The headliners for Boomtown Fair’s 2019 festival have been announced

Published

6 years ago

March 1, 2019

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Boomtown’s 11th annual festival is set to draw crowds of over 60,000 to the Matterley Estate near Winchester, and has announced some popular names to hit the stage.

Britain’s most successful reggae band UB40 will play a headline set with Ali Campbell and Astro. Punk duo Slaves are also among the headliners.

Rapper Ms Lauryn Hill and and rap-rock group Prophets of Rage will feature, as well as The Streets, reggae act Chronixx, drum-and-bass duo Chase and Status, and the female rap crew Salt-N-Pepa.

American gypsy punk band Gogol Bordello will return to play their third set at the festival, following appearances in 2011 and 2015.

A strong DJ contingent will also be in attendance this year, with Carl Cox, Four Tet, Amelie Lens and Ben UFO b2b Joy Orbison lined up to lead the Area 404 stage, a new addition for 2019.

Boomtown organisers 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 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.”

The festival is one of the UK’s largest, and will run between August 7 and 11.

The full line-up will comprise more than 500 artists across 27 main stages and 80 interactive street venues, featuring music from over 80 genres.

Boomtown follows a storyline that evolves each year and is played out across 14 differently themed ‘districts’ within the site.

Announcing the headlining acts comes after the unveiling of the festival’s Sustainability Mission for 2019.

The festival has grown in size from 1,000 to 66,000 capacity since 2009 and organisers will be working with a number of partners to reduce the five-day event’s impact on the environment.

Winchester Action on Climate Change (WinACC) have been unveiled as the festival’s charity partner for this year and will help complete the sustainability plans.

To reduce fuel consumption by half compared to last year, LED lighting will be used across site, and mains power supplies will use green energy rather than diesel powered generators.

Organisers will also work with the Association of Independent Festivals (AIF) on the Drastic on Plastic campaign, aiming to entirely eliminate single use plastic from the 2019 site.

OLLY MURS plays READING – Palmer Park on Friday 13th June 2025!

Published

3 weeks ago

April 11, 2025

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Olly Murs fans, buckle up! The Palmer Park Summer Series is delighted to announce Olly Murs Live in Palmer Park, Reading on Friday 13th June 2025.

It’s 15 years since Olly exploded onto our screens, yet he is still more determined than ever about what’s next. With 7 successful albums, 5 of them reaching no.1, in excess of 2 million tour tickets sold, 7.6M monthly Spotify listeners & a combined following of over 27M across social media, Olly has so far had an incredible career as a singer, songwriter & TV personality.

2024 was also a busy year with Olly working 44 dates touring with Take That & finishing off the summer with a run of his own headliner gigs. Having just announced a summer tour in 2025,
Olly has another action-packed year ahead of him & will be celebrating his 15-year anniversary gigging all the hits as he travels down the road to Reading, Palmer Park with Legacy Live on Friday 13th June.

Don’t miss the chance to celebrate 15 fantastic years of Olly Murs in Reading! Book your tickets now at www.legacylive.co Limited Tickets Available!

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Host a Street Party This Summer – Apply Now for Free Road Closures in Reading

Published

4 weeks ago

April 4, 2025

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People are being encouraged to bring communities together this summer by holding their own street parties as part of The Big Lunch 2025.

This year’s celebrations are particularly significant, as they coincide with the 80th anniversaries of VE Day and VJ Day – a special opportunity to come together with neighbours in both celebration and commemoration.

Free Road Closures for Summer 2025 Street Parties

Reading Borough Council is once again supporting local events by covering the cost of road closure fees for street parties on any of the following weekends:

Saturday 8 & Sunday 9 June – The Big Lunch Weekend
Saturday 28 & Sunday 29 June – Armed Forces Day
Saturday 5 & Sunday 6 July
Saturday 12 & Sunday 13 July

How to Apply

To host a street party, residents must apply by Monday 21 April 2025. Applications must ensure the proposed road closure does not affect a main through-route or public transport route. Organisers are also asked to consult with neighbours, address any concerns, and ensure access for emergency services is maintained throughout the event.

You’ll need to provide:

Your name and contact details
The name(s) of the road(s) to be closed
The date and times of the closure
A list of the properties that will be affected
Details of how you will notify residents of the closure
Confirmation that neighbours are on board with the plans

So, roll out your bunting, get the trestle tables down from the loft, and start planning your perfect summer street party!

For more information and to submit your application, visit the Reading Borough Council website.

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MP for Earley and Woodley Yuan Yang shortlisted for women’s prize

Published

1 month ago

March 28, 2025

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MP for Earley and Woodley Yuan Yang among shortlisted women for the Women’s Prize for Non-Fiction in 2025.

Yuan Yang, the MP for Woodley and Earley, wrote Private Revolutions: Coming of Age in a New China, while Oxford-based Dr Rachel Clarke wrote The Story of a Heart.

Ms Puri said the non-fiction works were “united by an unforgettable voice, rigour, and unique insight”.

The shortlist is rounded out by Dr Rachel Clarke’s The Story of a Heart, The Buffalo Stance singer’s A Thousand Threads, Chloe Dalton’s Raising Hare, Clare Mulley’s Agent Zo: The Untold Stories of Courageous WW2 Resistance Fighter Elzbieta Zawacka, and Helen Scales’ What the Wild Sea Can Be: The Future of the World’s Ocean.