End of the Road Festival 2017

Hello chums, how’s your September shaping up so far? Feeling positive about the new season ahead? Think about all that new stationery (not just for school kids) and autumnal awesomeness to come! Can you tell I’m excited?

We’ve returned from our annual summer trip to End of the Road Festival and I’m feeling partially human again. We booked time off after the festival you see, so I’m still in holiday mode until next week and appreciating every second of it. There’s been lots of lie-ins and lazy breakfasts watching re-runs of Frasier. Living the dream.

The festival is on the border of North Dorset and Wiltshire so it’s a fair old slog from Yorkshire but worth the journey from “Oop North” if you’re looking for something different to your normal festival jaunts. Plus, it passes Gloucester services en route and that’s a destination in itself, my friends. Tell me I’m not the only one who skips a happy dance when approaching this M5 farm shop?

The music at EOTR is an eclectic mix of sorts; alternative, indie, Americana. We always come away with a handful of new artists to listen to that we wouldn’t have heard otherwise, as well as listening to old bands that shaped our music collections in previous years. This year, new (to me) artists I enjoyed/loved were Moses Sumner, John Moreland, Courtney Marie Andrews and Nadine Shah.

Apart from the music, comedy and cinema line-up, the intimate setting at Larmer Tree Gardens is simply magical. A real treat, when you need a little respite from the hubbub of a festival is stroll through the gardens, ponds and woodlands. We had two days of glorious weather followed by one day of constant rain so I’d say we were really lucky. It was really cold in the evening though, more so than up north, which was a shock to me so I’m doubling up on blankets and layers next year!

The photographs were taken mainly on one day only whilst pottering around the site, but there are little of the musicians themselves (I prefer to just listen to the music, I’m sure you understand) so sorry about that. Hopefully you’ll get a taste of the festival though. If you’re tempted, tickets are already on sale (tier and deposit ticketing system) for 2018.  Now I’ve warmed up, I can’t wait already.

So the highlights? Bill Callahan’s baritone voice (possibly my favourite musician EVER), Adam Buxton’s BUG: David Bowie Special, Slowdive’s dreamy and unforgettable sound to Ferris Wheel fun with the OH, impromptu moshing to the mighty Ty Segall on Saturday night and relaxing on a sunny afternoon watching my friend Julia sketch. Big moments, simple things.

Have you been to EOTR before?