So who nailed it and who stank for you?

[bennyhana22]

Hi everyone. Thanks for a great EOTR. It was lovely to meet and re-meet so many people...

Nailed

Rue Royale

tUnE-yArDs

The Mountaineering Club (technical issues notwithstanding)

Beirut

Three Trapped Tigers (Tipi secret set - wow!)

Treefight for Sunlight (a faultless set of smile-inducing pop)

Diagrams

Other Lives (if I'm honest, the sound precluded them nailing it, and they were late starting, so the set was slightly shortened, AND they didn't play anything from the first record. But they were GREAT!)

Lanterns on the Lake

Kathryn Calder

The Leisure Society

Joanna Newsom (love her or hate her, that was a monumentally impressive performance)

Really enjoyed as well

Drum Eyes

The Walkmen

White Denim

Okkervil River

Midlake

Brakes

Dry the River

The Black Angels

Loads of other sets!

Disappointed by

Emmanuel and the Fear (if there's an argument for when bands shouldn't strip down and go acoustic, this was it)

Clap Your Hands Say Yeah - competently performed jangly pop. Dull songwriting

Phosphorescent - probably heresy on here, but he's just a little bit boring!

Woods - pre-EOTR, I tired. At EOTR, I tried. Just sounded like a bar band to me, sorry.

Astonishingly awful

Holy Crutches - now these apologies for musicians seemed to have replaced another late announcement, in Telegrams, a band in whom I had invested time and money after their announcement. The irrepressible optimist in me had even postulated that Telegrams had re-named themselves 'Holy Crutches'!

So, when they ambled onto the Tipi stage for a secret late-nighter I was at least intrigued. They initially seemed to be having a stand-off with Daniel Lefkowitz who appeared to be refusing to leave the stage. Then Holy Crutches started with said former Low Anthemer remaining on stage to play with them! Trouble was, DL didn't know how to play their songs. Good news - neither did Holy Crutches! What followed was the single worst musical performance I've ever seen! It was hilarious, painful and dreadful in equal measures. I frequently questioned whether or not they were joking. This came to a head for track 2, as the guitarist and 'singer', displaying the worst case of deluded rock-star affectation I've seen in many a year, started the track SIX times, each time failing to come in in time with the drum machine, only then to flounce off to the stage corner to berate what appeared to be a librarian operating said percussion-generator. Un-be-lievable. Only Daniel Lefkowitz could hold the chord, and he'd never heard them before. So astonished was I that I tried to encourage as many people as I could to attend their Big Top set the next day. Many did, watching open-mouthed at the car-crash unfolding on stage in front of them including, would you believe it, another appearance by Daniel Lefkowitz, wearing exactly the same clothes as when he'd shuffled off the Tipi stage 10 hours earlier. People turned to me asking if it had been better the previous night. Trying to stifle my laughter I replied, with no hint of a lie that no, this second set was actually BETTER. Astonishing.

Ben

[SweepingTheNation]

Who are Holy Crutches anyway? The only hits on Google obviously for the band are EOTR and a gig in July they might have been down the bill on. No Myspace, no Bandcamp/Soundcloud, no blogs, no label or PR references.

[Maoster]

They saved the best for last this Year - thought Josh T Pearson's set was spellbinding and John Grant's was just beautiful.

Other than that, really enjoyed the Fall, TuneYards, HEALTH, Phosphorescent, Wooden Shjips, Tinawiren and of course the incomparable Gruff Rhys who as usual wowed the crowd.

Bit disappointed with Micah P Hinson, Larua Marling and Mogwai.

[Joe_the_Great]

Ones I liked on album and even better live:

JN, Beirut, Wild Beasts, Zola Jesus, Austra, Lykke Li

Ones I not heard much before but were freaking awesome:

Bob Log III "YEAH!!!", Clap you hands say yeah, Kathryn Calder, Tune-Yards

Ones I liked on album but sounded the same:

Best Coast

Ones I liked on album but disappointed live:

Laura Marling

[puppyfeat]

Three Trapped Tigers (Tipi secret set - wow!)

[psweeting]

Nailed it (in no order)

Beirut - the only band I went to the front for and boy was it worth it

Best Coast - I hate the album, I hate her whining about cats and boyfriends but somehow it sort of works live.

Bob Log III - Austra (see stank) won the pre-festival clash off battle but Mr Log won the war.

Dan Mangan - Awesome set, played all the songs I wanted to hear and his attempts to get the audience to love robots by parading through the crowd shouting the chorus at the top of his voice was very entertaining.

Midlake - Probably the nearest I'll get to a Grateful Dead experience. Those guitar solo's were superb.

Tune-Yards - I was totally unprepared for how insane and mesmerising the show was. A wonderful experience.

Twin Shadow - I was looking forward to a much more laid back, electronic sound but they seemed to rock the set up and it worked.

Brakes - My surprise of the show. Superb entertainment with the only attempted crowd surf I saw during the entire festival. A mash of lots of different styles that shows they can rock, give a hoe down and play to the crowd like troopers.

Wild Nothing - I went in with no expectations and came out liking a new band.

Stank

Austra - I enjoyed her album pre-festival but it she did absolutely nothing for me live. Listened to the first two songs (my two favourites on the album) and left to be converted to Logism.

Joan As Policewoman - I was raving to my friends before the festival about them but I'm glad they didn't go with me to watch them. I can't recall one upbeat song but I did leave after about 45 minutes as I was bored so perhaps the pace picked up after I'd left.

Joanna Newsome - I tried to listen to her with an open mind, I really did. I can manage one song when it comes up on random play and find it enjoyable but I can't stand her voice for more than two songs. It just grates sooo much. I know I sound like my parents but I really struggle to understand everything she says and when she starts warbling it really doesn't sound like singing to me. I could listen to her play the harp for much longer than I can listen to her singing.

[GeordieMartin]

Nailed it (in No particular order)

The Walkmen - f**k me, they were good. First time seeing them live, that boy can sing! Brilliant!

Midlake - (Lovey Alert!Lovey Alert)On fire! And good to see a friend of mine play a blinder on the guitar solos (It's Joey from a band called The Fieros, check em out for some great power, sunshine pop)

Gruff Rhys - Killed it

John Grant - Such beauty and grace, perfect with the low half moon and all the stars. Quite emotional actually.

Kurt Vile - The big top was f**king shaking when he finished! Rocked it.

Tinariwen - Full of colour, full of love, full of hypnotic vibes. Blew me away

Timber Timbre - No flashy lights, just dark eerie shit in the big top. I was a bit scared afterwards but also very impressed.

Disappointed

Okkervil River - I like their music but Will Sheff annoys me a bit like that lead singer of Razorlight annoys me. Can't quite put my finger on it, just seems a bit fake. I dunno.

[Dibford and Son]

I think I am about to commit a serious EOTR forum own goal and get one a whole stream of negative comments on my profile, but how boring was John Grant?? I tried to like him 'cos I think I should, but god he was dull and I just don't get it!

Apart from that my nailed it list is.

Dan Mangan, Josh T, Okkervil River, CYHSY, Tune yARDS, Woods, Rue Royale, Allo Darling.

Good.

Beirut, Lykke Li, Dry The River, The Walkmen, M.Ward, Midlake, Willy Mason, Laura Marling, Megafaun,

Not so good.

Joanna Newsom( just not my thing in the cold at the end of a long weekend in a big field. A different time and stage may well have been better)

Did I mention John Grant??!!

[parsley]

Bang on:

Doug Paisley (Highlight of the weekend)

Dan Mangan (can't beat Robots)

Beruit (great sound)

Magafaun (great guys)

Woods (Love Woods apart from the 10 minute jams)

Sam Amidon (surprise hit - one of the few banjos I saw)

The Staves (charming)

Disappointing:

Caitlin Rose

Lightning Dust

Jolie Holland

Micah P. Hinson

Beth Jeans Houghton

[acstalker]

Bang on:

Doug Paisley (Highlight of the weekend)

Dan Mangan (can't beat Robots)

Beruit (great sound)

Magafaun (great guys)

Woods (Love Woods apart from the 10 minute jams)

Sam Amidon (surprise hit - one of the few banjos I saw)

The Staves (charming)

Disappointing:

Caitlin Rose

Lightning Dust

Jolie Holland

Micah P. Hinson

Beth Jeans Houghton

[airwaves]

Had very little in the way of disappointments over the weekend.

Mogwai - set of the weekend for me (and from a front barrier perspective) have been watching these guys for around 12 years now - see them most years at least once - and this was one of the most nailed on performances I've seen them do

Beirut - Had barely heard of these before fest. Bought Rip Tide about a week before. Great set

Joanna N - I fall into the definate like category. Would still have liked to have seen her in the Garden Stage setting though.

Dry The River - 3rd fest this year I've seen these at. Predict big things for them, if they get their act together - Where's the album guys??

Lanterns on the Lake - My top 'not seen or heard of them before' band of the weekend for me. Just beautiful. Have had their CD on rotation play in car along with

Allo Darlin' - I love these guys. Another 'not heard/seen of before' for me. Will be keeping an eye on both of these.

Lykke Li - Best 'show' of the weekend for me, and nailed it.

tUnE-yArDs - A total nutcase and a wonderful set

Drum Eyes - as mad as a box of frogs

Bo Ningen - as mad as 2 boxes of frogs

Zola Jesus - as mad as 3 boxes of frogs.

Phosphorescent - I like listening to twiddling about

Timber Timbre - need to get some of this guy's stuff

John Grant - 3rd time in a year at JG for me. Such a wonderful, powerful voice. Glad that the Garden audience gave him the respect / quiet he deserved.

Josh T Pearson - Another newbie for me. Loved his songs, his playing and his repartee. Though I wish he wouldn't 'waste' so much time on that and give us another song or two. Anyone else notice that at the Rough Trade tent on the board announcing in-tent signings for Sunday it said 'We will close tent at midnight tonight or whenever Mr Pearson [booked for signing at 9.30] leaves then tent.' He was still in there at around 12.10!

Bob Log III - mad as 4 boxes of frogs. Dammed that I missed his Tipi set

Didn't get

Beth Jeans Houghton - gave her a 2nd chance after being disappointed at a previous EOTR. No, still doesn't get me.

Wild Beasts - Derivitive, uninspiring, not befitting a support slot

Edited September 7, 2011 by airwaves

[MrSimonW]

The following bands brought a big ol' smile to the face of MrSimonW:

Rue Royale

Emanuel & The Fear

Sarabeth Tucek

Skinny Lister

TuneYards

She Keeps Bees

Beirut

Treefight for Sunlight

Dan Mangan

Bob Log III

Mogwai

Lightening Dust

Megafaun

Doug Paisley

Nobody really stank for me. Apart from my tent which had been put away still a little damp after Latitude and smelt grim on Thursday.

[SweepingTheNation]

Stereogum has just uploaded an immense amount of photos: http://stereogum.com/801241/end-of-the-road-festival-2011-in-photos/concert/

[GTG]

Selfishly glad Micah was apparently crap as we arrived too late to see for ourselves!

[perfectpassion]

Has no one mentioned She keeps bees yet? i thought they were one of the finds of the festival - that was an absolutely killer set.

So...Bob Log, Kathryn Calder, Joanna Newsom, Tuneyards, and Best Coast for the nailed it section.

[riverlodge]

Don't want to spoil your relief but I beg to differ. VERY different, arm in a sling so NO GUITAR but he had a superb string quartet (part of the Pioneer Saboteurs) to 'croon' with and played a lot of songs off 'Opera Circuit' which I'd not seen/heard live. Admittedly, I find it hard to imagine 'crap' Micah.

[ljsawyer]

I thought Micah P. Hinson was great, and his ramblings were the best bit

[captain haddock]

I thought Micah P. Hinson was great, and his ramblings were the best bit

[Jeddon]

Three Trapped Tigers (Tipi secret set - wow!)

Edited September 8, 2011 by Jeddon

[Hotcider]

Highlights for me who were as great as expected or surprised me as to how good they were :

Herman Dune

Junip

Lykke Li

Beirut

Gruff

CYHSY

Okkervill River

Black Angels

Wooden Shjips

Kurt Vile

Wild Nothing

Brakes (both sets !)

Alo Darlin

Bob Log (both sets !)

Magafaun

The Growlers (especially in the Tipi)

Dry the River

Disappointments as I love thier records but they just didn't do it for rme on the day :

White Denim

Best Coast

Tinariwen

Micah P

The 'sorry I just don't get it ' awards to :

Lightening Dust

Timber Timbre

J Newsombe

Three Trapped Tigers

Holy Crutches

Edited September 9, 2011 by Hotcider

[riverlodge]

I thought Micah P. Hinson was great, and his ramblings were the best bit

[baroquepop]

Yes, enjoyed Micah P and his great string quartet, although the language was definitely post watershed. Hands over kids' ears indeed!

Expected:

tUnE-yArDs nailed it of course. A warm and sunny day with a warm and sunny person on stage. Right band/person, right weather, right time, right stage. Love her.

The Unthanks. Note-perfect performances of their meticulously arranged folk, Rachel's great voice and genuine warmth.

New to me:

Diagrams. This guy was so engaging, lots of audience involvement and some great music too.

Lanterns on the Lake. Real music makers. Can't wait for an album.

stank:

Emanuel and the Fear. Superb album of 11 piece band last year, but only 2 showed up at EOTR. Emanuel hacking at an acoustic guitar when he's really a pianist. Pointless and disappointing. I'm still a fan though.