END OF THE ROAD 2016

[BlindLemon]

I've never been to a festival before but i'm really interested to go to one before i start uni. On top of having no experience i'm planning on going alone, not because i have no friends but because i'd rather go without them... I'm not bothered by being alone and  would like to meet new people who i can rock about with for fun.
I've got the oppurtunity to buy some very cheap tickets for End of the Road but when i was looking at forums i found Green Man.

What's the opinion on overall festival experience for both events? I'll be happy as long as i can kick about, meet friendly folks and enjoy some good sets and dance as much as possible! Any tips and tricks would be much appreciated. Would like to know what kind of people go to each one as well.

As a girl alone i'll be keeping my wits about me but i'm not expecting to encounter too much creepy behaviour. Only thing i have reservations about is camping alone but it's not really playing on my mind that much!

Thank you. Sorry if this isn't the sort of thing you're meant to post on here, i have no clue.

[glastobuds]

Have done GM a few times (just me and my teen daughter) but not going this year in favour of Latitude mostly for line up but also just fancy a change. Must say I'm already a bit down I won't be going - it's very friendly. Very chilled out. The mix of people is quite broad and I suspect you'd be as alone or not as you want to be. From what I hear GM is more family friendly than EOR so quite a lot for little ones, but you'll have a good time at either. I'd probably look at the line up and see which one I like best. You could also check out some blogs on YouTube. The GM also has its own forum and its members meet up so you could explore that. I do have to add that I have seen guys try and chat up girls (unsuccessfully!) at GM but that could happen anywhere. The staff and volunteers are fab - really welcoming. Oh yeah the nights get very cold - but luckily the camping is only five minutes from the arenas so it's easy to get more clothes. The toilets are cleaned regularly. Food is good. I'm going to try EOR one year so I'd be really keen to hear about your experience which ever you choose 

[Born in the fifties]

Good summary and advice from Glastobuds.

Both GM and EOTR are great, friendly, hassle-free festivals. They are about the same size in terms of number of attendees, but the EOTR crowd is less young because it falls on the weekend before schools go back, so you get a lot, lot less school-age children (and their teachers for that matter!).  Both can be a bit cold at night, EOTR more so because its that bit later in the year and on a more exposed site, GM is definitely wetter though. For both you can easily camp within 5 minutes of the main stage.  I'll be going again to both this year, but if I had to choose, I'd start with Glastobuds' advice "I'd probably look at the line up and see which one I like best". If still equal, personally I'd choose EOTR.

Apart from that, I'll leave it to someone else to compare what they are like for early hours entertainment after the music on the main stages has finished.

Edited May 3, 2016 by Born in the fifties

[retromoz]

Firstly.....there is still an End OF the Road forum here :

 

http://www.efestivals.co.uk/forums/forum/48-end-of-the-road/

 

Secondly......i am gutted to be missing both this year (due to birth of a baby). But......as 'fifties' and 'glastobuds' have said....they are both VERY similiar in terms of line up, crowd, 'vibe' (i hate that word), late night shenanigans etc etc. Its a case of what line up you'll prefer, and how easy it is to get to. Also, whilst both gets VERY cold at nights, if its raining at Green Man (which, i think, is more likely), being cold & wet can get you down a little. Although....its almost worth it as Green Man is a STUNNING place for a festival (at the foot of a mountain). EOTR is pretty.....just not AS pretty.

 

 

[BlindLemon]

Do you guys have any opinions on Latitude, sounds like you have a lot of wise words to say.
Thanks for the replies by the way, totally forget i had put this up..

[Born in the fifties]

Latitude is about twice the size of both GM and EOTR, and attracts a similar type of audience. There are a number of people I know who choose between these festivals every year based on which line-up they prefer.

Latitude has a much broader arts line-up, e.g. literature, poetry, theatre, dance, cabaret, etc as well as music and comedy.  For me, it has a great music line-up this year.

Re. camping solo at Latitude, there is a marked area on the festival site map (BLM - see also Facebook group Billy Loadsa Mates), which you would be very welcome to join.

If you chose Latitude, I'm sure you'd have a great time.

 

[LowerMead]

Hi Blind Lemon,

I'm a veteran of Latitude and EoTR, alas not done Green Man yet, will do one day though.

Whilst not knowing you music tastes, but taking a hint from you wanting to dance, looking at the respective line-ups of both this year, if you were my Uni-age daughter I'd be suggesting Latitude.  EOTR does get an older age range - my wife and I (44 and 42) with six month old baby will certainly not be in the older element!  Latitude has more of a 'party' atmosphere, more going on after bands have finished etc.  I'd echo the point on it being cold at EoTR, I think that part of the world has it's own microclimate at night, it does get really chilly.

Just take care with the camping, buddy up with people in the Billy No Mates area. Sadly at all festivals you do get a tiny percentage of dickheads, but no more or less than in any other walk of life. In 2013 at Latitude we had some middle aged blokes on a stag do camped by us, it's kind of the last place you would expect to see that kind of group. On the Saturday one of them got arrested for being a 'hugger mugger' at the Disco In The Woods', turns out he'd been taking advantage of drunk young girls, giving them the big 'hey, it's a festival. let's all be friendly' hug, and at the same time lifting wallets and purses. They had undercover security in the woods, who got the cops in to nick him because he was basically being inappropriate, but when they searched him found a loads of purses on him. then took him back to his tent where they found loads more. Some of his group expected it, others who knew him said it was par for the course. All a bit of a commotion at 2am on the campsite!  If you can, camp near one of the security posts, they are manned 24hrs and you are less likely to get any unwanted attention if you're close to one of them.

Enjoy it though - both are really friendly festivals.