My week in the west country starts with a train to Bath to have a coffee with Carole then on to my parents for a couple of relaxing nights catching up. Then to Oldfield Park where Jon picks me up and then us and Scottie are on our way to Dorset for the End of the Road festival. We camp next to the main entrance to the festival area and once Ramsay and Jo arrive it's into the throng. As it's Thursday not all stages are open so the Folly tent is rammed. As we saw so much this will be a quick review of most of the bands and you'll have to guess whos in each photo or check out the timings in info and match to Clashfinder where you'll find stages.
MSPAINT. Hardcore synth rap from Stateside. Check out.
NewDad. Cure inspired indie. That bass! Very popular and rightly so.
After party indie disco getting down with the kids. Fun
Friday is a dry day. Weather wise I mean.
Ex-Easter Island Head. Film score music. Doesn't grab me.
Hello Mary. Fantastic punk rock with an alt rock twist. Caught their sound check which the then used to loop back through the set I think through the guitar which sounded great. All you'd want in as an indie kid with a secret desire for grunge and shoegaze. One of the few bands I was determined to see and was not disappointed. After whinging about the folly of the Folly I have to admit that it brings the atmosphere of a small venue. A highlight of the weekend.
Sextile. Heavy dance punk. Great.
Colossal Squid. Drum soloist... I didn't last long.
CMAT. Not expecting much but was wandering past the the main stage and drawn into the crowd by great rocking dance tunes and CMAT's engaging chat. A proper festival act easily persuading a bit of audience participation. Anyone who sings Kate Bush's Wuthering Heights live and nails it cuts the mustard. What a great song in the midst of 70s punk and new wave. A bit like CMAT here at least for me.
Sleater-Kinney. Legendary USA grunge meets folksy country alt riot grrrl rock. Again, a great festival act. I think it was here that we first me the Lampshade Hat woman, including light switch. Crowd pleasers both band and hat.
Sprints. Back to a slice of punk delivered by an Irish band inciting me to mosh. Another great female singer. We're on a roll.
Idles. Don't need any introduction but they delivered a great set possibly best I've seen them and as I started I may as well finish moshing.
After shows at Folly see me tied to the mosh pit along with my buddies checking out harder edgier sets suitable for a club... Sextile and then Sprints.
Saturday morning after Jon makes my usual breakfast of sausages (thanks!) we try to contact Simon to let him know where we are camped before trooping off to the comedy hill for an hour or so of laughing.
Sanam. Not on the list but luckily happen across this great Lebanese band crossing middle eastern vibes with a rocking tinge.
Debby Friday. Now Debby is on the list and doesn't disappoint with a great performance of dancy pop rap with a little bit of edge and guitar thrown in. Probably more suited to the Folly at midnight playing to youngsters than the Boat mid afternoon with an audience of middle aged parents but hey she took it all in her stride. Catch in a club.
Master Peace. Hard rapping punk influenced synth with a cock rock guitarist making the big top jump. Playing Blur's Song Two and finishing with Oasis' Wonderwall (tickets on sale earlier) show a fine audience appreciation.
Camera Obscura. Surprisingly very popular ageing jangle merchants where I eventually meet Simon looking dapper in white.
Warrington-Runcorn New Town Development Plan. Great name synth fiddler but not engaged by this plan.
Slowdive. Headliners tonight where we catch up with Maya & Gill for a great shoegaze grungy set much better than I expected. Dance til you drop.
Casisdead. Hard rap grime on a great recommendation from Simon.
Afters is the Boat in the wood for a great and crowded soul, RnR, ska, reggae, northern soul disco. Then Simon and I chill at the craft beer bar (where Maya is working but not tonight) for early hours techno house.
Sunday we wander towards the comedy hill catching...
Molly Lewis. The whistling woman. Not sure I get it a all.
Massive queue for the comedy half mile long possibly so that's off.
Girl And Girl. A great way to properly start the day with a great Australian 70s pre punk band and great lyrics. Simply great.
Julianna Riolino. As she keeps telling us serves Canadian hard country rock but rain drives punters away including us.
Thus Love. Competent enough rock but nothing to write home about, except in my blog
Simon and I wander about doing a bit of juggling and other impressive tricks.
Nation of Language. Best chance of seeing Becky and Simon but I don't. Good enough indie rock.
Altin Gün. Dutch Turkish band with great funky tunes prompting lots of dancing in Simon's white Dance Tuxedo before we get too hot then it's just shirt sleeves.
Snõõper. The band I wanted to see most having caught at the Windmill last year. Didn't disappoint. Brilliantly delivered Kansas garage punk complete with papier mache head on stage. Folly Folly all is well and truly forgiven. Full on moshing. Just fantastic.
Yo La Tengo. Another legendary American alt rock band playing a fine set to a crowd of dancers.
Back to Folly for...
Lambrini Girls. Third time this year and well worth it delivering a politically charged set creating a huge mosh complete with beach lilo crowd surfing including the singer and coming close to Snooper for fun if not edging ahead. You couldn't put a king size rizla between them. My only complaint is getting us all to crouch down on the ground before leaping up into a mosh. The moshing I can take, it's the crouching down with dodgy ageing footballer's knees that kills me.
Altun Gun. After show hard edged beats.
Simon and I retire to the Boat for another dose of the Rock n Roll disco then chat at bars with youngsters taking or coming down off various substances chatting about who accidentally hit who in the Snooper mosh pit, the "which band should you should see art installation", how long Simon and I had known each other and no we're not a couple. I think it's time to turn in when when I realise I'm telling a 32 year old to have lots of unprotected sex with her boyfriend but in my defence the conversation had naturally reached that point. As far as I remember. Back to bed around 3 then up a few hours later to pack and leave.
Monday morning a bit of drizzle which stops by the time we emerge. Simon cycles off and after goodbyes to Ramsay and Jo Jon and Scottie drop me off at Warminster. My train is extended at Salisbury not knowing that Simon is in that part of the train. We realise when we meet at Clapham Junction. A great festival and soon enough we are buying again for next year. Thanks to my buddies who may read this for all the fun and to anyone else I chatted to during the weekend who most likely won't read this. Ah, the uncertain life of a professional blogger.
MSPAINT. Hardcore synth rap from Stateside. Check out.
NewDad. Cure inspired indie. That bass! Very popular and rightly so.
After party indie disco getting down with the kids. Fun
Friday is a dry day. Weather wise I mean.
Ex-Easter Island Head. Film score music. Doesn't grab me.
Hello Mary. Fantastic punk rock with an alt rock twist. Caught their sound check which the then used to loop back through the set I think through the guitar which sounded great. All you'd want in as an indie kid with a secret desire for grunge and shoegaze. One of the few bands I was determined to see and was not disappointed. After whinging about the folly of the Folly I have to admit that it brings the atmosphere of a small venue. A highlight of the weekend.
Sextile. Heavy dance punk. Great.
Colossal Squid. Drum soloist... I didn't last long.
CMAT. Not expecting much but was wandering past the the main stage and drawn into the crowd by great rocking dance tunes and CMAT's engaging chat. A proper festival act easily persuading a bit of audience participation. Anyone who sings Kate Bush's Wuthering Heights live and nails it cuts the mustard. What a great song in the midst of 70s punk and new wave. A bit like CMAT here at least for me.
Sleater-Kinney. Legendary USA grunge meets folksy country alt riot grrrl rock. Again, a great festival act. I think it was here that we first me the Lampshade Hat woman, including light switch. Crowd pleasers both band and hat.
Sprints. Back to a slice of punk delivered by an Irish band inciting me to mosh. Another great female singer. We're on a roll.
Idles. Don't need any introduction but they delivered a great set possibly best I've seen them and as I started I may as well finish moshing.
After shows at Folly see me tied to the mosh pit along with my buddies checking out harder edgier sets suitable for a club... Sextile and then Sprints.
Saturday morning after Jon makes my usual breakfast of sausages (thanks!) we try to contact Simon to let him know where we are camped before trooping off to the comedy hill for an hour or so of laughing.
Sanam. Not on the list but luckily happen across this great Lebanese band crossing middle eastern vibes with a rocking tinge.
Debby Friday. Now Debby is on the list and doesn't disappoint with a great performance of dancy pop rap with a little bit of edge and guitar thrown in. Probably more suited to the Folly at midnight playing to youngsters than the Boat mid afternoon with an audience of middle aged parents but hey she took it all in her stride. Catch in a club.
Master Peace. Hard rapping punk influenced synth with a cock rock guitarist making the big top jump. Playing Blur's Song Two and finishing with Oasis' Wonderwall (tickets on sale earlier) show a fine audience appreciation.
Camera Obscura. Surprisingly very popular ageing jangle merchants where I eventually meet Simon looking dapper in white.
Warrington-Runcorn New Town Development Plan. Great name synth fiddler but not engaged by this plan.
Slowdive. Headliners tonight where we catch up with Maya & Gill for a great shoegaze grungy set much better than I expected. Dance til you drop.
Casisdead. Hard rap grime on a great recommendation from Simon.
Afters is the Boat in the wood for a great and crowded soul, RnR, ska, reggae, northern soul disco. Then Simon and I chill at the craft beer bar (where Maya is working but not tonight) for early hours techno house.
Sunday we wander towards the comedy hill catching...
Molly Lewis. The whistling woman. Not sure I get it a all.
Massive queue for the comedy half mile long possibly so that's off.
Girl And Girl. A great way to properly start the day with a great Australian 70s pre punk band and great lyrics. Simply great.
Julianna Riolino. As she keeps telling us serves Canadian hard country rock but rain drives punters away including us.
Thus Love. Competent enough rock but nothing to write home about, except in my blog
Simon and I wander about doing a bit of juggling and other impressive tricks.
Nation of Language. Best chance of seeing Becky and Simon but I don't. Good enough indie rock.
Altin Gün. Dutch Turkish band with great funky tunes prompting lots of dancing in Simon's white Dance Tuxedo before we get too hot then it's just shirt sleeves.
Snõõper. The band I wanted to see most having caught at the Windmill last year. Didn't disappoint. Brilliantly delivered Kansas garage punk complete with papier mache head on stage. Folly Folly all is well and truly forgiven. Full on moshing. Just fantastic.
Yo La Tengo. Another legendary American alt rock band playing a fine set to a crowd of dancers.
Back to Folly for...
Lambrini Girls. Third time this year and well worth it delivering a politically charged set creating a huge mosh complete with beach lilo crowd surfing including the singer and coming close to Snooper for fun if not edging ahead. You couldn't put a king size rizla between them. My only complaint is getting us all to crouch down on the ground before leaping up into a mosh. The moshing I can take, it's the crouching down with dodgy ageing footballer's knees that kills me.
Altun Gun. After show hard edged beats.
Simon and I retire to the Boat for another dose of the Rock n Roll disco then chat at bars with youngsters taking or coming down off various substances chatting about who accidentally hit who in the Snooper mosh pit, the "which band should you should see art installation", how long Simon and I had known each other and no we're not a couple. I think it's time to turn in when when I realise I'm telling a 32 year old to have lots of unprotected sex with her boyfriend but in my defence the conversation had naturally reached that point. As far as I remember. Back to bed around 3 then up a few hours later to pack and leave.
Monday morning a bit of drizzle which stops by the time we emerge. Simon cycles off and after goodbyes to Ramsay and Jo Jon and Scottie drop me off at Warminster. My train is extended at Salisbury not knowing that Simon is in that part of the train. We realise when we meet at Clapham Junction. A great festival and soon enough we are buying again for next year. Thanks to my buddies who may read this for all the fun and to anyone else I chatted to during the weekend who most likely won't read this. Ah, the uncertain life of a professional blogger.
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