Boomtown 2023: Day five saw Chase & Status and Sister Sledge

What a week this has been.

From a fairly calm first day to the extravagant final show, Boomtown: Chapter Two: The Twin Trail has been an incredible experience.

The excitement from day five began with a hike over to the Press centre, where I stayed until around 4pm, I wrote some articles and charged up my equipment for what I knew would be a big evening.

I got back to my camp at 5pm, bought a pizza, and relaxed for the next hour.

Putting on my bucket hat for one last dance, I made my way to the Grand Central stage at 6.30pm, giving myself 20 minutes to find a good place to stand among a crowd of thousands of festival goers who were eagerly anticipating the legendary band, Sister Sledge.

The group paraded onto the stage in matching outfits and entertained the crowd with classic hits such as 'Good Times', 'All American Girls' and, of course, 'We Are Family'.

It was so 1980s.The crowd enjoying Sister Sledge (Image: Newsquest)

Everybody in the crowd was dancing along, these people who had just spent the past few days raving to hardcore Drum and Bass, were now busting out the sprinkler and waving their hands in the air to popular disco songs.

The group even invited a few lucky crowd members on stage to strut their stuff, these really were the good times.

NME Award-winner Loyle Carner was the next act on the Grand Central stage.

READ MORE: Boomtown Chapter Two: The Twin Trail - Live updates

The lyrical genius gave an emotional, and humble performance, dedicating certain songs to his son and various people close to him.

There was a more laid-back vibe from him, he interacted with the crowd, telling personal stories and anecdotes between songs.

He told the crowd how a few years ago he played on a much smaller stage at Boomtown, and how it was his dream to return and perform on the Grand Central.

At one point, a member of the crowd collapsed while Loyle Carner was performing, he spotted her and stopped mid-song, calmly calling for medical staff to assist her.

Thankfully, the woman was okay, and Loyle picked up where he left off.

After his act was over, he came back onto the stage and performed some poetry as a thank you to everyone who watched him.

His performance was definitely one of my favourites of the whole festival.Chase & Status at Boomtown (Image: Newsquest)

At 10:15pm, Chase & Status, who had been called upon in the 11th hour to replace The Prodigy, made an incredible entrance to bring the end credits to the festival.

They started with a bang, and it only got louder.

Lights, lasers, pyrotechnics, their performance had the works.Chase & Status at Boomtown (Image: Newsquest)

The next hour and 25 minutes were an experience I will never forget, the atmosphere was electric, the DJs were on fire, the crowd was rocking - the stars had aligned to bring the perfect final headline act.

Song after song, there was no slowing down, the multiple award-winning electronic music duo did not put a foot wrong.

The pair even shouted out The Prodigy, asking the crowd to give applause for the act they replaced late on.

Then it was time for the closing show, which featured even more lights and fireworks, and a message from Boomtown's Elen, the main character in the interactive storyline where festival goers had the chance to work out whether she was a friend or foe.Boomtown's closing show (Image: Newsquest)

Elen revealed herself to have been a friend the whole time, stating that she will be back next year in time for Boomtown: Chapter Three: Revolution of Imagination.

Just like that, it was all over.

Another hike up the hill, and off to sleep in the tent.

This was my first time at Boomtown, and I was so impressed.

It genuinely is a one-of-a-kind experience that you cannot fully understand until you go.

I met so many interesting people, made some new friends, and enjoyed amazing live music, all in the countryside of Winchester.

Boomtown is a town like no other, and I'm sure I will return.