The winners of this year’s Play End Of The Road competition have been revealed. We’re talking three incredible new bands that were hand-picked from a list of thousands of hopeful applicants and have won a spot on our 2020 bill.
Catchy and eccentric pop from Melin Melyn, grunge influenced guitar tones from Marlaena Moore and trumpeter and composer James Leonard Hewitson will join us at this year’s festival.
See the full line up here.
Hello Self-Isolators, Social Distancers, Teachers, NHS Staff, Work From Home-ers and all End of The Road-ers!
We hope you’re keeping well wherever you are – be it working in your PJs, bathing in hand-sanitiser, battling on the front lines or constructing teetering toilet paper towers.
With End of The Road a comforting 24 weeks away we’ve never been so grateful to have a festival at the end of the season, but that doesn’t mean we aren’t closely monitoring the situation.
We look forward to welcoming you all in September, drink in hand, surrounded by our favourite bands, friends and plenty of peacocks. Today we’ve announced the winners of our Play End of The Road competition in the shape of Melin Melyn, Marlaena Moore and James Leonard Hewitson, who will also be joining the party in September.
In the event that we did have to postpone our 15th Year Anniversary, 2020 tickets would be honoured in 2021 or you could get a refund if you prefer. You can refer to our full T&Cs here.
We know life will be pretty surreal and stressful at the moment for a lot of you, so a HUGE thank you for your continued support. As ever, we wouldn’t exist without you. Let’s get through this together and get to Larmer Tree Gardens on the other side.
In the meantime stay safe, stay at home, act responsibly and keep washing those hands!
Very best
Team EOTR
With less than six months to go until End of the Road 2020, we’re delighted to reveal another haul of bands to be added to the already sparkling line up.
Joining headliners Pixies, King Krule, Angel Olsen and Big Thief on the bill will be experimental classical composer and leftfield electronic pop producer Anna Meredith, genre wandering desert blues band Songhoy Blues, Chicago drummer, producer and ‘beat scientist’ Makaya McCraven, explosive electronic artist Blanck Mass, visionary musician, actress and dancer Keeley Forsyth, and much much more.
Final Tier on sale now. Book your tickets here
Fast becoming a national treasure following no less than an MBE, multi-disciplined composer, producer and musician Anna Meredith returns to End of the Road with her breathtaking live show, straddling contemporary classical, art pop, techno, ambient and experimental rock.
Having long been on the wish list, we’re thrilled to welcome Songhoy Blues for the first time. Known for their electrifying live shows as much as their harrowing story, they have overcome political unrest and exile from their home, to find themselves working with Nick Zinner from the Yeah Yeah Yeahs and counting Julian Casablancas among their many discerning fans.
Blurring the boundaries of jazz and electronic music, drummer and sonic visionary Makaya McCraven reinvents musical performance through his ‘organic beat music’. Last month he released a re-imagining of the seminal I’m New Here, transforming Gil-Scott Heron‘s final album into a masterpiece of dirty blues and spiritual jazz, and it will be a privilege to have him perform it at End Of the Road.
Hailed as “the new Scott Walker” (link) by The Guardian, dancer, actress and composer Keeley Forsyth produced one of the most startling and acclaimed records of the year so far with the avant-garde and beautiful Debris, documenting her descent into depression. With her voice landing somewhere between Peggy Lee and Nico, her performance at Larmer Tree Gardens promises to be a truly captivating and moving experience.
The Cinema will have live music for the first time thanks to Cornish-Welsh musician and Welsh Music Prize winner Gwenno Saunders who returns to End Of The Road this summer to perform the score to ‘Bait’ live alongside a screening of the film. Gwenno will be joined by Georgia Ellery, who not only plays Katie in the film but is also a musician in Jockstrap and Black Country, New Road.
NEW ADDITIONS TO END OF THE ROAD 2020 LINE UP:
Songhoy Blues
Makaya McCraven
Anna Meredith
Blanck Mass
Archie Bronson Outfit
Alice Boman
Sorry
Current Joys
Ahmed Fakroun
Gwenno (performs live score to ‘Bait’ with Georgia Ellery)
Keeley Forsyth
Vagabon
William Doyle
Jeffrey Martin
PVA
John
Pan Amsterdam
caroline
Disq
Red River Dialect
Drug Store Romeos
Zulu Zulu
Sofia Wolfson
Ian Noe
Norman
Martha Rose
David Thomas Broughton
Chubby & The Gang
Pat T Smith
oldboy
Willy Tea Taylor
It seems like it was only yesterday that we were packing up our tents after 2019’s magical End of the Road. It was quite a year: the NME said it was “inarguably, the best-curated festival of the summer”, BBC 6 Music Drivetime listeners voted it ‘Best Festival’ and Michael Kiwanuka’s breathtaking performance earned him a Q Award… Now we’re back in business with another phenomenal set of headliners, along with many more outstanding bands and performers. So, without further ado…
First up, it’s the band Kurt Cobain said he stole his riffs from and the ones who made loud-quiet-loud into an art form … It’s an honour to welcome Pixies to Dorset for their End of the Road debut. From festival headlining veterans to one topping the bill for the first time, true cult original King Krule will bring his endlessly inventive music to the Woods Stage, as will the singular Angel Olsen – who returns to Larmer Tree Gardens having left audiences awestruck by the sheer range of her voice back in 2013. After their transcendental Garden Stage performance two years – and two incredible albums – ago, Brooklyn folk-rock four-piece Big Thief make their return, this time on the biggest stage.
After a nearly ten year hiatus, we still can’t quite believe that Bright Eyes will be performing at End of the Road for the first time in 2020. Hearing songs old and new from the band who made some of the 00’s defining records will be truly unforgettable in the stunning surroundings of Larmer Tree Gardens.
Incomparable New Zealand songwriter Aldous Harding makes her third appearance with her delicate but danceable tunes, whilst End of the Road royalty Richard Hawley returns 12 years after having first performed way back in 2008.
UK rap pioneer Little Simz leads the charge of this year’s talented wordsmiths, alongside one of the underground’s most in-demand artists, Shygirl and 19-year-old London poet Arlo Parks. Bay Area spoken word artist and musician Tenesha The Wordsmith puts her deft and sharp words against a backdrop of leftfield electronica, soul, hip-hop, and jazz, whilst dazzlingly talented The Comet Is Coming bring their “apocalyptic space-funk” to End of the Road for the first time. The buzz around Black Country, New Road at last year’s festival was so intense that we decided to have them play again this year.
Continuing End Of The Road’s explorations into the experimental we have the Electronic-folk supergroup Creep Show. Join the legend that is John Grant, along with his friends Stephen Mallinder from Cabaret Voltaire, Tunng’s Phil Winter and sometime John Foxx foil Benge, as they delve into the world of dark analogue electro. New York duo 75 Dollar Bill — whose 2019 double album I Was Real topped Wire Magazine’s albums of the year — will be exploring new terrain that blurs traditional and modern music genres, whilst pioneering UK trio Trash Kit will bring their own exhilarating post-punk from across their three thrilling albums.
And finally, it wouldn’t be End of the Road without its now signature set of raucous guitar acts. Crowned kings of riffs Pixies will be in excellent company with Dublin four-piece Girl Band, fellow Irelanders Just Mustard, South London post-punkers Dry Cleaning, and festival sweethearts Squid.
END OF THE ROAD FESTIVAL 2020 LINE UP:
Pixies
King Krule
Angel Olsen
Big Thief
Bright Eyes
Richard Hawley
Little Simz
Aldous Harding
Whitney
The Comet is Coming
Field Music
Girl Band
Pinegrove
Romare
Richard Dawson
Warmduscher
Andy Shauf
Squid
Creep Show
Girl Ray
Black Country, New Road
Nadia Reid
Vanishing Twin
Arlo Parks
Dry Cleaning
Big Joanie
Jerkcurb
Darren Hayman
Shygirl
Penelope Isles
Buck Meek
Just Mustard
Fenne Lily
W. H. Lung
75 Dollar Bill
Monophonics
Itasca
Dana Gavanski
All We Are
Studio Electrophonique
Tenesha The Wordsmith
Trash Kit
Sarathy Korwar
Aoife Nessa Frances
Katy J Pearson
Jake Xerxes Fussell
Sleep Eaters
The Claque
The Goa Express
Junior Brother
Elijah Wolf
Lazarus Kane
The Golden Dregs
Lee Patterson
Plus more acts to be announced…
This year, one of the selected artists will open one of the Major Stages (Woods, Garden, Big Top) and the others will be offered a spot on the other stages.
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The dates for next year’s End Of The Road festival have been announced for 3 – 6 September 2020. Early Bird tickets went on sale this morning and sold out in a record 7 minutes time, Tier Two tickets are on sale now for £175, get yours HERE
The Deposit Scheme also makes a return – you can pay £45 now and top up the balance in however many instalments you wish, as long as the balance is fully paid by 2nd July.
Once you buy your ticket you’ll be given an online account with us. Your login details are the email address you used to purchase your ticket and a password will be emailed to you. When you’re logged in, you can use your account to pay your deposit balance, view your order and add new tickets or extras.
AUDIENCE SURVEY
We would really love to hear more about what you think of End Of The Road. Help us make next year’s festival even better by filling out our audience survey.
Simply click HERE to start the survey and be in with a chance of winning a pair of weekend tickets for End Of The Road 2020.
See you down the front!
Highlighters at the ready… our 2019 Stage Timings are here!
As usual, you’ll be able to find the official clashfinder in our festival programme, available on-site from friendly roaming stewards, one of our programme kiosks or at the Merch Tent. This year, it will be a handy fold-out insert so you can keep your programme in a pristine state and cherish it for years to come. It will also be accompanied by more detailed information on comedy, literature, workshops and extra activities timings too.
The eagle-eyed amongst you will also notice we’ve wrapped up the 2019 music line up with Bahrain via London psych-rockers Flamingods – who will kick things off in the Woods Stage on Thursday.
| With less than a month to go until End of the Road 2019, we’re thrilled to welcome Kate Tempest to this year’s line up. The magnificent spoken word artist is ready to set the Woods Stage alight on Saturday night, whilst Australian raconteur Courtney Barnett will now top the bill and finish the night off with a bang. San Francisco’s Once & Future Band also join this year’s line up and will kick things off in the Big Top on Friday. In case you didn’t hear the news a few weeks back, Beirut have had to cancel all their shows up to the end of August due to illness, which sadly includes their performance at End of the Road 2019, however, we know that Saturday is now in very good hands and will be one to remember. End of the Road 2019 is now Sold Out. If you missed out – or have some spares you’re looking to shift – hit up our official Twickets resales page until 7pm on Tuesday 27th August.Bringing your home on wheels? Campervan tickets still available HERE COMEDY We are also delighted to reveal this year’s Comedy line up, with some of the most exciting and diverse performers from around the world. Boasting its trademark blend of stand up, sketch, character, podcasts and political satire, you’ll find all the laughs you need at the reimagined, Talking Heads stage down in the woods. Topping the bill this year and making his first-ever appearance at End of The Road is the multi-award-winning Irish comedian and retro keyboard warrior David O’Doherty, bringing his unique mix of comedic songwriting and stand-up to Friday night. Saturday’s late-night slot will be a festival exclusive with Will Adamsdaleperforming as the lovable-but-disastrous life coach character Chris John Jackson in Jackson’s Way. He will be performing the 2004 Perrier Award-winning show for the first time since 2011, so make sure you don’t miss it. Sunday’s headliner is Chortle Student Comedian of the Year Award winner Jamali Maddix who is ready to expertly hold the mirror up to us all through anecdotes and unflinching analysis of personal identity, whilst fellow Vice TV alumni Fern Brady, who’s quickly become one of the sharpest and visceral voices on the UK comedy scene, tackles sexuality, feminism, power, Brexit, Britishness, Scottishness and nationality. Meanwhile, repping the comedy podcasts this year is Pappy’s Flatshare Slamdown. The longstanding kings of sketch comedy reinvented themselves in recent years as prolific princes of the podcast scene with the wildly popular Flatshare Slamdown live show, now in its ninth series. SEE THE FULL COMEDY LINE UP HERE THE CINEMA Whether you want to get inside the mind of the Queen of Soul, keep your early morning cartoon tradition or escape into unbelievable sci-fi worlds, this year’s Cinema programme has got you covered. With each day meticulously curated by Simon Taffe (Thursday and Friday), Rook Films (Saturday) and Jarvis Cocker (Sunday), you’re in for a cinema treat. Start your Friday with an Aardman Animations double bill – Grand Day Out and The Farmer’s Llamas – followed by a Q&A with Gromit’s maker himself Jim Parkyn. Find out more about Aretha Franklin’s life and career in Amazing Grace and face your fears in David Cronenberg psychological horror The Brood well into the early hours. We’re thrilled to welcome Rook Films, makers and distributors of Down Terrace, Kill List and Free Fire as one of our guest curators this year. Founders Andy Starke and Ben Wheatley take the billing reigns on Saturday, bringing a wide selection of Rook Films’ wonders and more including Christine Franz’s Sleaford Mods doc Bunch of Kunst and 2018’s brilliant comedy/horror In Fabric. Sunday’s programme has been hand-picked by national treasure Jarvis Cockerwho’s bringing a line-up as enigmatic as himself, starting with family favourites Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory and Batman Returns, moving into more obscure sci-fi classics as Zardoz through Australian survival journey Walkabout and 1973’s comedy/horror Tales That Witness Madness. EXPLORE THE FULL CINEMA LINE UP HERE |
End Of The Road Festival 2019 is now SOLD OUT! We’d like to extend the hugest thank you to everybody who’s bought a ticket, and we can’t wait to see you in August for another weekend of bands, pints and good times.
If you missed out on tickets, or are looking to shift any spares, official resales are available via Twickets now, so keep an eye out.
It’s going to be another unforgettable weekend and not just because of the exceptional headliners – including Beirut’s only UK festival appearance, Metronomy’s timeless bangers or Michael Kiwanuka‘s first festival headline show – but also because of the new discoveries, secret performances, one-off collaborations and surprises around the site – often made possible thanks to The Line of Best Fit. Last year we were lucky enough to have Ezra Furman and John Cale pop up on the Piano Stage in the woods for a one of a kind conversation. Watch the very special moment HERE.
The audacious and uncompromising Spiritualized will kick things off into the stratosphere on Thursday, whilst End of The Road first-timer Michael Kiwanuka takes the reins on Friday. He tops a faultless supporting cast including Baxter Dury, The Beths, Parquet Courts and Mitski as well as daring techno producer Joy Orbison, electronic music powerhouse Kelly Lee Owens and avant-garde producer and performer Yves Tumour.
Friday also sees the return of BBC Radio 3’s flagship experimental music programme Late Junction for a third time. This year the Tipi Stage welcomes Anatolian psych-pop sensation Derya Yıldırım & Grup Şimşek, innovative harpist Mary Lattimore, Afro-Latin-electronic alchemists Penya, and UK producer Natalie Sharp debuting her new project BodyVice, featuring wearable, playable body-sculptures and interactive video combined with performance art.
Saturday is topped by globetrotting songwriter Beirut, playing just after the witty and insightful Courtney Barnett. Electronic adventurer Daniel Avery is our late night DJ at the Big Top, following a headline set from venerable punks Sleaford Mods, as well as jazz drummer Moses Boyd and pioneering experimental producer Gazelle Twin.
Metronomy will bring the Woods Stage to a close on Sunday, with strong support from Deerhunter and Cate Le Bon, and the Garden Stage is closed by longtime friend of End Of The Road and national treasure Jarvis Cocker, who will be appearing as his latest, mysterious musical creation JARV IS… In the Big Top, guitar fans won’t be disappointed with a punk hat trick including Fontaines DC, Pigs, Pigs, Pigs, Pigs, Pigs, Pigs, Pigs and Viagra Boys.
The reimagined Talking Heads Stage – formerly known as Comedy Stage – will host your usual stellar comedy line-up, as well as exceptional music including Angelo de Augustine, Charlie Parr and Rozi Plain, plus talks, surprise shows and much more.
We’ve also got another fantastic literature line up, showcasing some of the most acclaimed, fascinating and moving writers around on the Literature Stage, including No More Page 3 founder, Lucy-Anne Holmes, award-winning author of Grief Is the Thing with Feathers, Max Porter, and Jason Williamson of Sleaford Mods.
The New Pavilion will house ‘Art Exhibition: an exhibition of art’, where artists and illustrators including Du Blonde, Dan Jamieson, Kai Wong, and Babak Ganjei will be showcasing their artworks, alongside live portraits and more under the watchful eyes of the resident peacocks.
There are also plenty of magical art installations dotted around the site too, Babak Ganjei has created a Film Ideas series where he’ll offer to sell you the strongest movie pitches and give you and your friends the opportunity of finally breaking into the world of the silver screen.
There is, of course, our usual varied selection of family and kids activities taking place on the Wonderlands Lawn. We’re especially excited about the return of Aardman Animations (animators of Wallace and Gromit) who will once again give you the chance to learn how to make your very own Gromit, Shaun the Sheep or Bitzer (the dog!) as well as an End of the Road-inspired artwork at the Amazing Scene Machine. This interactive activity combines model making, painting, and stop-frame animation to create a unique clay picture, along with an accompanying time-lapse video. Demand will be high and spaces very limited so please arrive early to avoid disappointment.
We have all your favourite on site activities returning this year, including the wildly popular Ringo Music Bingo, the excellent Where Is My Mind? music quiz, returning for its eleventh year with confounding questions and homeopathic puns and The Secret Post Office will be back with their unrivalled enthusiasm for getting your message out with surprising accuracy.
We’re also delighted to welcome back Videopia, an interactive movie making activity that casts, shoots and screens DIY versions of Hollywood classics. This year the crew will be attempting to recreate E.T – The Extra-Terrestrial on site. Watch last year’s exceptional tribute to Jumanji HERE. As if that wasn’t enough, you can enjoy early morning rounds of Rounders just by the Tipi as well as all the variety of after-hours fun and dancing to be had at the Silent Disco, The Disco Ship and the Ferris Wheel in the Effing Forest, and the relaxing Healing Garden to dust it all off with the next day. Along with the ever impressive line up of Food & Drink on offer with our mates from Beavertown and Fourpure returning this year, End of The Road is set to be one of the best weekends of 2019.
We are very excited to reveal the 2019 Day Splits along with extra additions to this year’s lineup. We’re also thrilled that BBC Radio 3’s Late Junction will be returning to the Tipi Stage on Friday night, curating another evening of experimental and eclectic music from around the globe.
The audacious and uncompromising Spiritualized will kick things off into the stratosphere on Thursday, whilst End Of The Road first-timer Michael Kiwanuka takes the reins for his first ever UK festival headline show on Friday. He tops a faultless supporting cast including Baxter Dury, The Beths, Parquet Courts and Mitski as well as daring techno producer Joy Orbison, electronic music powerhouse Kelly Lee Owens and avant-garde producer and performer Yves Tumour.
Friday also sees the return of BBC Radio 3’s flagship experimental music programme Late Junction for a third time. This year the Tipi Stage welcomes Anatolian psych-pop sensation Derya Yıldırım & Grup Şimşek, innovative harpist Mary Lattimore, Afro-Latin-electronic alchemists Penya, and UK producer Natalie Sharp debuting her new project BodyVice, featuring wearable, playable body-sculptures and interactive video combined with performance art.
Saturday is topped by globetrotting songwriter Beirut, playing just after the witty and insightful Courtney Barnett. Electronic adventurer Daniel Avery is our late night DJ at the Big Top, following a headline set from venerable punks Sleaford Mods, as well as jazz drummer Moses Boyd and pioneering experimental producer Gazelle Twin.
Metronomy will bring the Woods Stage to a close on Sunday, with strong support from Deerhunter and Cate Le Bon, and the Garden Stage is closed by longtime friend of End Of The Road and national treasure Jarvis Cocker, who will be appearing as his latest, mysterious musical creation JARV IS…. In the Big Top, guitar fans won’t be disappointed with a punk hat trick including Fontaines DC, Pigs, Pigs, Pigs, Pigs, Pigs, Pigs, Pigs and Viagra Boys.
The Comedy Stage has evolved into the Talking Heads Stage – a multi-arts space, with a re-invented programme where you can sit back, relax, and enjoy your usual stellar comedy line-up, as well as exceptional music including Angelo de Augustine, Charlie Parr and Rozi Plain, plus talks, surprise shows and much more.
In addition to all of this, throughout the four days, there will be the usual array of surprise performances, one-off collaborations and artist Q&As – presented in collaboration with The Line of Best Fit. There will be a variety of after-hours fun and dancing to be had plus Loud & Quiet’s Silent Disco opening party on Thursday night at the Tipi Stage.