The End of The Road Awards
As winter ploughs on and the rain falls harder, we can’t help but think back to our highlight of the summer – End of The Road Festival 2022. Returning to its mainstay Larmer Tree Gardens, this year’s festival brought a handful of mind blowing newcomers and long-time veterans to its woodland stages. It’s no surprise that this festival is a guaranteed sell out year after year – with a roster that boasts as much diversity as Glastonbury in a field a tenth of the size, End of the Road deserves the hype.
Over the course of four days, the Last Bus Team collectively saw thirty-six acts, and didn't even have to bust a sprint to make this happen. It’s impossible to condense the weekend into a format that gives each act, stage or activity the air time they deserve, so we’ve put together a handful of Last Bus Awards to help navigate the madness in a concise manner.
If you’re more of a listener than a reader, click here for to our LB X EOTR playlist, featuring all of our sonic highlights.
Lessons Through Music? Shovel Dance Collective
Shovel Dance Collective opened Friday’s main programme with a procession towards the stage. Reminding crowds of the genre’s working class origins, the collective sets to bring English folk into the current day, updating traditional ballads like ‘Newcastle’ through the addition of contemporary lyrics and instrumentation.
Best Newcomer – Nukuluk
Fusing 90s emo and grunge with rap and electronic soundscapes, Nukuluk’s intense performance blew the roof of the Tipi Tent. Having completed a residency at Bermondsey Social Club, this year has seen the group grace Reading and Leeds, Rotterdam’s Left of the Dial and Pitchfork’s London and Paris festival. We’re very excited to see what they do next.
Confirmed Hype – Jockstrap
Jockstrap’s highly anticipated album I Love You Jennifer B is indicative of the duo’s steps towards conquering the world. Taking direction from modern pop and its technologies, Jockstrap turn mainstream song formulas on their head, creating music that represents the future of pop. It’s experimental but classic, and it’s no surprise that the festival’s newest addition, The Boat Stage, was packed out far prior to the set.
Tear Jerker – Aldous Harding
We don't think anyone could have anticipated the shock Aldous Harding gave the audience at The Garden Stage. Harding crafts a stage presence that is simultaneously uncomfortable and at home. The crowd was so silent that you could hear the lid of her can of coke crack on stage. The kiwi singer’s songs are warm and playful, and this was taken to the next level with the help of her backing band which includes H. Hawkline.
Guaranteed Good Time – Steam Down
Taking their weekly Matchstick Pie house jam parties to the festival’s main stage, Steam Down put a smile on everyone’s face. Instructing chants, claps, hips and hands, the artist collective’s performance was pure energy. Self-described as Afro-Infinitism, this music brings together jazz, rap and explorations of identity.
Who We’d Risk Getting Struck by Lightning To See – Yard Act
This probably isn’t a category that made it to The Grammy’s but all the better for standing out. There was a chance that the festival closers wouldn't be able to play their esteemed slot. Just after Aldous Harding sang her last phrase, the skies erupted into apocalyptic lighting and rain storms. Having to evacuate the Big Top tent, it was feared that the music was indeed done for the weekend. Luckily, the rain eventually subsided and the tension building was exploded as Yard Act bounded on stage. This band are so good live, it’s really quite inexplicable.
Silence Maker – Aga Ujma
Aga Ujma’s voice is ghostly and ethereal. Complemented by just a harp and tenor saxophone, Ujma’s music is contemporary folk at its finest. Blending traditional Polish and Indonesian instrumentation with a modern outlook, we’re thoroughly looking forward to the singer/songwriter’s upcoming releases, which will hopefully include the beautiful track she performed called ‘Keratitis’.
Legendary – Pixies
Need we say more? Only this. When Pixies announced their comeback performance for British Summertime in Hyde Park, there was a lot of talk about how the band would replace Kim Deal. Paz Lenchantin stepped up to the plate, perfectly emulating the original Pixies sound, but also breathing new life into the music. ‘Wave of Mutilation’ twice? Always.
Only at End of the Road – Kurt Vile
Vile’s humility perfectly matched the intimate Piano stage on Sunday afternoon. Hidden away in the forest, an acoustic stage no wider than 6 metres hosts some of the festival’s biggest names, but under the guise of secret sets. This year, Porridge Radio, Perfume Genius and Lucy Dacus were amongst the few selected to perform just three songs – a cover and two of their own songs. This is probably one of the few if not only times an audience would be able to see Vile in such an intimate setting.
Mood Booster – Willie J Healey
It’s not just Willie’s grin that made this performance the most serotonin fuelled of the weekend. His songs are playful, warm and optimistic – everything you want to hear on the Sunday of a festival. We recently caught his headline performance at The Lexington and it’s difficult to put into words how good this music makes us feel and how much you need to catch it yourself.
Audience Engagement? Tinariwen
Hailing from the Sahara desert region of Northern Mali, Tinariwen’s history is fascinating. The group was founded when its original members were exiled in Tamanrasset, Algeria. They came together as a protest band to voice the concerns of the Tuareg people and many of the members joined the Tuareg rebellion. Today they record in exile due to threats from militant groups. Gracing the main stage as the sun set, the group brought the crowd into their world, commanding waves and sways en-masse.
… & Lynks
And then there was Lynks. The set was rowdy, energising, empowering and underpinned by the performers’ great sense of humour and stage chat. There were backing dancers, the choreography was Strictly-standard and a Lynks additionally took time to create a safe space for the LGBTQI+ community, asking its members to come to the front. And let’s not forget Grove also joined in.
End of the Road may be eight months away, but you can make the days draw closer by heading to The Lexington on December 14th for their Christmas party courtesy of PVA, Bingo Fury & Tapir! Tickets here.