2019 Predictions

[RustySpanner]

Brilliant weekend. Good points still vastly outweigh the minor grumbles. Definitely feels like there needs to be a few changes to freshen the whole thing up though. Suggestions:

I agree completely with the comment above about taking the bar out of the tipi. Why does it need to be there? It just attracts chatters - was really bad during NOV3L.

I also think it is time to move the cider bus. It has just grown and grown as a 'thing' and the sound carries way too much into the tipi. Would be better off over the other side, maybe swap with the ale tent? It's just wrong to have it by the stage that most often has the quieter acts.

This bugs me every year - surely they could have a tent like the tipi without the need for a pole right in the middle of the front of the stage?

The garden stage is definitely getting way too busy at times. Not sure what to suggest - ban chairs completely?

There definitely needs to be more covered areas for potential wet weather. I made it into Squid, but would have been very annoyed if I had missed them because of families just in there to shelter from the rain.

Felt a bit like they had increased the capacity without really increasing the infrastructure - queues for food/toilets never really been an issue before.

Having said all that, have just booked early birds so will be back for more next year!

[Jeel]

28 minutes ago, WM Hall said:

I mean, the Parquet Courts' vocalists hardly have the voices of angels themselves! Veeeeeery odd complaint

high pitched and out of key just goes straight through me. 

Anyhow, only a very minor grip. Ticket purchased for next year with only the minor grumble of suddenly having a £6 booking fee on top.

Edited September 3, 2019 by Jeel

[WM Hall]

42 minutes ago, Mardy said:

I can only speak for our group, but the Honey Hahs have become a kind of in-joke for us of all that is irritatingly twee and middle class about EOTR, or indeed modern life, mainly as a result of this extraordinary article, which is just full of gem after gem, particularly about the dad...

https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2017/jul/08/the-three-sister-pop-group-the-honey-hahs-we-dont-want-to-get-too-massive

Our response to them being introduced was a kind of delighted, disbelieving laughter.

 

Oh  don't get me wrong, that's an annoying article and the parents certainly seem... pushy and bougie beyond belief... but the girls are just kids and they have some sweet songs!

[Mardy]

3 minutes ago, WM Hall said:

Oh  don't get me wrong, that's an annoying article and the parents certainly seem... pushy and bougie beyond belief... but the girls are just kids and they have some sweet songs!

Yeah, that seems a fair summary

[LowerMead]

11 hours ago, domjon said:

How did Ohtis go down? Decent crowd? 

Missed EOTR this year but just seen Ohtis in the back room of a pub in Manchester in front of literally 23 people. They were great but felt bad for em man, fucking love the album, deserved a big audience. 

They were very good, would have preferred to have seen them later on, but I enjoyed their set immensely.

[LowerMead]

My 10th consecutive EOTR, now with a 4yo in tow who is a five-time veteran.  

Musical highlights: Spiritualized, Jarvis, The Beths, Courtney Barnett, Seazoo (met and had a chat in the Garden, nice lads), Israel Nash, EB The Younger, Let's Eat Grandma, Ohtis, Deerhunter, Mitski, Parquet Courts 'noodling' bit (I don't like the singer's voice, but loved the extended guitar play out at the end).

I don't even bother going in the Big Top any more. Too dark, sweaty, not really suitable for kids, the enclosed sides create a capacity issue. I wish they would just do away with the sides to that tent like pretty much every other festival, so that people could chill out listening and watching around the periphery. Yes, I realise that there would be a noise-bleed issue to The Woods, but surely the could configure the site to avoid this. Other festivals in a compact space manage it.

Food was generally good, but I really missed Goan Fish Curries!  Much improved water provision in the Campervan field was a bonus.

As always, met lots of nice people and a very low dickhead quotient.

My only complaint the last couple of years is the toilets; Andy Loos used to be absolutely on top of their game, throughout the entire festival, right through to Monday morning. Perhaps it is a sign of increased punter numbers with no commensurate increase in their budget, but it feels like they just give up on Sunday afternoon now. Not the award winning bogs I often voted for in the festival awards.  

Alas we might have to have a year off in 2020 as the schools have already gone back the week of EOTR2020, makes it only really viable for us to do Friday night to Sunday afternoon. I suspect a lot of families will be making the same choice.

Edited September 3, 2019 by LowerMead

[RustySpanner]

My musical highlights:

Spiritualized - Brilliant performance on the Thursday night to get the festival off to a superb start. First time I have seen them since 1994 (Phoenix festival!) and they didn't disappoint.

Helena Deland - My first visit to the new Talking Heads set-up as have never been down for the comedy (just too much music going on!). Beautiful vocals, really good backing band and lovely setting. Perfect. Angelo de Augustine down there was good too.

Black Country, New Road - Saw these guys earlier in the year and thought they were even better this time around. So much potential. Can't wait for some more recorded material now.

Deerhunter - Have been waiting for these to come to EOTR since Halcyon Digest was released. What a performance. Bradford Cox was on great form. Superb setlist. Just sooooooo cold though!

Israel Nash - Sunshine, pint of ale, garden stage, Israel Nash - does it get any better than that? Met him afterwards - top guy and clearly loves the festival.

TVAM - Wow! Love the album, but with the live band and projections was taken to a whole different level. Surprise of the weekend for me.

Other honorable mentions to Wand, Squid, Shame, Harrison Whitford and Pom Poko. Black Midi were good but have seen them play better. NOV3L were good but set partly ruined by chatters for me.

SASAMI was okay (my expectation levels were very high though and she didn't quite meet them). Couldn't quite get into Low - but that was more to do with where I was and timing of the set rather than their fault. Should have got there earlier but didn't want to miss any of Black Country, New Road. Stella Donnelly excellent as usual but seen her a few times now so know the stories/jokes.

Was underwhelmed by Parquet Courts.

[Declan]

Had the flu for most of the festival, so I was muzzy headed and tired for the first few days. Whenever I was feeling especially rough, however, thinking that I should probably just lie down in my tent until it was time to go home, a band - Spiritualized, the Beths, Martha would save me. 

Feeling especially rough Friday night so sat in the Heeling Garden drinking an infusion watching the lights and listening to Parquet Courts smash it (no Honey-Has stress here). 

By Sunday I'd conquered it and had that post-flu rush of invincibility so rather uniquely finished the festival with more vigour and energy than I began. 

Good

We went into this festival season being told that there was a New Normal and that didn't include spiky guitar bands. On the coach on the way out of festival I posted about 20 (what we would once have called indie or alternative) bands, none of which have released more than two lps,  that I'd seen at EOTR, Green Man or elsewhere over the summer that play dynamic live shows and write  songs drawn from their generation's experience. 

Literature tent - Max Porter's conversation and the backlisted podcast in particular. Robin Ince was an obnoxious bore however. 

Low and Jarvis in the Garden.

Bad

Sourdough

People sitting in camping chairs - Garden Stage, just inside the Big Top whilst your eyes adjust to the darkness, outside my tent in Tangerine Fields from 7:30 am to 7:30 pm. Also although I don't mind the people who sit on the hill by the Woods stage the acts booked to keep them happy means that stage doesn't deliver its potential. 

No Goan Kedgeree for breakfast.

[Declan]

Oh and thanks for the updates on the what's app group.

[rararachel]

I must be mad, but I weirdly came to love the Big Top this year after hating it every other year. After my first Green Man, and the open-sidedness of the Far Out, there was something so delicious about stumbling into the dark for some weird and wonderful sets. That said, I didn't go to any of the big hitters that were in there (Fontaines etc etc) so perhaps I was just lucky and able to roam around and get into it. Loved the late night sets in there, Kelly Lee Owens, Joy Orbison and Beak> were fantastic and I can't imagine how they would've worked on any other stage. Also really enjoyed some of the earlier sets – Lewsberg in particular was an unexpected highlight that just felt RIGHT in the dark. Usually we enter from the side entrance and head for the stage, but spent quite a lot of time at the back this year. Just me, or was the sound desk always in the middle in the past? It was at the back this year, no? I'm actually not sure if I'm misremembering that now ...

I liked the view from the back, space to dance, amazing perspective on the stage and the lights, bloody love the elephant and the starry sky. Probably helped that the ground wasn't a quagmire. 

It's the Tipi I can't stand. those pillars! and so bright! and the totally flat floor means that if you're not pretty tall it's hard to see anything... and all the talking... and it's so hot in there. I think it totally lacks atmosphere. I enjoyed Murder Capital, but I would've enjoyed watching that in a landfill they were so good. Tipi only works for me if I'm down the front and the audience aren't all milling around blathering. And that doesn't often happen.

Edited September 3, 2019 by rararachel

[Yesiamaduck]

RE: The whole 'it felt flat' thing

I kind of agree.  I think what it boiled down to for me was the sheer quantity of Post Punk edging its way into the line up at the Big Top (mostly because I find the schtick of a lot of these bands tired and completely fake). The main stage this year felt really, quite painfully weak this year and the Garden Stage has become a victim of its own success. Sorry to suggest it but these family picnics need to go. The festival is too big to allow the Garden Stage be the hang out spot for families the entire day. The Tipi Stage is completely avoidable for the most part, it's too bright too hot, hard to get into, has a bar which should really be in the tent next to it, has awful sight lines and usually the most disrespectful crowds and also has awful noise bleed. Stick the cider bus in the moods and make it a part of the disco ship or summat. 

Didn't visit the Talking Heads stage once this year, think the attempt to make it an all encompassing stage was a failed experiment. I never fancied going down there in fear of watching a band or Q&A whereas before I used to dip down there for a guaranteed giggle. The Garden is still fantastic at night though, but it used to be such an amazing day time stage as well. It's been ruined by becoming a glorified picnic site for families and that clearly takes priority of people going there to see the bands. Maybe keep the picnic perch to a designated point at the back? I'm tired of tripping over a picnic when I could theoretically spit on the performer by being so close to the stage.

Moving the sound desk in the Big Top helped A LOT though. Felt like there was a lot more space, but a lot of the most popular acts were put on there during the day and boy did it show. The main stage barely attracted the crowds and the Big Top was often at capacity. I get that the Big Top is aiming for a theme and I fucking love that theme but some concessions need to be made for popularity. 

A lot of the bands were brand new which is good in one sense but they often find it difficult to fill the set lengths handed to them by EOTR. Most these bands had sets longer than their discographies. I think thats why you got less 'universally adored' sets than you did in previous years. 

 

Edited September 3, 2019 by Yesiamaduck

[rararachel]

It's crazy how different everyone's experiences are. Music wise, this was the best ever for me, it was solid running around to catch moments of brilliance. I'm not into this post punk moment much, only band of that ilk I saw was The Murder Capital. In past years I've been there with a big group of friends and we were a smaller contingent this year, but even that more 'limited' socialising didn't take the shine off the fun. 

I wonder whether the later dates next year will change the audience makeup – I assume everyone will be back to school already, so it'll be dedicated families who make the trek on a Friday after school, and fewer stoned sixth formers knocking around. No offense to families and kids – of course it's a festival for everyone – but will be curious to see how it changes things up. 

[riverlodge]

had a completely fantastic time (every year bar one since 2010), both company I was with and lineup.

beforehand I didn't think it was musically as strong as Green Man was (for me), but ended up on a par. really adventurous curating even if I didn't like everything booked.

three sets that so blew me away it was almost overwhelming: Low (have always loved them  get they are marmite but this was the best set I have ever seen and completely made sense of the new stuff); Murder Capital (just stunning, knocked Fontaines and Shame out the park); and the sublimely beautiful Bill RJ turning up and being, well, beautiful.

some other new stuff found and loved: Sweaty Palms (lead singer: bottle of buckie half down by midday, get in!); Girl in Red; Porridge Radio (much better than @ Green Man); Harrison Whitford; Tyler Childers (surprised myself liking that, but they were soooo good including Uncle Buck on drums); and Lewsberg seemed pretty good.

Thought it was really obvious from the outset that Hard Skin was a piss take. Regret not buying a 'shopping is for c**ts' tote bag.

Missed the list of secret stuff being posted up on the press room door. Didn't like the trek to the additional parking over the access road. Liked the better showers. Add me to the 'ban chairs / small castles / other barrier shit' on the Garden and in darkened tents. 

[Yesiamaduck]

3 minutes ago, riverlodge said:

Missed the list of secret stuff being posted up on the press room door. Didn't like the trek to the additional parking over the access road. Liked the better showers. Add me to the 'ban chairs / small castles / other Thought it was really obvious from the outset that Hard Skin was a piss take. Regret not buying a 'shopping is for c**ts' tote bag.barrier shit' on the Garden and in darkened tents. 

It's not just me is it? It blew my mind how many people completely missed the joke. And I know this is the case because several people heard me talking about them in the camp and came up to me and went 'wait.... so they're a comedy act? I thought they were just right wing assholes' and my response was almost always the same 'why would a band like that be playing a festival like this' 

Edited September 3, 2019 by Yesiamaduck

[Suggestives]

28 minutes ago, Yesiamaduck said:

The Garden is still fantastic at night though, but it used to be such an amazing day time stage as well. It's been ruined by becoming a glorified picnic site for families and that clearly takes priority of people going there to see the bands. Maybe keep the picnic perch to a designated point at the back? I'm tired of tripping over a picnic when I could theoretically spit on the performer by being so close to the stage.

I think that would work .. if the food and drink outlets were relocated, the area there and the flat paved area would give a good space for the picnic brigade and the covered grass area could be standing only. While I don't personally understand why folk attending a music festival want to sit on their arses all day, I'm all for people enjoying things as they wish provided it doesn't impinge too much on others. The balance in the Garden in no longer working I feel. Coming in to Israel Nash on Sunday there was free space front and right of the stage that was almost impossible to reach because of an impenetrable wall of chairs over much of the Garden.

[Yesiamaduck]

1 minute ago, Suggestives said:

I think that would work .. if the food and drink outlets were relocated, the area there and the flat paved area would give a good space for the picnic brigade and the covered grass area could be standing only. While I don't personally understand why folk attending a music festival want to sit on their arses all day, I'm all for people enjoying things as they wish provided it doesn't impinge too much on others. The balance in the Garden in no longer working I feel. Coming in to Israel Nash on Sunday there was free space front and right of the stage that was almost impossible to reach because of an impenetrable wall of chairs over much of the Garden.

The only tip I can give you is to go via the Beavertown Bar and go through the crowd at the front. Those people actually move out of the fricking way! So even though you got more bodies to compete with you'll be way more succesful and have a far less frustrating time  

[Declan]

31 minutes ago, Yesiamaduck said:

RE: The whole 'it felt flat' thing

I kind of agree.  I think what it boiled down to for me was the sheer quantity of Post Punk edging its way into the line up at the Big Top

 

The only Post Punk was Wire, the ghost of Baxter Dury's Dad and I suppose very very early Pulp if we're stretching. 

If you mean the new guitar bands they were the highlights. It's hardly their fault that Americana, and Pitchfork-friendly Indie needs a refresh and new blood at the moment. I remember my first EOTR saying that I'd enjoyed the singer-songwriters but I wish there'd been someone to shout Kick Out the Jams now and again (plus a bit of diversity of where bands came from) but there weren't any obvious guitar bands to go to. And I think that's the case with the Americana stuff the keys bands are aging, touring less, and we've seen them - it's a poor year for them but they'll bounce back soon enough.

[Yesiamaduck]

Just now, Declan said:

The only Post Punk was Wire, the ghost of Baxter Dury's Dad and I suppose very very early Pulp if we're stretching. 

If you mean the new guitar bands they were the highlights. It's hardly their fault that Americana, and Pitchfork-friendly Indie needs a refresh and new blood at the moment. I remember my first EOTR saying that I'd enjoyed the singer-songwriters but I wish there'd been someone to shout Kick Out the Jams now and again (plus a bit of diversity of where bands came from) but there weren't any obvious guitar bands to go to. And I think that's the case with the Americana stuff the keys bands are aging, touring less, and we've seen them - it's a poor year for them but they'll bounce back soon enough.

Oh no don't get me wrong, as a rule I generally prefer the heavier/dancier stuff to the indie/folky stuff. I'm just kind of bored of the whole Mark E Smith lite vibe a lot of the vocalists are going for right now. It usually takes me right out of the music as the lyrical chops of a lot of these lads is pretty poor. The lad swigging the bottle of Bucky was a colossal bore despite trying everything in his power to not come across as one. Now the vocals for Squid for example NOW WE ARE TALKIN!!!!

My fav EOTR set ever is METZ. I loved the big tops ability to get a party going in the daytime, which was sorely needed at one point, but less bands with bored vocalist pls guv'nor.  More Metz less Shame \o/

[Mardy]

yeah, I felt that I'd been hectored enough by shouty men with guitars over the weekend. Very much enjoyed the change of pace that Babe Rainbow's hippy dippy claptrap provided for me late on the final afternoon. That and an espresso martini got me through the final few hours of the festival.

[rug568]

Don't think many people would have predicted Hard Skin being the major talking point from the festival

[IBee]

I found this time at the Garden stage going in from the left as you look at it worked for me- bit of a trek but didn't ever have a problem getting a good spot.

Actually, I didn't have much trouble seeing what I wanted to see the whole weekend which surprised me.

I also want to stick up for the Tipi stage- probably my favourite stage, but that might at least in part be because a lot of favourite memories are of watching things on that stage.

[SweepingTheNation]

1 hour ago, rararachel said:

I wonder whether the later dates next year will change the audience makeup – I assume everyone will be back to school already, so it'll be dedicated families who make the trek on a Friday after school, and fewer stoned sixth formers knocking around. No offense to families and kids – of course it's a festival for everyone – but will be curious to see how it changes things up. 

I don't know if it will really make that much difference, it's still the end of bank holiday week, the September dates is just because of the way the calendar falls.

[rararachel]

1 minute ago, SweepingTheNation said:

I don't know if it will really make that much difference, it's still the end of bank holiday week, the September dates is just because of the way the calendar falls.

Have noticed a few people on the Facebook event bemoaning the dates as the kids will already be back at school... might impact some people in that way, a dash down post-3pm on Friday and back for school runs in the morning on Monday would surely factor into some people's considerations? Not suggesting its a choice, EOTR is falling where it always does, just the matter of the bank holiday being as late as it can possibly be in 2020. 

[Muddy Holly]

7th EOTR overall, 4th in a row with my daughter and we had a blast.

Musical highlights:

Pottery (so tight)

The Beths (catchy as hell)

Bodega (also spotted them watching Parquet Courts set)

Parquet Courts (prob my favourite overall, crazy mosh pit and if I could only re-live one song again it would be Total Football)

Martha (great set and kept seeing them around the site)

Squid (loved both sets and will definitely see them again)

Black Midi (my daughters favourite, I like watching them but still don’t really get all the hype)

Kikagaku Moyo 

Courtney Barnett

Seazoo (go North Wales ???????)

Pom Poko (front-person of the weekend?)

Fontaines DC (another highlight especially the run of hits in the middle of their set)

Shame (loved the new songs and can’t fault their energy)

Ata Kak (only saw them waiting for Fontaines but what a show)

Respect to my daughter who pulled and all-dayer in the tent on Sunday staying at the front from Viagra Boys all the way through to the end of Shame!

 

Non-music highlights - the new showers in Tangerine Fields, hearing a macaw ? (one year I’ll actually see one), The Curry Shed, the WhatsApp group which was pretty accurate in calling the surprise shows and meant we missed none we wanted to see and didn't waste time waiting for stuff we didn’t fancy -. and finally all the people we met and chatted to throughout the weekend.  

 

Very few negatives as we tend to go with the flow, but talky twats were occasionally an issue when we didn’t stand at the front - maybe it’s time for a special area for gig-talkers - somewhere near the car park would be good.

 

Can’t wait to do it all again next year.

 

[SweepingTheNation]

By the way, I love that it's two days past the festival which has its own forum and we're still all posting in the Predictions thread started two days short of a year ago.