Today, Boomtown Festival has announced the chapter messaging in its evolution: the unveiling of the 2025 Chapter Narrative, Power of Now, alongside the addition of four incredible artists to this year’s line-up: Koffee, Kojey Radical, Craig Charles, and Babylon Circus. These new names add even more depth to Boomtown’s immersive experience and already thrilling bill featuring the likes of Maribou State, Sean Paul, Nia Archives, Sex Pistols featuring Frank Carter, Azealia Banks and more.a Following last year’s Chapter Three narrative, Revolution of Imagination, Boomtown continues to build on the idea of active actualisation. Where imagination sparked a revolution of possibility…
Author: Andy Lenthall
After a record-breaking edition in 2024, Reggae Land is set to return to The National Bowl in Milton Keynes for a fifth fantastic edition on August 2nd and 3rd 2025. Once again lining up more than 100 artists over two days and across five stages, this open-air multicultural celebration levels up with new production and stage designs for another unmissable weekend. Reggae Land is by far the biggest reggae festival in the UK and one of the largest in Europe, with 2025 set to welcome 100,000 people across the weekend. It is widely celebrated for its carefully curated, unmatched lineups…
Organisers of Southampton’s Jerk Jam Festival recently announced the cancellation of their 2025 edition, this follows their 2024 return after a weather-related cancellation in 2023. “With the increasing cost of infrastructure and services, the Directors will struggle to cover the cost and time sacrificed by themselves and many others. We’ve considered further investment but the right people haven’t come along, and we don’t want to change our ethos. We stepped into a post pandemic world that has seen many festivals fall by the way side, due to spiraling costs and many businesses get greedy with their pricing. It’s a roll…
Cambridge City Council has announced that, in its 60th Anniversary year, there will be no Cambridge Folk Festival. In a statement, the organisers have committed to continuing support the folk community with a series of locally based events throughout Cambridge, with other initiatives to support local emerging youth and folk artists, ahead of a return in 2026. Organisers said: “This decision marks an important step in the evolution of the festival. It has such a special legacy and we are committed to seeing it thrive for future generations as it has done over the past 60 years.” “We know how…
Independent UK promoter Labyrinth has announced a groundbreaking new open-air live music series, Labyrinth on the Thames. Scheduled across the first two weekends in August, this ambitious concept will unite some of the world’s most culturally relevant contemporary dance music acts. Labyrinth on the Thames is an exclusive residency at the iconic UNESCO World Heritage Site – Old Royal Naval College in Greenwich, London, representing an innovative cultural milestone for contemporary dance music, celebrating the convergence of old and new. Attendees will have the once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to experience world class performances in an unmatched, truly unique riverside setting, fostering a…
The winners of the Music Moves Europe Awards 2025 are revealed, celebrating the extraordinary musical diversity within Europe. Out of 15 nominees from all over Europe, 6 winners were awarded with 7 awards during the annual ceremony at ESNS festival in Groningen, The Netherlands on January 16. “My warmest congratulations to the winners and nominees of the 2025 edition of the Music Moves Europe Awards. Music breaks barriers and brings people together. It composes the soundtrack of our lives, I am so proud to witness such a variety of sheer talent, bringing the promise of a bright future for the…
Shindig Festival, who had previously announced that the 2024 edition would be its last, then subsequently announcing a comeback last October, have confirmed a new site for the event, Charlton Park in Malmesbury, the former home of Womad, which itself is set to announce a new site after a pause in 2025. Simon Clarke, the festival co-founder said: “Charlton Park marks a new era for Shindig. “This renowned site allows us to introduce new stages, a broader live music line up and fresh immersive experiences – the foundation for a solid future.” A message from the organisers shared on Facebook:…
Liverpool’s Africa Oyé is the first UK festival to announce a postponement, cancellation or complete closure in 2025. The announcement comes after a devastating year for the UK’s festival sector in 2024, with a record 78 events falling throughout the course of the year – more than double the amount (36) that did so the year before. Upon announcing that the Liverpool-based festival, which is a registered charity, will take a fallow year in 2025, with dates set for a return in 2026, Africa Oyé’s Artistic Director, Paul Duhaney, cited rising costs of 30% as being unworkable, despite record attendance…
An independent study has shown that huge amounts of economic benefit resulted from three events – Reggae Land, a Chase & Status concert and Bludfest – that took place at the National Bowl last August. They attracted more than 116,000 people, mostly from outside Milton Keynes, and generated about £25 million of economic activity. Reggae Land 2024 took place on 3rd and 4th August 2024 at the National Bowl. It was organised by JBM Music. It featured more than 100 local, national and international artists. Chase & Status (co-promoted by Louder) and Bludfest (promoted by AEG events) took place the…
Congratulations to the winners of the 2024 European Festival Awards. Festivals from over 30 countries participated and over 300,000 single votes have been cast by the public. This resulted in 104 shortlisted nominees in 13 distinct categories, not counting the Lifetime Achievement Award. Here are all the winners in the 14 categories of the European Festival Awards 2024 The Take a Stand Award Presented by: Take a Stand EXIT Festival, RS Line-Up of the Year Presented by: IQ Magazine Hellfest, FR The Event Safety Award Presented by: YES Group Timișoara – Capital of Culture, RO Agent of the Year Anna Bewers, Wasserman Music…