August 2024. Larmer Tree Gardens. Cranborne Chase.
This was my 12th End of the Road festival (and probably Mrs RM’s last, but that’s for later), four days out of my life in a field in Wiltshire, that’s (loads calculator function on PC) nearly 1% of my life !!!
Actually, while Larmer Tree Gardens are in Wiltshire, looking to Salisbury, the campervan field is definitely in Dorset, with the steep hills and Hovis ads of Shaftesbury on your doorstep.
Before we upgraded from tent to van we often popped off-site to tick a few pubs, but you wouldn’t fancy getting your camper round those lanes so we stay put these days.
I haven’t got not enough imagination to decorate my tent, anyhow.
If you can name all those artists you get my souvenir EOTR plastic pint glass.
Being a load of old unreconstructed prog-rock fans, you probably don’t recognise many of the names on the line-up either, so there’s a helpful chart that directs you to your ideal artists via your personal hopes and fears.
My own journey (top) leads to English Teacher on Sunday.
Thursday in traditionally the “setting-up camp”, a gentle start for the early arrivals, but with half the audience seemingly retirees (and the rest students) it’s now as busy as I’ve ever seen it, so I send Mrs RM and James my schedule, although oddly we always end up at the liquorice stall.
Larmer Tree was once a Victorian pleasure grounds, thousands of Salisbury souls hopping on a bus to escape their hand being mummified in the Haunch of Venison, and the festival is as much end-of-summer fairground as gig venue.
We start in the Folly, a tent with the festival staples from Bristol Beer Factory and Lost and Grounded, whose Helles is as good as UK lager gets (Madri is foreign muck).
Back in 2019 I brought you the height of festival fashion,
and it was a joy to see the return of the Flamingo Three in the crowd, unchanged bar the odd hearing aid.
Quite a few ear plugs in evidence this year to soften the aural assault. Are ear plugs the cask breather of music ?
Between the grunge and the grub we sneaked in some arthouse films. They’ve moved the small cinema, again.
“Walk under the cowboy’s legs” says the nice volunteer steward.
Living in a major student city like Sheffield you’d think I have access to obscure films from around the world, but the six (6) main cinemas are all Marvel spin-offs, horror and Disney.
So it’s a joy to watch something as uplifting (it really isn’t) as The Climb,
and then emerge into daylight and a family of peacocks,
before heading off to fill my tummy with dosas and onion bhaji.
Thursday night is a bit like “Legends Sunday” at Glasto (ugh), and we get Bonnie “Prince” Billy entertaining us with his dark Americana.
I know Kentish Paul has all the Bonnie “Prince” Billy albums.
Day 1. In bed by 11.
retiredmartin 
Great pics. Thanks for the licorice stick. It was an opportune moment to bump into you on the first occasion!
In answer to your question – Are ear plugs the cask breather of music ? – I would say the cheap ear plugs (like mine) reduce the quality of the music more than a cask breather would reduce the quality of the beer?!
(I did apply ear plugs (or plug for leading ear when standing sideways) but only on a few occasions when close to the sound source.)
LikeLike
PS Cheers! @timofnewbury
LikeLike
I think there are more spellings of liqcorice than types of pale ale, judging by my spellings each time I asked Mrs RM to “meet me at liquorish”.
LikeLike
Oops! Thanks for pointing out my accidental American spelling. Must try harder! Tim
LikeLike
Don’t leave us hanging on the Mrs RM reaction. She didn’t try to charge her phone off the stage power did she?
LikeLiked by 2 people
Ha.
No, just tired of standing all day and complaining about lack of tunes.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Old unreconstructed prog rock fans? I’ll have you know I’m an old punk rocker. More into Americana now though.
LikeLiked by 1 person
You’d love End of the Road, Bill.
LikeLike
I don’t recognise any of those names on the bill, but I’m sure you already knew that, Martin!
LikeLiked by 1 person
If it’s any consolation, Paul, I hardly recognise anyone on the Reading/Leeds lineup!
LikeLiked by 1 person
As antagonising as “I don’t recognise any of those names on the pumpclips”!
LikeLike
I managed to introduce a Matt Monro fan to one of his songs that he’d never heard last night
LikeLiked by 1 person
I read that as Matt Bianco initially.
LikeLike
I’ve not heard of any of them either apart from Baxter Dury ( for obvious reasons but I’ve still no idea what he does – guessing nothing from New Boots and Panties though) I admire your stamina- I’ve never attempted a festival but would have to take a chair with me if I did ! Pauline
LikeLiked by 1 person
You’d be amazed how many folk at the festival are your age (42 ?) Pauline. Lots take pop up seats and sit at the back of the garden with a bottle of Prosecco, some stand at the front all day.
Baxter Dury does songs about life littered with suggestive lyrics, but like his dad ! He came on stage at 11.15pm, well after my bedtime.
LikeLike
Bonnie Prince Billy! Dammit, if I’d known he was there…
Got loads of his stuff, going right back to the Palace days of the early 90s, when he was just plain Will Oldham.
Would have been good to see him live again, it’s been a while. I trust he was a mercurial as ever?
LikeLiked by 1 person
“Mercurial” is exactly the word, Bobby !
Simon the festival founder had been trying to get him over since the start (2006). Mrs RM loved his voice.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Yeah, he’s one of those artists who the more you listen, the more you’re rewarded. Viva Last Blues and I See A Darkness are two of my favourite albums of the 90s, a decade packed with music I love.
LikeLiked by 1 person