End of the road atmosphere

[blonddrummer]

19 year old. Been to glastonbury, reading, leeds, hopfarm & benicassim (spain).

me and 5 other 19/20 yo's wondering whether we should go to end of the road this year. we all like the line up.

just wondering what the atmosphere's like. i've read forums where people say they've been told off for being too loud watching bands, you can't have fires in the campsite and lots of the pictures on their website seem to include adults and their families (young kids)

i guess the most similar festival i've been to is hopfarm, but atleast in the evenings there there was a dance tent so we weren't on the campsite annoying older people.

i guess what i want to know is how civilised and therefore how out of place/bored we might be if we turn up hoping for a party as well as good music (which seems to be guaranteed)

any replies will be helpful as i know no-one who's ever been so have very little knowledge about the festival

cheers

[Splainc]

To be honest i do not think it is for you. We were told off in the campsite for being slightly loud (basically drunk talking in tent at 3am) but the charm of the festival is how laid back it is. The most relaxed festival i have ever been to. Was at Electric Picnic in Ireland the last two years running the week before EOTR and EOTR seems like a day in a spa or something after a typical festival.

You can stay inside the arena to drink etc. but very laid back and no dance tent and rare you see anyone completely pissed. Lot's of children which also adds to the festival

The music is amazing but mostly folk (with the exception being Mogwai or similar now and then) and alt-country stuff so depends on what you are in to.

To sum up it is my favourite gathering of the year but party it ain't

Edited March 30, 2011 by Splainc

[Tom75]

Agree with the poster above. There are DJs and stuff, but it's not a mental party type festival, more for the older crowd who like drinking good beer, listening to good music (rather than talking all the way through the bloody sets) and a decent night's kip at the end of it.

That's why I love it anyway.

[Dibford and Son]

This will be the 3rd year for me with my now 13 yr old son. We are addicted. Atmosphere is fantastic, relaxed, enjoyable as is the music and the people and the food. I am not aware of any late night dance type stuff going on other than the DJ sets by messrs Hawley and Cocker, but that is not wild and I am with the above post, that that is why I love it. It's not too raucous, loud or late night, but it is just about the perfect weekend............for a 40 year old music loving bloke anyway!!

[perfectpassion]

Come and make your own party...remember "Lifes too short for regrets and bad fitting jeans" LykkeLi

Edited March 30, 2011 by perfectpassion

[seadragon]

I'd have to agree with the people before me...I don't think this is what you're looking for if you're looking for a party. It's about good music, chilling out and meeting other like minded people, not drinking till you can't stand up and falling over other peoples tents as you scream your way through the campsite at 4am.

That said it's a magical place and my favourite festival and I'd hate to see it any other way. If it became anything like any of the other festivals you mention I'd be gutted.

[MattL80]

Hmmm, to some extent I agree with what's been said. However, if you like the lineup I'd say go for it. Just be prepared to accept the fact that it isn't a 24 hour festival, and the majority of people who attend like to get some sleep.

The one thing I would change about EOTR(if I was planning on making it MY dream festival) would be to introduce some kind of late night entertainment. Maybe a tent or two playing dnb and techno well into the early hours. But that just isn't eotr and I accept that it won't happen (and would be very unpopular for the majority of people if it did) so I just enjoy what goes on during the day (and evening, and (all too) early hours of the morning), and then go to bed. (((Too many brackets in that paragraph!)))!

If you are thinking of eotr as your only festival of the year then I'd probably agree, it isn't for you. But if you are going for the music, and are prepared to accept that people around you won't want to be kept up all night, and you are willing to respect the wishes of those camping around you, then there is no reason why you can't go and have a great time.

All depends really on how much you want to see the bands that are there. In fact, f**k it, I'm pretty pissed, just get a ticket now, you'll love it.

[ljsawyer]

Whilst it's not a party festival you do get music until about 3am (mostly fairly low-key DJ sets and bands playing secret sets in the Tipi tent). That's something you won't get at some of the bigger festivals like Reading where they usually wrap up most entertainment by about 11pm. Just don't go expecting to have a rave and trolley wars in the campsite End of the Road is pretty much my favourite place in the world, almost as much for the laid-back atmosphere and location as well as for the brilliant bands you get there.

[Yokel Again]

Hard to answer this one without making some massive presumptions on what a group of 19 year old lads expect of late night entertainment...

I think I said in another thread somewhere - I see EOTR as abit of an extra end of festie season bonus than an alternative to the big ones. It has it's unique music loving winding down folkie vibe - and although I am not quite old enough for pipe and slippers, I still wouldn't really want there to be anything going on too much in the early hours full of ravers... Get enough of that at Glasto. There is some stuff that goes on late (will leave someone else to say what time as I'm usually in bed by 1am). DJ's and unannounced gigs in the tent by the Cider Bus (forgets name), but this is generally full of older beery bearded types than young hip trendy teens.

Only you know how much all of the above is relevant to you or not. There is no better small festival in my mind though, but when I personally was 19 I probably wouldn't have been as in to it.

[blonddrummer]

cheers to the replies, i'll consult the group ( which does not only include lads )