Geese, Pulp & CMAT Smash End of The Road’s 20th Birthday Celebrations: 7 Best Moments

Held in the southwest of England, the indie festival brought the party for its anniversary celebrations.

End of The Road festival took place this past weekend on the border of Dorset and Wiltshire in southwest England (Sept. 3-6) with celebrations amplified for its 20th weekend celebrations.

First held in 2006, the festival has become a shining beacon of originality in the U. K.’s festival scene. Set up by Simon Taffe as an intimate gathering at Larmer Tree Gardens, the annual party is proof that the scene’s independent sector still sets the standard and trends for mainstream events.

It’s at boutique festivals like this that fans become accustomed to experiencing more than just music, with a programme that encompasses comedy, film and literature.

Playful and vibrant art installations throughout the site provide a welcome relief from garish brand pop-ups at some of the U. K.’s large-scale events.

Its line-ups feature a thoughtful blend of longtime heroes (Pulp, Super Furry Animals), cult heroes (Mac DeMarco, Ty Segall), hyped acts of the moment (Angine de Poitrine, Geese) and rising newcomers (Little Grandad, Modern Woman), all of which show that the indie music sector produces brilliant artists on a regular basis.

The festival’s compact site with curated stages and line-ups offer a variety of genres from the pounding techno-pop by Kelly Lee Owens, to the ambient chill of Ezra Feinberg and everything in between.

This will come as little surprise to its loyal punters, many of whom return yearly and snap up early bird tickets before the first line-up release is shared. Official festival merch from previous editions is proudly sported across the site, proof of the wearer’s dedication and commitment to come year in, year out.

With a line-up and a friendly, open-minded atmosphere like this, you can hardly blame them.

These were the seven best musical moments from the End of The Road’s 2026 edition.

When weekend passes went on sale (and promptly sold out) back in March, the festival’s opening night headliner was kept under wraps. Judging by chatter in the build-up to Geese’s Thursday night (Sep 3) headline performance — which was only revealed in June — they were top of most attendees’ must-watch lists and acted as a superb bonus for those who took a leap of faith.

The NYC rockers paid them back for this commitment with a blistering set, one of their first as a headline act at a European festival. Songs from their acclaimed Getting Killed LP and its 2023 predecessor 3D Country were given heavier, broader arrangements in a live setting with each member giving their parts a gleeful twist.

Cameron Winter’s vocals were frenetic in “2122,” as were Emily Green’s squealing guitar and Max Bassin’s heavy-hitting drumming; “Au Pays du Cocaine,” a tender highlight from Getting Killed, gave the EOTR faithful their first true singalong moment.

Expect this to be the first of many glorious sets at the festival in the years to come.