As one of the latest festivals of the summer, End of the Road 2019 was certainly a good one to see out the season. Here’s what we made of it:
Parquet Courts: A
Most likely to… get all the other bands watching.
An enthralling trip through every album of the New-York rockers, who asserted themselves as the indie-rock legends they have become. Typically funky baselines, serious lyrics and brilliant, loud drums that led to what seemed like hundreds of teenagers crowd surfing. It was a confidence that this band have developed over the ten years they’ve been together, and this performance felt like a climax. Then they got the whistle out, nuff said.
Kikagaku Moyo: A
Most likely to… play any instrument they can get their hands on.
A lavish hour of Japanese kraut-rock jams, a lush sound that was perfect for the setting sun. The band was very happy to be there, and repaid everyone who came to see them with the psychedelic crushing waves of guitar and reflective moments of Middle Eastern rock – the theme of all of their releases to date. The jazzier elements of last years album, Masana Temples, filled the open space, a real ‘shut your eyes and relax’ moment.
Crack Cloud: A
Most likely to… pitch a 13 man tent in general camping and all stay together (because they did!).
Another Canadian band that seems to be hitting the nail on the head: a fuck-load of plucky guitars which seems to be all the rage right now, songs performed faster live than on record, vocals that sound straight out of the Joe Strummer textbook, and weird, prickly synths. It was a blend of odd sounds that worked so well, led by a singing drummer but with others popping in every now and then. The set culminated in a wall of death, perfect for an early Sunday morning.
Viagra Boys: A
Most likely to… get a tattoo first, then loads more.
The slapstick lyrics of Stockholm-based Viagra Boys attracted a huge crowd to the Big Top, and then later to a surprise show in the Tipi Tent. The merging of sax, punchy bass and a wonderfully charismatic lead singer create a weird yet captivating stage presence as he dances about, screaming down the microphone as the rest of the band stays dead still. The response of the many at the front was to bounce along, with lots of long hair flying about. Thoroughly interesting and very enjoyable.
Stella Donnelly: B
Most likely to… be tipped for President.
It’s hard not to leave a Stella Donnelly set smiling. She’s a fantastic entertainer with hilarious in-between-song anecdotes and even more entertaining songs. She had to apologise for her matter-of-fact Aussie humour, swearing and discussing the family heirloom: a vibrator. She threw in some new dance moves for her happy song, aptly named ‘Die’. Amongst the humour, there is serious messages behind her music, and the way she presents it in her songs is almost juxtaposed: happy sounding but with a morbid subject. You come away smiling but also pondering a lot, mainly the male gender.
Goat Girl: C
Most likely to… not smile on picture day.
A little bit lost at sea on the Woods Stage, their lazy sound lost in the wind and space. They’ve got a fantastic array of songs and it was a pleasure to see them, but the sound struggled to reach anymore than a durge. I doubt any non Goat Girl fans would have been converted. It would also be nice to see a smile sometimes, acting too cool and pretentious is getting boring… and irritating.
The Murder Capital: A*
Most likely to… headline next year.
The Murder Capital brought their amazing array of touching hymns of sadness and darkness mixed with hard-hitting, aggressive post-punk. The vocal range of the lead singer, passion in every word, leaves you in a trance, with everyone in the room hooked on what he would do next. The rest of the band stomp around the stage, practically throwing their guitars into the audience, looking effortlessly cool and as well-dressed as ever.
