Dodger loved End of the Road Festival 2012...

So the weekend of the 31st August-3rd of September saw me and friends attended the End of the Road Festival 2012 for the second time. The End of the Road Festival is an annual music festival which focuses on alternative music. It is hosted at the Larmer Tree Gardens on the border of north Dorset and Wiltshire.
The festival is run over four stages: the Woods Stage, the Garden Stage, the Big Top Stage and the Tipi Tent, as well as a clearing in the woods around the Garden Stage containing a piano at which semi-secret sets take place. There are also children's areas and workshops, a healing field, a film tent, comedy, a library in the forest and a games area (ping pong, table football etc). Due to the nature of the gardens the festival is set in it is not unlikely to see peacocks wandering around the area and parrots in the trees.
The thing that I love about EoTR is it's virtually in the middle of nowhere. It's great how you really need a car to get there as it made it feel more private and special.
Camping isn't overcrowded either. There are plenty of room to just chill out.
In the main event areas it's relaxed and not overcrowded. There's a wonderful atmosphere and a real feeling of community. Compared to the other festivals I've been to this really is a family affair. All sorts of people are at EoTR. Parents with children, couples, people going solo and mates (the category I fell into) just chilling out listening to music. It's wonderful just to lay down on the grass and listen to bands.

Graham Coxon

Unfortunately there were a few downers for me. Nothing serious The longest gap between poos was 26hrs and the couple in the tent next to me who clearly didn't realise how loud they were while getting jiggy. It didn't help she made the strangest sex noises ever. Like a dying giraffe getting bummed.
The highlight's by far though were Graham Coxon, Alabama Shakes, Grandaddy, Comedians Tony Law & Patrick Monahan.
Of course there are other bands that I enjoyed over the weekend but I've only ever seen Coxon with Blur and there was something special for me about seeing Grandaddy. I also can't praise Alabama Shakes enough. A brilliant band I'll be checking out more in the future.
The best thing of all about this weekend after the music has to be that kids and drunken adults can share the same spaces without bloodshed and no one set fire to anything like at certain other festivals I don't care to mention. for anyone who’s never been grab a ticket for next year asap and enjoy a different festival experience. I'll be going back in 2013 for sure.