End of the Road 2024 kicks off with its most subversive lineup so far

Its beginning can be traced back to a pipe dream between friends and music fanatics in the late summer of 2005, when Simon Taffe and Sofia Hagberg started to wonder, ‘What if? What if we booked the bands we loved? Bonnie “Prince” Billy, Yo La Tengo, Richard Hawley, Sleater-Kinney…’ This ever-lengthening list, nourished by the simple vision of a festival they’d like to attend, started to take on the real dimensions of possibility.

Almost two decades later, End of the Road has fully aligned with that dream. This year, the very artists Taffe and Hagberg once dreamed of booking will share the lineup for the first time, thanks in large part to the festival’s ever-expanding community of loyal attendees who share in their utopic vision.

Set in the enchanting Larmer Tree Gardens, a Victorian wonder spanning eleven acres of ornate architecture, mystical forests, and its famed peacocks, End of the Road feels as if it exists in a world apart. The festival has always excelled at uncovering underground talent and bringing those artists to light. Rooted in an earthy, folk-driven spirit, this year’s lineup reflects how well the festival has evolved to stay in tune with the times.

London’s masked MC and cinematic storyteller CASISDEAD will take the stage in the early hours of Saturday night, joined by NYC’s mutant electro-punks Lip Critic and Baltimore’s time-warped freestyler, Nourished By Time, offering an array of left-field surprises.

The festival’s opening day, though limited in scale with many stages to open the following morning, holds no bars with the ferocity of its artists. It is, by far, one of the busiest yet. The Folly is the epicentre of everything on Thursday, and kicking things off is SOMOH, one of three winners of the Play EOTR competition with her incisive blend of 90s indie and bedroom-pop in the vein of Soccer Mommy and Beabadoobee.

As the sun sets, crowds flock to see NYC’s art-punks Gustaf, whose vocalist, with cropped peroxide hair and dark roots, claws at her hair, wearing silk shorts and platform boots. They deliver an erratic, relentless, and authentically fun performance. From the stage, she pulls friends to the front and encourages the crowd to give them “their moment” as they crowd-surf. It’s an infectiously unselfconscious set, providing the perfect jolt of energy to kickstart the weekend.

Interwoven with Thursday night’s performances is Simon Taffe’s cinema curation, focusing on the limitless freedom of cycling (look for an End of the Road cycling jersey in the merch tent). The weekend will also feature stunning takeovers by MUBI and Academy Award-winning filmmaker Andrea Arnold OBE.

Christening this year’s Woods Stage are Richard Dawson and Bonnie “Prince” Billy with their surreal folk renditions. Bonnie “Prince” Billy’s performance of “In the Wilderness” oscillates between laughter and tears. Meanwhile, a staggering queue forms for Irish rising stars NewDad at The Folly stage. Their honeyed melodies and gothic sensibilities shine through, especially in their surprise cover of The Cure’s “Boys Don’t Cry.”

However, the defining act of the night is undoubtedly Mississippi synth-punk band MSPAINT. Their white-hot intensity in the hardcore tradition, paired with a dream-like electronic backbone, makes them mesmerising—a perfect mix of anarchistic edge with a soft centre.

With so much to explore as the festival gains momentum, this edition of End of the Road promises to be one of its most subversive and forward-thinking yet. As the weekend unfolds, expect an unforgettable experience shaped by the festival’s commitment to celebrating the unique and the avant-garde.