Festival Preview: Boomtown - Top Ten Sets To Check Out
Radical Redesign, radical line-up: Boomtown’s essential sets for 2026.
Boomtown returns to the Matterley Estate next week for Chapter 5: Radical Redesign, five days of the city building, sound system culture and genre hopping chaos that's made it one of the UK's most beloved independent festivals. With the arena returning to pre-covid capacity, this year's line up leans further into that "radical" promise than ever, live bands rubbing shoulders with jungle legends, rave nostalgia colliding with the rising stars. Here's the acts on the radar heading into next weekend, with some special mentions before we dive into the top ten:
SPECIAL MENTIONS
Friday
Madness - Friday 12:30 - The Lion’s Den (Opening Ceremony)
Shy FX - Friday 14:05- The Lion’s Den
Notion - Friday 15:30 - Hydro XL
Darren Styles - Friday 22:00 - Spectrum 360
Saturday
Shaggy - Saturday 19:30 - The Lion’s Den
Scooter - Saturday 21:00 - The Lion’s Den
Four Tet - Saturday 22:35 - Hydro XL
Sunday
DUBTENDO: Just Dance - Sunday 00:00 - Twisted Time Machine
Fish56Octagon - Sunday 03:00 - Spectrum 360
Vengaboys - Sunday 16:00 - The Lion’s Den
FCUKERS - Sunday 18:40 - The Lion’s Den
Scissor Sisters - Sunday 20:10 - The Lion’s Den
Now, let’s delve into the top ten acts you must see at Boomtown 2026:
10. Kae Tempest
Friday, 19:00, Grand Central
One of the most acclaimed spoken word artists and musicians working today, Kae Tempest brings poetry, storytelling and live instrumentation together in a way few others can. This is one for anyone wanting a moment of genuine substance amongst the weekend's chaos.
9. Kings of the Rave 2
Sunday, 17:00, Hidden Woods
Part of the Fantazia Takeover celebrating 90s UK rave culture, this one brings together rave royalty 2 Bad Mice, Ellis Dee and Mark XTC with MC GQ. Pure old school nostalgia for anyone who remembers what Fantazia meant the first time round.
8. Benny L B2B Break B2B Skeptical
Saturday, 14:00, The Lion's Den (Royal Rumble)
Part of the Kings of the Rollers curated Royal Rumble takeover, Benny L is joined by Break and Skeptical for a heavyweight, sub-heavy drum and bass session with MC GQ and MC Det on the mic. A serious way to start a Saturday.
7. Zero + Voltage & Shabba D
Sunday, 01:00/02:30, Hidden Woods
Okay, so I might be cheating with this one. Yes, it’s two different acts, but they play directly after one another so we can allow it just this time? Early Sunday morning, Zero opens before Voltage takes over with a jungle classics set featuring legendary MC Shabba D. For anyone still standing at 1am, this is as authentic as jungle gets at Boomtown.
6. Effy B2B Ross From Friends
Friday, 21:30, Hydro XL
No, this isn’t a Skins x Friends crossover episode, this is a B2B from two of the UK’s best upcoming DJ’s. Sophie "Effy" Cooper has become one of the most exciting names in UK club music, blending breaks, electro and bass into something high energy and emotionally charged. Paired with Ross From Friends, aka Felix Clary Weatherall, whose warm, sample laden house has made him a festival favourite for years, this feels like one of the standout back to backs of the whole weekend.
5. David Rodigan MBE
Sunday, 14:30, The Lion's Den
A broadcasting and selecting legend, David Rodigan MBE presents Ram Jam, bringing sound system culture to the main stage with guests D Double E, Hollie Cook and Irah. After a 40-year career that started out with him being a school gym DJ, expect a masterclass from one of reggae's most renowned figures.
4. Rossi. B2B Silva Bumpa
Saturday, 20:00, Hydro XL
These two came together for a B2B in Miami earlier this year, and now they’re bringing the set to Boomtown. Rossi. has built a name on minimal house, headlining rooms at Printworks and Pacha Ibiza, while Silva Bumpa is at the centre of the UKG and speed garage resurgence coming out of Manchester. Together they should bridge two of dance music's most vital current scenes.
3. Ryota B2B Yung Singh
Saturday, 20:30, Hidden Woods
Yung Singh has been one of the breakout stories of UK club culture in recent years, bringing Punjabi and South Asian sounds into the mainstream with his genre blending sets. Paired with Ryota, one of the most exciting DJ’s at Boomtown this year. Also known for his genre-bending & immersive sets, this promises to be one of the more culturally rich, joyous back to backs of the weekend.
2. Kneecap
Friday, 22:00, The Lion's Den
The Belfast trio bring their bilingual, unapologetically political brand of hip hop to Boomtown fresh off a run of headline making moments this year. After the controversy of Glastonbury last year, expect chaos, crowd chants in both Irish and English, and a set that leans as much into provocation as it does party.
1. Skrillex / Faithless
Sunday, 22:15 & 22:30, The Lion's Den & Hydro XL
The big one, and genuinely the toughest clash of the whole weekend. Faithless close out The Lion's Den at 22:15, marking their first ever Boomtown appearance as part of their 30th anniversary celebrations. At almost exactly the same time, Skrillex closes Hydro XL. Two legendary closing sets, same night, different stages. However you split your weekend, this is the moment to build the whole festival around.
In just under a week, Boomtown will return in full. With the return of Lion’s Den and an expanded campsite, the Radical Redesign is fully underway. Chapter 5 promises to bring one of the greatest instalments in Boomtown history, with a line-up to match. Tickets are still available through the Boomtown site:
https://www.boomtownfair.co.uk/tickets
Words by Alex Peters
