical experience in a fictitious city for the citizens in attendance.
Today, Boomtown has released the full range of street venues to explore throughout the festival, with eight that are brand new for 2022.
Amongst the venues there will be spaces that are familiar to those that have been before, such as the Job Centre and the Inconvenience Store, offering the inordinate and whacky experiences that are beloved by Boomtown’s audience.
As well as familiar areas, Boomtown has revealed eight new street venues for 2022 that will explore new ways of theatrical interaction, showcase musical talent and entertain visitors.
The newly announced street venues are:
Making a steamy debut in Boomtown’s newest district Botanica, is the new street venue Obsidian. A collaboration by female and non-binary icons, Obsidian is presented by Booty Bass who will be playing music from around the globe set to make the audience sweat and dance, alongside Shade Cartel, who will bring high energy and provide queer parties with music to make people move.
Also sitting within Botanica is a venue with a background; the Botanica Zoo. The idea is that a former zoo has been rewilded and inhabited by a new species of hybrid creatures – humans and animals that now co-exist in a utopian community.
This venue will be bright and vibrant with strong links to nature. Attendees can expect to see theatrics that will celebrate life in all its glory.
The focus of the Temple of Zero is on mindfulness and nature. Presented by XNN Systems, participants will be able to immerse themselves in a ‘rebirth’ and experience mystic, minimalist electronic sound baths.
One of the many theatrical venues at Boomtown, Ye Olde Cosmic Junkyard, set within Oldtown, will be providing outrageous workshops, games and activities hosted by ‘Cosmic Bin Men’ who have taken junk from around the universe and found new and crazy uses for it. People will be able to watch in amazement or learn for themselves how to turn cosmic tat into handy, useful (or useless!) items.
Hosted by Pyratrix Circus, this will be all about creating weird and wonderful performances to entertain. The Pyratrix Circus will have an outdoor stage with a range of music and circus that aims to bring a ‘touch of delight’ to the audience.
They are usually found creating shows in interesting spaces such as churches and pirate ships, and now within the city walls of Boomtown festival.
Not for the faint-hearted, the Traumaville Cabaret performers will be found within the Oldtown district and will be showcasing some of the most outrageous cabaret to be witnessed.
Presented by Bristol based barbers, Shambarber, the Stiletto Disco presents a seething den of dark corners, glittering disco balls and flesh, sitting within Metropolis. Music will represent some of Bristol’s finest house and disco providers.
Trash Club
The Trash Club is a professional network and community of upcycling experts. They will be working with Boomtown’s audience to transform the festival rubbish into high fashion clothing.
They will be creating a series of digital content with Boomtown in the run-up and throughout the duration of the festival.
Megan Clifton, Street Venues and Theatre Producer for 2022, said:
“The street venues offer some of the most weird and wonderful experiences the festival has to offer. Every venue is themed and forms a part of our city, the street venues and the characters populating them are one of the parts of Boomtown that sets us apart as a festival.
“We are so proud to bring together so many incredible crews who populate our districts with these venues, bringing their own storylines, characters, games to play and secrets to be discovered. I can’t wait to see how people interact with the characters and stories of our city, as this will help shape the future of the festival.”
Lak Mitchell, co-founder of Boomtown festival added:
“We’re not releasing a musical lineup this year for many reasons, mainly because we want the audience to want to come to the festival and explore it on the basis of the ethos, values and essence of what Boomtown stands for, rather than who is at the top of a poster.
“It allows the audience to look further afield into the breadth of the immersive offering that we have. We have an immersive storyline that swims through absolutely everything and ties everything together.
“Exploring the street venues is one of the ways that the audience can immerse themselves into the various districts and worlds that we have dreamt up over the years.
“We’ve got some of the most spectacular circus shows that we’ve ever had this year and we can’t wait! ”