So how was it for you 2014?

[killyourtv]

if you'd care to read it my review is here:

http://www.efestivals.co.uk/festivals/endoftheroad/2014/review-overview.shtml

[killyourtv]

I enjoyed the detail and enthusiasm of your plain english review !

[Born in the fifties]

"There are queues at the main loos by the big stages, but less just a short distance away ones with no queues can be found, for those prepared to walk there. Bizarre how some people will wait so long just for the sake of not using their legs."

Echoes my thoughts precisely. I'd even find with the loos in the campsite that one side could have a queue of 5 or 6 people and you just had to walk round the other side to find no queue at all.

[5co77ie]

people do love to queue - at the cider bus there's no queues so people tried to make one anyway.

[RedRockRick]

I queued for more than 20 minutes to get into my sleeping bag on Friday night.

Edited September 3, 2014 by RedRockRick

[ch014]

Bad stuff.

Rubbish and recycling :- I remember there being lots of seperate bins for different waste items, when did that stop happening (last year)? Seems a shame to have just one set of waste bins. Though they were emptied pretty regularly. The Campsite didn't seem to have actually waste areas so there was just bin bags dumped about; either that or no one was using the metal triangles that are for waste. Perhaps it's because EOTR had used them to label campsite areas. Also did anyone get handed rubbish bags when they entered?

It was ALL recycling. I don't think this has had nearly enough credit, it is (as far as I know) the first scheme of its kind at a festival to date. All those blue bins were for recycling and it went off to a recycling plant to be sorted there. That's kind of brilliant when you think about it.

[cmouse]

"There are queues at the main loos by the big stages, but less just a short distance away ones with no queues can be found, for those prepared to walk there. Bizarre how some people will wait so long just for the sake of not using their legs."

Echoes my thoughts precisely. I'd even find with the loos in the campsite that one side could have a queue of 5 or 6 people and you just had to walk round the other side to find no queue at all.

Aah yes but you don't know the queue is shorter at other loos until you leave the queue to find out ......it may be even longer at another set (but yes in the campsite I did just look the other side).

[RedRockRick]

For those who were unable to study what I understand were the complimentary copies in the W H Smith Periodical Browsing Library:

http://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/music/reviews/end-of-the-road-festival-review-a-strikingly-potent-bill-from-the-flaming-lips-to-st-vincent-9703177.html

http://www.theguardian.com/music/2014/sep/01/end-of-the-road-festival-2014-review-st-vincent

[airwaves]

OK, 7th in a row for me, so have sort of seen it 'grow up' from around 5000 people to its current size (currently around 14000? if I remember)

Whilst small was always nice there was no way EOTR was ever going to compete and survive unless it grew as it has. That's the only way it would be able to afford to attract the quality of talent that it continues to.

During that time I have seen it get things wrong due to some of the earlier expansion - but now I find there is very little, if anything, to criticise.

Looking first at the site & set-up

- Arrived at around 2:30 and only a short q to get in once I'd unloaded car and walked to wristband exchange.

- EOTR has never felt crowded in the camp site (especially compared to the behemoth Glastonbury, but also in comparison to its nearest rival Green Man) but this year it felt like there was even more space than usual, possibly, as remarked elsewhere, due to the relocation of the pre-pitched tents.

A note, though - a message to families, please consider using the family camping provided as this is best for the sanity of those who have not bought non-sleeping through the night babies with them!

- Wow, where did those new vacumn flushing Andy's Loos come from. They were great. And as for queues, I didn't find that any q took more than say 5 mins to get from front to back.

- My, hasn't the cinema 'tent' grown up. Proper walls and everthing :-)

- At previous EOTRs I had felt that there was insufficient food arena seating, but that seemed to have gone away with a vengence this year. Inside the 'main drag', I'm sure there were far more seats/benches than previously, and that was before adding in the additional seats under the circular roofed area. (what a shame though that so many festival goers cannot manage even a modicum of cleaning up after themselves. Gawd knows what their houses would be like if they lived like that).

- I read the reference in the programme to the use of single category bins for rubbish to be sorted out for recycling, so I got that. However, particularly for the first day or two there were still not enough of these for the amount of rubbish being left. I noticed that larger dump bins did appear later, but still more would have been welcome.

- I missed the bookshop. Has been a good source of Xmas presents in the past.

- Soundwise on the whole this was pretty good. Even the Tipi tent seemed to be more up to scratch than normal, though it is still best not to lean on the stage as that puts you in front of the speaker stacks. I see that some people have moaned about the Big Top sound. I concur that it was somewhat hit or miss, and varied greatly according to where you stood. At least, as a general rule, forward of the mixing desk rather than behind made a very significant difference. Indeed, in just the space of a foot or two things could improve greatly. I did notice that above the mixing desk was a run of 4 speakers facing to the back of the tent, and I couldn't discern any band sound coming from these, though there was some type of hiss at times. I wonder, was there any chance that they were using sound cancelling technology? To put a delayed, out of phase signal through those speakers that would then cancel/deaden the sound at the back and hence leaking out from the tent?

- I note that a lot of people have complained that there were more chatterers this year than previously. I was fortunate in that I encountered very little of this myself this year. That said, I find that a harsh look can often cure the problem. Failing that a 'can you please be quiet or take your conversation elsewhere' hardly ever fails to work, especially as those others nearby are often in agreement (it wouldn't be the first time I've been clapped for daring to say it. I guess that's what comes of reaching an age when happy to call myself ' a grumpy old man'.) In a similar vein, I did ask two gentlemen who came and stood in front of me over the weekend if they could remove their hats 'for the duration'. And both did.

- I've loved the setting for the comedy since they set up the 'in the woods' stage. But, is it now fit for purpose? Knightmare Live was, frankly, a nightmare!! I hear it filled quite quickly - surprise, surprise!!! - and that entry was stopped, though I didn't rock up until 30mins into the show (after seeing David Thomas Broughton) and entry was being allowed. I don't have a solution, and would hate to see it moved elsewhere, and I guess the Larmer Tree Gardens would have an issue with trees being taken down for a clearing, but....

Food

I've always been impressed by the EOTR food options, and I speak as a non-veggie, and also as someone who HATES CURRY! But, as usual there were more options than I could choose from to spread over the 4 nights.

- Thursday - Barnaby Sykes steak and ale pie, chips - delicious

- Friday - Moorish Lamb Bourek. When I first came across these at an EOTR some years back I went back to the stall to congratulate then as it was one of the best mains I had ever eaten at a festival. This year - the bourek itself is still utterly delicious. The problem is with the sides. The board advertises 'mixed leaves, cherry tomatoes, sliced onion'. Sliced onion - yes. Mixed leaves - NO. Just a tablespoon of chopped iceberg lettuce. Cherry Tomatoes - NO. Just 3 thin segments cut from a bog standard tomato. Furthermore, the sauce with the bourek was cold, when it should be hot.

- Saturday - Slow cooked ribs from the Meat Waggon. I prefer ribs to be RIBS not thick slices of belly pork. They were, though, tasty and the portion was huge. I couldn't finish it all.

On the Sunday morning I awoke with a SEVERE bout of the squits and barely made it from my tent to the toilet in time

- Sunday - Salt Marsh Lamb Burger, with mixed leaves (Moorish please note) and garlic mayonaisse.

- Very honourable mention also to the RacShack's breakfast bacon half baguette. Their coffee was also a revelation, being a sealed pouch fill with boiling water from which you then poured your coffee - 2 cups worth. 3 flavours available and very nice too.

- So it is also worth mentioning that there were now several proper coffee options available instead of the incipid stuff that the mass caterers provide.

- Talking of drinks, a big up also to the expanded range of real ales this year. I managed to sample around 10 over the weekend (halves, I'm not that boozy), but running out of much choice partway through Sunday evening was a bugger. I also think more could have been made of the new bar behind the Singing Stage. A wasted opportunity there.

Which brings me to 'The Music'. I have consistently chosen to go to EOTR over the years because I have rapidly learnt that the musical choices available CAN BE TRUSTED. I note that there were comments about it not being strong (compared to Green Man) and was a bit repetetive of previous years, but I wasn't too worried (though the senior headliners at Green Man did look more interesting, but I couldn't have gone there anyway).

As usual EOTR did not disappoint in this. Constanly during the festival I found myself texting recommendations to my son (who wasn't there) of bands / people he should check out. My clashfinder was also littered with 2 and 3 way clashes, Flaming Lips vs John Grant being particularly galling.

Of all the bands I saw - 14 on the Friday alone, and around 30+ over the whole 4 days - there was only 1 that I felt inclined to say 'rubbish' too - sorry Eagulls, I came with expectations as I love your album. But the sound was just a non-coherent mush, with a singer who came over like a disinterested Gallagher brother and an audience that couldn't care less either. I think we were 3 numbers in before the crowd clapped. I say 'think' because I'm not sure whether it was three different 'songs' or just one long rambling track. I left after 15 minutes.

It is difficult to select a few so I will probably list most, but with a top (? don't know how many yet)

TIDES OF MAN - I've always been a sucker for this type of music. Listening to ToM took me back to first hearings of Mogwai, Explosions In The Sky and the like. I texted my son afterwards " AWESOME. F'ING AWESOME' and I stand by that.

Gene Clark No Other Band - I love the album and this was a lifetime's opportunity to hear it live. At my two favorite tracks - 4 & 6 on the album - I felt I was going to wet myself. When they did 'Eight Miles High' as the final encoure I think I almost did. Inspired booking or a flop? INSPIRED, inspired, inspired!

Drenge - very quickly I had texted my son that this was one of the sets of the weekend, and it was only Friday afternoon

Lau - was only recently introduced to these when my son took me to their Glastonbury set this year. They deserve a higher, longer billing, though still on the Garden Stage

Flaming Lips - clearly the 'show' of the weekend. How much more crazy can he get. I first saw him when he was just with a drummer, a microphone camera (projected onto a screen just behind the drums), finger puppets and fake blood. This was the 4th time I've seen the zorb ball setup. I had not seen the performing on top of a 10 foot cube before

David Thomas Broughton - such a loon, but haunting with it

Radiophonic Workshop - a memory blast

Richard Thompson - and so moving that the Garden Stage audience were so quiet for him when he was singing

Horse Thief - a future Fleet Foxes?

And also

AK/DK

Mazes

Phox

Arc Iris - though I'm not sure the gold lame body suit is the best of looks

Pink Mountaintops

The Wytches

Three Trapped Tigers

British Sea Power - still practising deforestation I see

Barr Brothers (Tipi set)

Lily and Madeline - delightful

Hookworms

Futur Primitif

Stealing Sheep

Yo La Tango (singing stage)

Musn't forget also the small blast of comedy I watched

Especially 'Come Heckle Christ' abley assisted by the 8 year old brat Morgan!

So that's it for this year.

Early Bird ticket already bought, which has pissed off the wife as she would really like to get back to the Great Dorset Steam Fair, but there is no way I'm missing the 10th anniversary gig.

See you all next year

Bloody hell, I've gone on abit haven't I?

Edited September 4, 2014 by airwaves

[retromoz]

i think im about to be sacked. The time it too to read that last post. ;p

COMPLETELY agree about Eagulls. i/we has seen them at latitude before, and were great. At eotr, the sound was truly terrible. Just a loud mush. IT was the aural equivilant of pooring runny mash in your ears. And hardly (no?) vocal. really sad.

On a side note......does anyone know if singer man off of Arrows of Love got his guitar back?

[Yokel Again]

During that time I have seen it get things wrong due to some of the earlier expansion - but now I find there is very little, if anything, to criticise.

Great review - and I agree with the bit above.

[gigs]

Just to add my thoughts, me and the kids (18 and 21...Kids???) arrived thursday at 2.30 pm, complete with £7.50 Tescos festival trolley, which turned out to be the purchase of the weekend. Made the set up much easier. Set up, Cider, Ezra Furman, Bed. Ezra was excellent on the Thursday in the tent, and equally so on the Garden stage.

Friday; Quick Scan, NO PUCKET!!! WTF. Purchased a pair of Dr Martens from one of the Vintage stalls for youngest ( Sad when vintage means items you wore when you were a teenager, but hey ho...). Gene Clark No Other Band were superb, as were British Sea Power. Also Wave Pictures and the Districts. Bought several blankets for a tenner (bargain). All in all a good day, although a little chilly at times.

Saturday; A small brekky at the breakfast bus, followed by the funniest soundcheck ever by the Flaming Lips. Lily and Madeline, with the incredible sleeping man in the armchair at the piano stage (rocked up pre performance, sat in a leather armchair, drank a glass of red wine and promptly fell asleep all through the signings and meet and greet afterwards). Lau, Sweet Baboo, a game of croquet, The Horrors, The Flaming Lips headline set (a thing of beauty, excellent but for me not quite as good as Sigur Ros). David Thomas Broughton was great as well.

Sunday; Fruit Juice at £1 a cup from the wasp sanctuary (at least thats what it should have been called...) and great weather. Paella was superb, as were Daniel Rossen, Richard Thompson, Tinariwen and the criminally underattended Wild Beasts.

All in all a wonderful weekend as ever. See you all next year.

Edited September 4, 2014 by gigs

[killyourtv]

Good to see such lack of unanimity about the highlights, always a good sign.

Can't believe the vote for the paella stodge though !

[RedRockRick]

Unanimity about the "paella" - dreadful glop!

[gigs]

Steady chaps, don't poo poo the paella. A Spanish Classic. To be fair it tasted much better than it looked...

Also, I forgot to mention the cafe bliss in the healing field. Lovely filter coffee for 1.50 a cup, and great cakes. Revisited several times.

Edited September 5, 2014 by gigs

[cmouse]

I liked the paella too, I think it was the fact they packed it into the containers that made it appear like gloop. It tasted good, the half and half option was good. I think the only ones not really tried over the last 3 years are Goan fish curry, Pura vida, Moorish (apart from mint tea) and Tabun pizza pretty sure we've sampled all the others at some point

Edited September 5, 2014 by cmouse

[killyourtv]

My view on paella was coloured by having to eat 2 untouched portions my family rejected - I thought it was stodge. Everything else I tasted was great (though I missed the Slovenian bakery).

[Risteardo]

TIDES OF MAN - I've always been a sucker for this type of music. Listening to ToM took me back to first hearings of Mogwai, Explosions In The Sky and the like. I texted my son afterwards " AWESOME. F'ING AWESOME' and I stand by that.

Another ToM sucker here, god I loved that set! Really hoping I get a chance to see them blow the roof off at a small club gig soon.

[Neville Street]

It was ALL recycling. I don't think this has had nearly enough credit, it is (as far as I know) the first scheme of its kind at a festival to date. All those blue bins were for recycling and it went off to a recycling plant to be sorted there. That's kind of brilliant when you think about it.

Totally agree, just accidentally down voted you! I was going to post something similar. I think the waste was managed excellently this year. The little truck and trailer was quiet, unobtrusive and meant no piles of crap everywhere until late Sunday/Monday as camps got taken down. Beats trying to guess which of four overflowing bins to put your food wrappers/cans in.

[Neville Street]

Bookshop - they are Falmouth based and EOTR clashed with the Tall Ships which only happens every X years (where X is a big number)) and it is a big deal in Falmouth. They knew they would be busy and couldn't split the staff. They'll be back.

[mrcaffs]

5th End of the Road for me and second with my partner and 6 year old boy. Suffice to say I didn't get to see as much as I would have liked but certainly did a lot better than last year, and my six year old made it through most of the flaming lips and insisted on seeing Eagulls

I noticed a few people mentioned Tides of Man and I have to echo how great they were. Yes it was post-rock which has been done before, but they played so well and with such passion, by the end there was a scrum for their cd of which I have never seen the like at the Tipi and the band member selling was clutching hundreds of pounds in tenners within minutes of finishing the set. They seemed so humbled people had enjoyed it too. Having never heard of them before I checked out their previous album which featured a lot of frantic guitar playing with some bloke screaming over the top, nothing like the band I saw at EOTR. A quick wikipedia check says their singer left the band and they recorded an instrumental album instead. I for one am glad they did as apart from the mighty lips they were a real highlight for me (along with Yo la Tengo at the Theatre stage).

Sorry to say I missed Knightmare at the comedy stage as the early starts had caught up with me. Also thanks go out to one of the postmen who started chatting to me as I was getting a bit fed up on the sunday night in the woods disco, I was ready to go home at this point but his enthusiasm for the weekend rubbed off on me and reminded me that one of the best parts of the festival is striking up random conversations with friendly strangers, even for a grumpy git like me.

[RedRockRick]

10/10 in the NME today.

[Yokel Again]

Uh oh - expect hipsters!

[RedRockRick]

I assumed it was 10/10. Could have been 10/20. Or 10/50, if they'd had the paella.

[5co77ie]

Uh oh - expect even more hipsters!