My last festival of the summer. I used go to quite a few folky festivals, but this year I have had real variety, between Download, Glastonbury and the End Of The Road.
This was my sixth EOTR and the first really wet one. I had forgotten how tiring that is. I powered through regardless and had a really good time musically. I had done a lot of research as I knew so few names to begin with and as a result I saw a lot of good stuff. As more and more traditional camping festivals fall by the wayside, I treasure the ones that are still there.
Most surprises were at the Talking Heads stage. The sound was amazing there. It felt like it was echoing through the trees. I did not have a bad time as regards finding myself near talkers. This has definitely been worse other years. The lack of phone signal remains one of the niceties that makes the End Of The Road different from other festivals.
These were my highlights:
1. TRUMAN SINCLAIR - Talking Heads
An unexpected discovery at a festival is a wonderful thing, and Truman Sinclair's set on the Talking Heads stage is my favourite thing I have seen all summer. Truman Sinclair is a 22-year-old singer/songwriter from LA. He has been playing in bands for years, emo and punkrock, and has a lot of gigging under his belt, which is immediately apparent. He now performs folkier self-penned material and his debut album is modestly called 'American Recordings'. His gig hit me the same way I felt when I first came across Joe Pug.
Truman played in the pouring rain and the audience was sitting on hay bales under umbrellas, blown away by the performance rather than the weather. After the gig people queued up, simply to all tell Truman how great they thought he was. You heard it here first.
Check him out on Bandcamp
2. LISA O'NEILL - Garden
I have been a fan of Lisa since I first came across her when she supported Joe Pug (him again) at Whelans in 2011 so I am well aware of how brilliant she is. If this had been my first time hearing songs like 'Pothole In The Sky' and 'Rock The Machine’, this would have been my number one. The Garden is the best stage at the festival and I had been looking forward to seeing Lisa there. The larger Woods stage can be quite barren and windswept. Lisa had three musicians with her and it was all perfect. Her talk was as engaging as her music and I found myself thinking that she is really developing into a female Christy Moore. Closing song 'Goodnight World' was another highlight.
Some of the Larmer Tree peacocks went high up in the trees around the stage during Lisa's set, which was extraordinary to see. I had no idea peacocks could go up trees.
3. USTAD NOOR BAKHSH - Talking Heads
A late addition to the lineup, which I was keen to see, particularly with Womad having a year off. I legged it up to the Talking Heads stage after Lisa O'Neill and got a front bench spot. Ustad Noor Bakhsh is from Balochistan and plays the benju, a zither-type instrument fitted with keys. He is 79. He played with two accompanists, both on dombra, a string instrument popular in Central Asia. One of them switched to flute for one song. Ustad spoke in Balochi and one of the musicians translated, often humorously. The songs were trance-like, speeding up towards the end. The vibe was hypnotic and the music was really well received, with people standing up and dancing.
4. MIRIAM ELHAJLI - Talking Heads
For a moment it was unsure whether Miriam Elhajli's show would happen, as the rain had made the Talking Heads area, a steep amphitheatre, very slippery. A health and safety manager came and it was decided the show could go on, provided everyone would walk up and down via the least slippery side.
I am so glad this was the case, as what a treat her gig was. Miriam is a folk singer, composer and musicologist from New York, of Venezuelan and Moroccan heritage. I had scribbled Laura Nyro on my notes, but as I sat listening I found her even more reminiscent of early Buffy Sainte-Marie. Miriam also sang some songs in Spanish. The rain was particularly bad at this point, but Miriam went on undeterred and retained an appreciative umbrella-ed crowd.
5. HAYDEN PEDIGO - Garden
Hayden Pedigo is a guitarist from Amarillo, Texas, who has been releasing albums since 2013. He drew an exceptionally large crowd for his Friday lunchtime slot. His music had jumped out at me when I was checking out acts. It is beautifully melodic and tranquil. Alongside his own compositions, Hayden played the theme tune of 'Brokeback Mountain'. His chat was really entertaining too.
Hayden posted on social media about the festival and this is worth quoting: "That was the best show I ever played. Thanks to the End Of The Road for being so kind and open to having a solo instrumental guitarist play on a stage of that size and to a crowd of that many people. I have always believed that there is a far bigger audience for this music, and yesterday proved it to me".
The audio of the show is on YouTube
6. JIM GHEDI - Woods
Jim Ghedi was one of the few names I knew when the lineup came out and I was keen to see him. Jim is a modern folk singer with a very distinctive voice. He performs with a band. I have been getting slightly weary of drone, but this show had the right balance between drone and traditional sounds. Wind and rain were fierce but, as Jim mentioned, it fitted the atmosphere of the music. A respectable crowd stayed for the entire set. Jim released his latest album, 'Wasteland', earlier this year.
7. MUIREANN BRADLEY - Garden
Muireann Bradley is an 18-year-old guitarist and singer from Ballybofey, Co. Donegal, who sounds like someone from a century ago. She is a real Wunderkind, who started practicing in earnest during lockdown. I had seen her once before, when she played all the old-time blues from her debut album. This time she added more recent songs, in the form of Jackson Browne's 'These Days' (the Nico version had been played over the PA at the Garden stage) and Blaze Foley's 'Clay Pigeons'. Muireann is a unique talent.
8. BOMBINO - Woods
I am a big desert blues fan and Bombino had long been on my wish list. He did not disappoint. Dressed in a magnificent sky blue robe, he took to the stage with a two man band, who were not further introduced. Bombino is from Niger and sings in Tamashek, but it is his guitar playing that really stands out. The long improvized instrumental sections were my favourite parts.
9. BAMBARA - Big Top
Bambara are a trio, including two brothers, who expand to a five piece live. They are from New York. I decided to go and see them after reading some very good live reviews. The post-punk label the band get tagged with is probably mostly due to singer Reid Bateh's deep voice, or perhaps the fact that they are on Bella Union. The band kindly sold me a CD from their personal stock, despite Rough Trade wanting to insist on vinyl only. Refreshing to see a good-looking band having made it past the EOTR cool police.
10. FOR THOSE I LOVE - Big Top
For Those I Love is songwriter/producer/spoken word artist David Balfe from Dublin. His debut album under the For Those I Love moniker won the Choice Music Prize (the Irish Mercury). There is a strong visual element to his show, with use of screens and cameras on the crowd. The subject matter is heavy, befitting the time we live in. Many I spoke to afterwards singled this out as their highlight of the festival.
11. DARAA TRIBES - Woods
More desert blues, from Morocco this time. The band explained that they are all from different tribes, living and working in harmony. The band stuck around at the festival. I met them the next day in the campsite and told them how much I had enjoyed their show.
12. CHRISTOPHER OWENS - Talking Heads
I attended the Uncut Q&A with Christopher Owens and his is a back story and a half. He grew up in the Children of God sect, always travelling, until he left at age 16, when he had to learn how to function in the outside world. His anecdotes were totally captivating. His gig was a mix of his own songs and covers (Spiritualized, John Denver, Michael Jackson) - "evidence that his mind is intrinsically set to 'random shuffle'", Uncut wrote. Eccentric as this may seem, it sounded great.
13. FATHER JOHN MISTY - Garden
I never quite got Father John Misty, and I still don't, but I enjoyed his gig all the same. This was due to the atmosphere. It was the closing night, the rain had stopped and the crowd danced and sang along word for word. The sound was absolutely gorgeous for this show (and very loud!). A big band, yet you could hear every instrument individually, crystal clear. Father John Misty himself voiced his appreciation several times too.
14. THROWING MUSES - Big Top
Classic Rock Magazine recently asked as their daily question on social media what the longest time was readers had gone between seeing bands. I saw Throwing Muses in 1988 when they toured with the Pixies, so that makes it 37 years between gigs!
15. ROSALI - Woods
Rosali has a nice voice and good songs. This show would have benefitted from interaction with the audience. The same applied to Throwing Muses.
Next year will be the End Of The Road's 20th anniversary. Tickets are on sale here.
Helen.
