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Bit late sorry: EOTR 24 Well, well, well, wasn’t that a blast!? 16th now I think and maybe one of the best - the curation, attention to detail and overall loveliness are second to none. Was so nice to catch up with old friends, as well as new, and leave the real world behind. We arrived Thursday lunchtime, set up quickly then headed in for a general mooch until the action started. Caught Plantoid (decent enough) at the newly laid out Folly. Liked the new opened out space and overall layout, just don’t get me started on the toilets. Over to the Woods for Laetitia Sadier - lovely but blended into the background, Richard Dawson - majestic as ever but felt drowned by staging - and then Bonnie Prince Billie…. He’s been on my (and many others) list since the beginning and smashed it out of the park, set of the weekend. Tried to get into the Cinema stage, but it was already full and we were told we’d be lucky to get standing room even if anyone left. Personally I miss the old tent style cinema where you could wander in and chill rather than the prim, library feel of the new set up. Then again, what do I know… ? Finished off with a late night smash burger (something else) and ended up on Baby Spice from the cider bus talking nonsense until 3. God(dess), I love End of the Road... FRIDAY Up and at ‘em, started off with home-made Bloody Mary's to take into the fest which were mint. No more queuing, blended to personal preference, and less delay in seeing the first band. Grabbed a bacon and egg roll from the Tea Bus (a bit meh, room to improve) and over to Ex Easter Island Head at Boat stage - such a beautiful, dappled, bucolic part of the festival, and EEIH were a lovely experimental way to ease us into the fun to come. Over to Garden for Sahra Halgan, running late, but some great Somali guitar shredding when they arrived. Then Mary Lattimore on harp (just lovely), followed by Bill Ryder Jones, (lush and melodic as expected) and over to one of the sets of the weekend for CMAT at the Wood stage. Pure infectious, unadulterated joy - so much fun. Her cover of Wuthering Heights was exceptional. Back to the van for a quick change for layers/wine etc and back to Garden stage. Mdou Moctar cancelled unfortunately, but Alabaster de Plume picked up the baton and did what he does best - divide the audience into those who think WTF?! and those who are with him all the way. I was very much the latter. Picked up some duck fries - meal of weekend, possibly, for convenience, taste and cost - then came the mighty Lankum (just exceptional). Listened to Baxter Dury from outside the Big Top (closest we came to actually going inside) and off for more hot cider and the secret sets - tonight was Sextile (bit like AK/DK, enjoyed them) and Sprints who were fun. A slow meander back to the van around 3am and there goes the first full day. SATURDAY Rinse, repeat (which is part of the joy). Couple more Bloody Mary’s. Then over to Garden for the ??? reveal. Turned out to be Julia Jacklin which was a coup. Just beautiful (and Happy Birthday BTW!) Made one of our rare moves from the Garden and saw Brown Horse at the Woods stage. Some lovely Americana (from Norfolk), had seen them previously at Green Man and was suitably impressed again. Great name, is double heroin reference deliberate? Back to our sanctuary at the Garden and saw Cat Clyde (just beautiful), then Sanam - joyous Ghanaian dance hall, and a quick food break for duck noodles (lush). One of my must sees, Lisa o Neil, also cancelled unfortunately, but was replaced with the incredible Mermaid Chunky. I also saw these at GM and was blown away - they were even better today possibly, which is incredible considering they stepped in at the last moment. It seemed to split the audience (one of the chat messages asked 'what the f**k were they were on?’ and someone responded ‘I was on mushrooms and they were great’). I was fully immersed and definitely sided with the latter. Quick change back at the van, then in for Camera Obscura (nice enough, albeit a bit polite), followed by Phosphorescent who was, unsurprisingly, exceptional. Richard Hawley headlined, expected him to be good, but he delivered in spades - so much more expansive than expected - phenomenal. Saw 'Big Special' from outside the Folly so missed their essential connection with the audience and was underwhelmed - my loss, others who saw them said they were incredible. Also saw secret sets from Lemon Twigs (mainly) covers set, and then in for NY hardcore/punk/hip hop Lip Critic - much fun was had. At some point had another late night smash burger, bed early at half two. SUNDAY Last day (where does the time go etc?) BMs sorted and good to go. Fruit Tones at the Folly (fun garage rock), over for some Bonny Dune laid back Americana (beautiful, lazy Waxahatchee/Kurt Vile vibes). Heavyish rain for 30 mins, then all was glorious again - luckily the yellow alert skimmed us and went on its way. Florence Adooni followed (infectious Ghanaian high-life), couldn’t help but move. More duck fries (other options including goat curry, chicken katsu had sold out), then Ichiko Aoba - ethereal, sublime, transcendent… Over to Tara Clarkin Trio at Boat - phenomenal introspective jazz - then back to Garden Stage for Ty Segall - wasn’t sure what solo show would be like, was just great, hope the medical emergency was sorted successfully. Yo La Tengo were switched to the Woods stage (slight shame as Garden is so more intimate) but were as amazing as always - the penultimate song which just kept going was mesmerising. Their sublime ballads (including an incredible Sun Ra doo-wop cover) were bookended by a squall of mind-bending sonic loveliness. Over to Lambrini Girls from the outside - seemed to deliver, then Altin Gunn (fun Turkish surf rock) and off to bed. Not before I got another burger though and was greeted by a ‘welcome back for your nightly burger sir’ - the shame, the shame... Would have loved to stay up for last set (MC Yallah) but had reached my limit so headed back and drifted off to ‘Hit the Road Jack’ from the Disco stage, It had rained overnight when I woke, but was otherwise dry and sunny the entire festival (apart from a very brief heavy shower) - the wild gods were shining on us throughout. See you there next year… Miscellanea Curation overall was exceptional as usual, loved the more avant-garde side of the Garden Stage - lovely fusion of experimental and global music in addition to the usual excellent folk/Americana. Sound overall was exceptional from every stage Toilets, freaking toilets - why oh why etc? The amount of money spent on the urinals with flushing loos, mirrors and porcelain etc baffles me. Just add some additional pissoirs at the Folly and Garden Stage which would benefit everyone. Hey, ho, minor gripe overall Food great, beers great, loved the loony juice farmhouse cider Roving Posties dropped a matchmaker ask to a friend - wonder if it will go anywhere? Alice in Wonderland woods were as fun and beautiful as ever Bar queues were minimal and staff always lovely, though did feel a little busier generally overall. Top 5 BPB - a shaman, a seer, a prophet… Darkness, then soaring optimism - sublime. Woodwind, harmonies and guitar, just transcendent. And that song about jumping into the water - wow!Mermaid Chunky - totally barking, joyful and paganistic funCMAT - hilarious, brilliant, infectious and joyfulLankum - medieval yet contemporary, apocalyptic murder and drone and doom and… wow!Yo La Tengo - astounding, please play every year Gutted to have missed Dawn Landes Lisa o Neill (hope she’s ok) Molly Lewis (who knew pro whistling was a thing) Anyone see YLT in Talking Heads/piano stage? Jason Molina tribute - any good? Song Gallery - not even sure where it was? Julianna Riolino Craft beer bar to the side of the Garden stage and the general ale bar in the middle - will try harder next time -
Great venue, i love it and have never had even a tiny bit of trouble from the bouncers. I tend to be there for metal gigs though, and not club nights - id imagine the clientele varies a fair bit depending on whats on. Last few bands i've seen there would be Cattle Decapitation, Mary Wallopers and GWAR. Jack White would be proper amazing in there! -
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Yeah we queued for Nightmare Live and it was almost back to the path near the cinema and we got seats about 7 rows back. Can actually fit quite a few people into the Taking Heads. -
By Kaboom Boxer · Posted
My youngest absolutely adores Imagine Dragons but I don't know if I've got it in me.
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