End of the Road Festival 2023 review: top of the game in bringing the next big alt thing

When one of the biggest British acts of the moment strides onto stage for a surprise set and tells you that this festival is the reason they are a band, you know you're in the exact right place. Such was the electric moment Wet Leg's Rhian Teasdale revealed to the crowd during an electric appearance at End of the Road festival's main stage, despite her not feeling her best.

Legend has it that the chart-conquering Isle of White crew were having such a great time as punters that on the ferris wheel in the Effing Forest area a few years ago that Teasdale, co-founder Hester Chambers et al decided to form a band just so they could play here. Teasdale tells the crowd it's kinda' true.

But it hits at the heart of the enduring appeal that has seen End of the Road grow over 17 years into a defining bellwether of talent and alternative scene success. You can bet your vinyl collection that acts you see on this meandering, magical, leafy estate in Dorset will grace the airwaves and alt/art rock/dance and indie clubs in the subsequent months or years.

These up-and-comers take to half a dozen stages - from Woods in the main field to the tiny, tented Boat (an actual boat) in actual woods - alongside the cream of the crop of current and veteran alternative acts; not chart names, but that's exactly why you come and join 15,000 other music fans of all ages. Basically, End of the Road knows how to pick 'em, the only downside being the enviable frustration of having to choose during some electrifyingly irritating clashes - it was a struggle to tear myself away from the hugely energetic shredding guitar assault of King Gizzard & the Lizard Wizard to catch an emotional, raw, visceral last gig for who knows how long from the astonishing Ezra Furman on the Garden Stage.

And such is the atmosphere and standing of the annual gathering over four nights at Larmer Tree gardens that it pulls in acts from far and wide. The Giz gang may set the high mark, coming all the way from Oz, but there are a surprising number of taking to the stages from across the pond, including crossover sound of the moment Say She She with a sublime main stage set

The depth of the field means no lazing about camp until the mid-afternoon - at least not of you suffer severe festival FOMO like I do - at risk of missing some of the highlights of the weekend, such as the angular, quirky Dutch Personal Trainer, sweetly melodious Divorce, off-kilter Australian duo Royel Otis and undefinably odd Fat Dog, all first or second up, not long after midday.

The list of highlights for me was too long and varied to do justice here - from the astonishing surprise of Deerhoof and flavour-of-the-moment The Last Dinner Party kicking things off on Thursday night to the return of Yank indie legends Be Your Own Pet, pulverising Irish headliners The Murder Capital, New York's quirky young Geese, classic indie troupe Bar Italia, all-female, tongue-in-cheek punks Panic Shack, appealingly moody Picture Parlour, stunningly talented young Gretel Hanlyn, rising stars Wunderhorse and myriad others.

Away from the music, End of the Road also sets a benchmark for wider cultural experiences, from abounding art installations, activities and workshops to top drawer literature and authors, comics and cinema curated by no less than the likes of Mark Jenkin and Martin McDonagh. While my kids are deep into the barrier spots and mosh pits now, a curious wander through the Wonderland Lawns reveals why the festival which, music-wise, could have been curated by BBC 6 Music, such is the annual synergy, is such a huge draw for families.

The food and drink offerings run the gamut of anything you could fancy, often forcing agonising choices and wishes that there were more meal times in the day, as well as temptation to get sloshed on top notch local beers and ciders alongside sublime cocktails, all reasonably priced in an age of increasing, cynical festy captive-audience exploiting rip offs throughout the preceding event season that this one brings to a superbly satisfying end... ah, I see what they did there. I reckon I'll be back to tail off next year's festivals run as well. And the year after, and...