First announcement 2018

[WM Hall]

Our first headliners need no introduction. Vampire Weekend announce their hugely anticipated return with the first live show to be announced in four years, having last been spotted on these shores in the summer of 2014. End Of The Road will mark their only UK festival appearance this year and with rumours of a new album abound – their last being the universally acclaimed and Grammy Awards winning 2013 album Modern Vampires Of The City – we can’t wait to welcome the illusive New Yorkers to the Larmer Tree Gardens for the first time.

We are honoured that multi Grammy Award winning Feist will be making her first ever appearance at End of The Road. The Canadian songwriter and one time Broken Social Scene member has long been on our wish list and her fifth album – and first in six years – Pleasure, emerged last year as her most defiant work so far. End Of The Road – her only UK festival this year -will be the perfect setting to bring this intimate set songs to life.

Joining Vampire Weekend and Feist will be the inimitable St. Vincent, who returns for the third time to End Of The Road, having graced the Woods stage in 2014 and 2013, when she teamed up with David Byrne for their Love This Giantcollaboration. Unique and daring, Annie Clark has had a spectacular year with the release of the seminal and prescient album Masseduction. Hitting The Guardian’s number album of 2017 and captivating audiences with her spellbinding, avant-garde live shows, St. Vincent has made the transition into singular rock star. We are delighted to have her back on her own terms.

End Of The Road will once again open its doors on Thursday, with the indefinable Yo La Tengo kicking off things on the Woods Stage. Making their fourth appearance at End Of The Road but first time as headliners and about time too; given their consistently high standards over a dizzying 14 albums – with a new one due in 2018 – we can think of no better way to kick off the festival.

And that’s just the headliners! We are very excited to welcome back Ezra Furman. A whirlwind of drama, joy and rock’n’roll brilliance, Ezra is a flag-bearer for the disenfranchised. With the anticipated new album Transangelic Exodus due in just a few weeks time and his Visions bandmates in tow, be prepared for a career defining set in September. Next up, two solo songwriters hailing from legendary bands; John Cale – the enigmatic Welshman and co-founder of the near mythical Velvet Underground – will bring his exciting and diverse back catalog, while Jeff Tweedy, front man and founder of the seminal US indie heroes Wilco (who headlined the festival back in 2009), will perform solo.

We are delighted to welcome avant-pop composer Julia Holter this year, whose mesmerising music we’ve long admired. The brilliant 2015 album Have You In My Wilderness was lauded universally, and with a new album hopefully on the way this year, her EOTR set – and only UK festival – is bound to be very special. Another first timer and sonic adventurer, Kaitlyn Aurelia Smith, will be joining us in September. The much celebrated LA based producer and composer uses a rare modular system to create her kaleidoscopic electronic world.

It really is an embarrassment of riches year, as we can reveal that firm festival favourite Gruff Rhys will return, bringing with him mesmerising stories and subtle compositions. We also have underground pioneer Ariel Pink making his End Of The Road debut and bringing his outlandish pop compositions from another dimension with him. As if that wasn’t enough, the father of Ethio-Jazz Mulatu Astatke will be blessing us with his presence for a triumphant, life-affirming live show.

Thee mighty Oh Sees, last seen destroying the Garden Stage in the best possible way, return to shake the festival to its core with their primal garage punk rock once again and they’re bringing label mates DUDS and Flat Worms with them. Get ready for a Castle Face Records takeover.

As usual we have a wealth of new talent making their way to the festival for the first time. Big Thief released two albums in just one year; their confidently named debut Masterpiece followed by the spine tingling Capacity. With both records all over the end of year lists, they are definitely one to watch. Acclaimed newcomer and Little Big League guitarist Japanese Breakfast will bring her blend of dark lyrics and blissed out pop melodies, while Julien Baker’s raw, intimate folk and reputation for assured, beautiful shows will surely bring the festival to a stand still. Plus we welcome rising stars Snail Mail, described by Pitchfork as ‘the wisest teenage indie rockers we know’ and BBC Sound of 2018 nominee Nilufur Yanya, who counts King Krule and The Invisible among her many fans.

Last but certainly not least, we love a happy ending here at End Of The Road so it is with great pleasure that we invite revered Tuareg innovator form Niger Mdou Moctar back this year, after he was cruelly kept from us in 2017. Another singular artist who narrowly missed out on his debut back in 2016, is once part-time Syrian wedding singer Omar Souleyman. Thrilling audiences at festivals across the world with his thumping blend of traditional dabke songs and electronic beats, we can’t wait to see him and the vast array of artists already confirmed for End Of The Road 2018.

[WM Hall]

Kudos the Simon - this is the most 'out-there' first announcement we've had (ever?). Amazing international artists (Mulatu Astatke, Omar Souleyman, Mdou Moctar), brilliant more 'out-there' alternative music (Ariel Pink, Julia Holter, Richard Dawson, Kaitlin Aurelia Smith), some legends (John Cale, Jeff Tweedy, Feist - she's a legend by now, ye?) and some other PROPER SOLID bookings (Yo La Tengo, Destroyer, St Vincent, Duds).. I even quite like Vampire Weekend!

[Yokel Again]

Surprised by Vampire Weekend, not in a bad way though. But I think this line-up is fantastic. Better than last year! 

Shame I wont' be there this year though :-(

 

[RedRockRick]

Not bad at all, in fact....

 

[Risteardo]

I see Caroline Spence is on the line-up, I just listened to her album over past coupe of weeks, it's lovely stuff. I also really enjoyed the Weather Station album from last year and missed her in Dublin recently, so very happy with that too. That's a really decent 1st announcement. Very happy.

[xxialac]

Saw the Weather Station last night - a brilliant voice and neatly composed songs.

[Nobody Interesting]

They had me at Ezra Furman.

[wolfamongwolves]

Vampire weekend, kaityln Aurelia smith, , Ariel pink, destroyer, sandy Alex g, idles, protomartyr, very nice 

[Amy Lawn]

Their line-ups are always great, but this one is seriously a cut above. One of the best I've seen for a EotR bill, and quite comfortably the UK's best this year so far.

[xxialac]

Just now, GETOFFAMYLAWN said:

Their line-ups are always great, but this one is seriously a cut above. One of the best I've seen for a EotR bill, and quite comfortably the UK's best this year so far.

There’s a real chance that all points east will be as good or better but it won’t have 1% of the charm.

It is a spectacular lineup and the organisers have really pulled it out the bag this year. 

[Mardy]

Made up with it. Got a great group of us going, top notch lineup, will be my 6th time and I’m as excited as ever

[paulwa]

I hope they don't put all of the electronic acts in the Big Top, which there has a been a tendency for. Something like James Holden or AK/DK would be great on the Garden Stage. I remember what a party atmosphere there was for Saint Etienne a couple of years back (OK more synth pop than electronica) but more of that please.

[wolfamongwolves]

6 minutes ago, paulwa said:

I hope they don't put all of the electronic acts in the Big Top, which there has a been a tendency for. Something like James Holden or AK/DK would be great on the Garden Stage. I remember what a party atmosphere there was for Saint Etienne a couple of years back (OK more synth pop than electronica) but more of that please.

Agree with this. James Holden would be so good on the garden stage. Not just in the big top . 

[giantkatestacks]

Amazing line up but cant afford it with WOMAD and 2 others paid for gah.

[Swanmob]

Very good lineup. Went for Primavera instead  for a change this year after going to the last 2 EOTRs. Dare I say though that this line up is as good as Primavera for me!   

[psbros]

On 05/02/2018 at 4:20 PM, Swanmob said:

Very good lineup. Went for Primavera instead  for a change this year after going to the last 2 EOTRs. Dare I say though that this line up is as good as Primavera for me!   

I agree!

I’m having to sell my Primavera tickets but feel EOTR will cure my blues! Have been to both for a couple of years previously which was seriously decadent....have a great time!!

try to get some lunchtime gigs in too, I saw Sandy (Alex) G and Julien Baker that way

 

[RustySpanner]

Looks like it is St Vincent on Friday, VW on Saturday, Feist on Sunday based on Feist/St Vincent websites.

[Swanmob]

On 2/7/2018 at 5:08 PM, psbros said:

I agree!

I’m having to sell my Primavera tickets but feel EOTR will cure my blues! Have been to both for a couple of years previously which was seriously decadent....have a great time!!

try to get some lunchtime gigs in too, I saw Sandy (Alex) G and Julien Baker that way

 

I'll be gorging on gigs be they on morning noon or night! I'm warming to the whole thing, even some of the electronica and hip hop. 

[scatteredscreens]

Definitely up for this. Gonna decide closer to the time though, does it normally sell out? Sorry if that's a daft question

[The Nal]

18 hours ago, James96 said:

Definitely up for this. Gonna decide closer to the time though, does it normally sell out? Sorry if that's a daft question

Yeah its nearly sold out already

[Andeeroo]

Total newbie to all things End of the Road.

Is there much more to come by way of an announcement, or is that pretty much it?

[OddRon]

8 minutes ago, Andeeroo said:

Total newbie to all things End of the Road.

Is there much more to come by way of an announcement, or is that pretty much it?

last year only two of the headliners got announced in the first announcement so not sure if we'll get many more massive names as it's quite beefy already though I suspect they'll hold one or two back to make the second or third announcement newsworthy to the press, Electric Fields just announced their lineup same weekend, I wouldn't mind if we got Sunflower Bean, Soccer Mommy and The Vegan Leather

 

Edited February 14, 2018 by OddRon

[OddRon]

24 minutes ago, The Nal said:

Yeah its nearly sold out already

How do you know this sorry?

[Andeeroo]

6 minutes ago, OddRon said:

last year only two of the headliners got announced in the first announcement so not sure if we'll get many more massive names as it's quite beefy already though I suspect they'll hold one or two back to make the second or third announcement newsworthy to the press, Electric Fields just announced their lineup same weekend, I wouldn't mind if we got Sunflower Bean, Soccer Mommy and The Vegan Leather

 

Nice one. I'm a massive fan of the big hitters already on there and quite a few of the names I'm not too familiar with I'm enjoying on first listen, so the lineup looks swell. I'm just greedy!

[The Nal]

12 minutes ago, OddRon said:

How do you know this sorry?

They have 4 tiers of tickets sales (buy early, pay less sorta thing) the first 3 tiers are sold out and they're on tier 4 now.

http://endoftheroadfestival.com/tickets/