message board

DrNick · Joined: 11 Jul 2006 Posts: 161 Location: Stockport, UK

For the last few years I've been to the Green Man Festival, in South Wales. But I might not be able to this year for various reasons (it clashes with something else) and I think that, excellent as it is, it has lost a bit of its atmosphere as it has got bigger.

So I want to to go to another festival - I want to be pretty small, relaxed and obviously have excellent music. I have absolutely no desire to go to an enormous festival like Glastonbury, or Reading / Leeds.

I've been looking at the End of the Road Festival, which looks pretty good - can anyone recommend this?
_________________
http://www.myspace.com/arhythmicnick

jack fe · Joined: 08 Apr 2006 Posts: 865

I can definitely recommend End of the Road.
So far, it's been full of friendly people, great acts, good food, and drink, no corporate sponsors and in a beautiful place.

It has been getting steadily bigger since it started, and there have been a couple of decisions which I haven't been totally happy with, but generally, it's still wonderful.

So far, the lineup hasn't looked amazing to me, but I'm sure there will be many great singers and bands I don't know, so I'll hopefully be going along.

End of the Road 2007 was the best festival experience I've ever had (best bands, best atmosphere).
_________________
myspace.com/frozymusic

AFB · Joined: 15 Oct 2007 Posts: 245 Location: Bristol, UK

I concur, I've been three times and will probably again next year. The capacity has stayed at 5000 for the last couple of years despite a sell out and looks that way again this year.

I also agree that the line up doesn't look that great so far, but we'll have to see.

DrNick · Joined: 11 Jul 2006 Posts: 161 Location: Stockport, UK

Well, I am indeed going to End of the Road next week - is anybody else going to be there?

Looking forward to Adam Green and Diane Cluck / Anders Griffin....and also Errors, the Low Anthem, Freelance Whales, and lots of others. And it might not even rain....
_________________
http://www.myspace.com/arhythmicnick

AFB · Joined: 15 Oct 2007 Posts: 245 Location: Bristol, UK

Last year the weather was awesome, I think September is probably more reliable that August!

I'm going too - can't wait. As well as the ones you mentioned I'm also looking forward to seeing Phosphorescent, Elliott Brood, and Cymbals eat Guitars. Phil Kay was amazing in the comedy area last year too.

DrNick · Joined: 11 Jul 2006 Posts: 161 Location: Stockport, UK

Well, if you somebody wearing a bright orange hat saying Euskaltel come and say hello. From this you might deduce I am a particular Basque cycling team.
_________________
http://www.myspace.com/arhythmicnick

jack fe · Joined: 08 Apr 2006 Posts: 865

I decided against going this year, but my parents somehow decided to go. They saw Monotonix and loved it, but hated Diane Cluck (= big family argument).
I saw Diane and Anders play the night after they played EOTR, and it was stunning. Did they suit the festival well?

Hope it didn't rain too much.
_________________
myspace.com/frozymusic

DrNick · Joined: 11 Jul 2006 Posts: 161 Location: Stockport, UK

There was barely any rain, just a little bit on Saturday morning before the music started - I didn't even put my cagoule on for the whole weekend.

To be honest I wasn't so impressed with Diane Cluck, maybe it wasn't the right environment, and the sound wasn't great. However, on an anti-folk related note Adam Green was great fun and very entertaining (crowdsurfing after stripping to the waist on putting on some sort of woman's vest). Other than thatL

The Low Anthem were magnificent.
Duotone, and the Wilderness of Manitoba, both offered folky loveliness.
The London Snorkelling Team were very very funny (comedy jazz with visual overhead projector based japery),
Three Trapped Tigers were very good.
Wintersleep surprised me - I wasn't expecting them to be so rocky, for some reason.
On the blues front, I enjoyed Charlie Parr, but even better was CW Stoneking, who played songs about fighting lions and being shipwrecked in a sort of 20s calypso style.
_________________
http://www.myspace.com/arhythmicnick

AFB · Joined: 15 Oct 2007 Posts: 245 Location: Bristol, UK

We were so lucky with the rain, and me, risking it with a one-layered pop up?! Madness.

I agree with DrNick about Diane Cluck, it didn't work. The tent was too big, and the drums totally detracted from the intimacy of the songs.

Monotonix - fantastic.

Adam Green - surprisingly exceeded expectations. He just seemed so pleased to be playing. Funnily enough, this was the reason given by some idiot we were camped with for hating him. I dunno - I guess some people just like their favourite musicians to hate what they're doing?

London Snorkelling Team! Amazing!

Cymbals Eat Guitars were good too. Pretty psychedelic.

Phosphorescent was a bit boring which was a shame, but sounded great sound-wise.

And comedy-wise: Phil Kay. My favourite act at the festival.

janand · Joined: 25 Feb 2011 Posts: 4

I was therein on last year. It was Fabulous festival, the best of which was from Billy Bragg. Both his performance and also the interview with John Harris at the literary tent.

However, despite my left leaning, libertarian, Guardian reading tendencies, drug use disgusts me and having been to Glasto 4 times, I saw 100 times more dope use at Green Man in a Festival a 20th the size of Glasto.
_________________
holiday in Greece