August 2024. Larmer Tree Gardens. Wiltshire.
The most noticeable thing about End of the Road is that everyone looks like us. Retired or near retirement folk in campervans, a lad of 25 in a tent. Of course, our little group is far better dressed, more appreciative of new music, and doesn’t sit round in a circle at midnight talking about yoga and gardening and French holidays. We just talk about the lack of internet and phone chargers.
Day 2. I remind Mrs RM of the itinerary I’ve sent her,
and head off ahead to get a nice spot for Kassi Valazza, who I’ve rated ** on my infallible master spreadsheet having listened to all 120 artists on Tidal in the last month.
Kassi is quintessential EOTR, US country folk in the sun in a garden with peacocks,
with a pint in hand.
Such a shame I chose the virtuous route of the alcohol-free Lost and Grounded. Do I ever learn ?
Nice northern head, mind.
Somehow I persuade Mrs RM and James to skip bands called “Hello Mary” and “Sextile”,
in favour of a foreign language film about a Japanese toilet cleaner.
Perfect Days is the best film about a Japanese toilet cleaner you’ll ever see, watched in awed silence by 60 folk who applaud at the end. We feel very middle class.
We then eat bhajis and head into the heart of the gardens with their meaningful art installations,
and find a seat at the piano stage where a “secret set” is about to take place,
except it doesn’t, even after Clarissa Connelly (*, “pagan”) spends 20 minutes tuning up.
We have more luck on the hay bales at the Talking Heads stage, where Jess Williamson (***, Americana), is my pick of the day, despite giving a disappointing explanation of the Liquid Death.
It’s not craft, but this was.
Lost and Grounded (again) and Running with Spectres the 6.8% Baltic Porter of choice.
And then a bit of Durry in the Folly (illegal in Latvia), before heading back to the garden with a pint of real ale.
Summer Lightning already sold out, so it’s the ubiquitous Downton Quadhop, the only possible accompaniment to Lankum’s 10 minute epic.
retiredmartin 
An interesting write up, Martin, even if it does reinforce many of my preconceptions about new-age hippies, plastic glasses and new age music 🎵 (only two acts worthy of 3 stars, by your own reckoning).
The main thing is, you enjoyed it, although I think you mentioned in a previous post, that Mrs RM wasn’t keen on going again.
ps. As for Lankum’s cheerfully titled epic, 30 seconds was enough! 🤔
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You stick to your Floyd and Pentangle, you progrocker, you !
NB 2 ** is equivalent to NBSS 3.5 I reckon !
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Wow, Pentangle, they even pre-date me!!
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Impossible!
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Not really, the various members of Pentangle had gone their own separate ways by the time the 14 year old me started taking an interest in contemporary music.
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