benali

Love the site, walking around just looking at the mountains is beautiful. There's plenty of stuff to do, obviously it's way smaller than Glastonbury with less on offer but there's never really a time without something worth watching. It's small enough that even if you are at the end of the site and camped as far away as you can it won't take long to nip back to the tent for a jumper or more drinks or whatever. Not sure if you have Settlers tickets but that's the best way to experience the festival in my opinion. Get there on Monday, explore the local area and be all ready to go on Thursday when everyone else is turning up. The people are great, we meet a load every year from all over the country who we only ever see at GM. One of my favourite things about it is that a lot of bands hang out there for the whole festival and support each other. You'll see them wandering around the site, stood in the crowd watching other music or even flying around in a mosh pit. I heartily recommend spending time at the Rising Stage. It's a good chance to see some excellent new bands, and the vibe there is so encouraging.

With the news that Aphex Twin is announcing festival appearances left, right and centre this summer (by his standards at least) I'm now dreaming of him smashing out a load of acid techno from the Mountain Stage.

I'm going to see Gently Tender tonight, will ask the singer a bit more about Three Spoons if I get a chance.

Three Spoons who are on the bottom line of the line up picture is a 3 piece band with Naima Bock, the singer from Gently Tender and someone else.

I just saw Opus Kink and asked them if they were playing and they said "we don't know yet" which leads me to think might be because otherwise they'd have said no? Also asked Maruja who supported and were incredible. They'd be perfect for Rising. Sadly their answer was "we bloody wish".

Oh wow. Haha. I thought he'd have grown out of that by now.

I think they are less so now? I saw them a couple of times back when Joel was in the band and both times they had a bust up stormed off stage! Would be a solid booking for this year.

I wish HTRK were among the Australian acts. Looking forward to seeing They Hate Change. Seems an overall move away from the post punk type stuff, which is no bad thing.

I'm made up with the Moin booking. Also very happy to see Caroline back, one of my favourite sets in recent times when they played before. Lots of good stuff there, and plenty to explore.

They started the tweet with the word "friends" so it's either The Beach Boys or whoever that band were that did the theme tune to the hugely overrated 90's show.

Haress are great. One of my albums of the year last year. If they played EOTR I'd imagine them on the Talking Heads stage. Web of Lies would be nice too. Just listened to Thee Alcoholics, not necessarily music for a Saturday morning but would be an interesting booking for EOTR.

Moin are playing We Out Here festival a few weeks before. Not sure that means anything but we can only hope.

I remain hopeful that Les Filles de Illighadad have sorted their visa issues and can play this time. Really want Moin and HTRK to get booked. John Carroll Kirby, Coby Sey, William Basinski, Carla Dal Forno, Space Afrika, Maxine Funke, mui zyu, Sofia Kourtesis, Slift. How about someone like Duster?

They were supporting Cowboyy who are kind of leading the Hampshire/ South Coast scene at the moment (yes, it does exist!) Was a great night, 4 bands all different, local crowd right up for it. I think Alien Chicks were quite surprised by the reaction, had a mosh pit going for the last few songs. Was initially a bit tough for them following a grindcore band called Scab from Portsmouth who had a half hour 42 song setlist. Made me laugh when Alien Chicks started going on about coming from Brixton and having Lou Smith direct their video. Crowd reaction was a bit like that Alan Partridge gif. Yeah, whatever. This is Southampton, no one cares, haha. Definitely a band to keep an eye on.

Saw a band called Alien Chicks last night. Would have thought they'd go down well in the Tipi. It's the time of year to start asking bands at gigs if they are booked for festivals. This time last year I found out Deathcrash and Keg were playing by talking to them.

I'd absolutely love it if Aphex Twin played. Absolute dream booking for me. I never mention it mainly due to the minute chance it would happen so never seems worth it.

For those not on the WhatsApp group from last year that still exists.

This is in Portugal the weekend before. I've been banging the Frankie and Witch Fingers drum for ages, especially when they were in the country around the festival last year. Fingers crossed for 2023. APTBS would be something else too.

Would love PJ Harvey. Surely she'd be cheaper than Pixies so could be within EOTR budget. Slowdive for Garden Stage headliner would be a great booking. I expect Wilco will play.

2019 wasn't it? Did the secret set in Big Top on Sunday evening

Saves me typing them out again. Just outside this list is Raum, Hinako Omori, Children Maybe Later, Rat Heart Ensemble, Michael J Blood, Brainwaltzera, Makaya McCraven, Kemi, Crack Cloud, Salamanda, Om Unit, OSees, DK, Ghost Woman.

I can't match @JHad although I went to more gigs this year than I ever have. Had to look back through my calendar to count up and it's around 75 although there's some I think I hadn't noted down. Including festivals I've seen over 200 performances this year. Best few gigs: Low at St George's Church in Brighton. Didn't realise it then but it was the last time I'd get to see my favourite band due to Mimi's passing. Feel blessed to have seen them 12 times Osees at Oxford Academy. Support finishes, they wander straight on, drag the drum kits forward, plug in, play a 1 minute sound check and off we go. No roadies fake tuning instruments, no messing around waiting. I was dripping with sweat after the moshpit. The absolute kings of live music. Crack Cloud at Chalk in Brighton. A mesmerising set, a notch up from seeing them in Guildford in July. Melt Banana at Joiners in Southampton. Could have done with 3 sets of earplugs. An hour of intense noise with barely a let up. Absolutely blew me away and probably inflicted some structural damage to the building. Unthanks at Nuffield in Southampton. The complete contrast to Melt Banana, a beautiful, enchanting evening. Most fun sets: Welly at Heartbreakers. They play in PE kits and read horoscopes out. A ridiculous band really but know how to write a catchy tune. Bonus points for having the best Instagram account. They'll be bigger next year. Keg at multiple venues. Seemed like I couldn't go anywhere without them showing up and making me laugh a lot every time. A lovely bunch of people too. Sodds. A largely terrible, but insanely entertaining hard working local punk band from Southampton who pop up on loads of bills around here. Songs include one about driving a Mark 2 Escort into a roundabout and another about trying to avoid Steven who works in their nearest Co-op. They somehow got played on Radio 1 at one point with a song about cricket. Most cities have their own version of this band and no one else will ever see them but that's how it should be. Best festival sets: Deathcrash at End of the Road. Completely stunning, a perfect set. Goosebumps throughout. Parquet Courts at Green Man. The best end to an incredible festival. Sensibly managed to avoid getting my glasses trashed in the moshpit like I did at their Brighton show in June by giving them to a friendly security guard who popped them on the front of the stage. Jumped around at the front grinning for an hour while various members of bands who had played that weekend flew past, and occasionally over me in the moshpit.

Seems like the first 2 gigs of the 3 went off fine, but word got out that people had managed to bunk in so loads turned up for the last gig expecting to be able to do the same.

I was considering wearing a bow tie but I don't own an actual suit and as we're driving up from Southampton we're already putting in enough effort! We're all going, so if you want to say hello I'll be the bloke with 2 sons, one will probably be the youngest there and the other one is big with loads of hair.

What one are you going to? We have tickets for Friday evening.