What do you imagine when we say the word Dorset? Seaside city, popular for getaways, sleepy coastlines in places, that type of thing right? What you wouldn't expect is a festival, ever-growing in popularity and now in its third year as a fully fledged three day musical event.

This year, the End Of The Road Festival plays host to possibly its most impressive line-up yet, with nearly a hundred names over the weekend, all spanning a wide range of alternative genres.

We've compiled ten bands playing at the event that we highly recommend you try and check out over the three days. Some are big names and some you may not of heard of, but all are equally as anticipated by us here at S.G and after a little persuading, we think you'll be jotting them down in your festival diaries too (we're not the only ones that have those, right?).

Shearwater

Forming as a side-project from Okkervil River members Jonathan Meiburg and Will Sheff, Shearwater was their release for the quieter side of their musical personality. After Meiburg left Okkervil and Sheff left Shearwater last year, you'd think Shearwater would've sunk but instead, it got stronger, becoming Meiburgs main musical love and still creating some of the most introvert, gentle and beautiful music this side of the millennia. A must see for anyone has even just a mild taste for tender musicality.

Shearwater Live At Primavera Festival 2009 Review: HERE
Shearwater - Rook Review: HERE

Shearwater: Myspace / LastFM

Beth Jeans Houghton

From her music to her stage presence, Beth Jeans Houghton is a pretty unique artist. Gentler than a petal but with lyrics as sharp as thorns, Houghton has supported tons of impressive names including Bowerbirds, St. Vincent, Bon Iver and Imogen Heap, spreading her luscious solo dream-folk to a slew of diverse audiences, her own fan-base growing all the while. She's not even got an LP out and already the woman has got a spot at this years End Of The Road Festival, displaying just how much integrity and promise she's already showing.

Beth Jeans Houghton Live At Green Man 2009 Review: HERE

Beth Jeans Houghton: Myspace / LastFM

Loney, Dear

Kicking up quite the storm with his newest album Dear John back at the start of the year Loney, Dear aka Swedish singer-songwriter Emil Svanagen has become quite the success story. After a few self released long-players the man was picked up by Sub Pop and subsequently Polyvinyl. Now, the man is touring Europe in light of his newest release (the aforementioned Dear John) managing to fit in a spot at this years End Of The Road Festival which we all highly recommend you try and check out. Live, the man is just a little bit fantastic - maybe he'll have updated his Zune for one of the new iPods by Friday night.

Loney Dear: Myspace / LastFM

Josh T Pearson

You probably couldn't grow a beard as long as Mr Pearson's and, in the same vein, you probably couldn't explain why his emotive, thought-provoking, sometimes heavy, sometimes slightly comedic experimental folk sounds so pleasing to the ears. The Texan twists and turns his words, both spoken and sung, around both his acoustic and electric guitars in a way no Seasick Steve could match. He's wildly entertaining on stage and, well, you really do need to see the birds nest on his chin yourselves.

Josh T Pearson: Myspace / LastFM

Zun Zun Egui

More fun than a barrel of bouncy castles, Zun Zun Egui are the only injection of intelligent, fizzling alternative pop you need over the End Of The Road weekend. Blending warm, Foalsy math guitar with catchy, clever instrumentation and sometimes foreign lyricism, the band are up and coming in the best way possible. We managed to catch them at this years Green Man Festival where they managed to come away with our highlight of the entire event so it goes without saying that you should all join us when they hit the stage on Saturday.

Zun Zun Egui Live At The Green Man Festival 2009 Review: HERE

Zun Zun Egui: Myspace / LastFM

Darren Hayman

Essex born music man Darren Hayman is past his days as lead vocalist of now defunct indie rock collective Hefner and has now moved onto bigger and better things i.e solo work. His newest release, alongside his backing band The Secondary Modern was Pram Town, released at the start of this very year. Blending classic British indie with a slightly more sophisticated sound, Hayman is as strong as he ever was, reinforcing the fact that when the man descends upon the stage on Saturday, each and every one of you should be there to witness it.

Darren Hayman: Myspace / LastFM

Magnolia Electric Co.

Jason Molina has been a busy man, musically speaking. Releasing solo albums, live albums, EPs and LPs all under either the Jason Molina or Magnolia Electric Co. moniker, the man is an infinite well of gentle, American folk-rock and poignant acoustic music-making. Thirteen years into his audible endeavours and we're still be treated to some of the most intelligently made music inside his chosen genre. His earnest, heartfelt vocals and the band's tight musicianship sound great on CD but honestly, it's nothing like experiencing them real live) as our live review of the band at this years Primavera Festival will tell you). Highly recommended in every way possible.

Magnolia Electric Co. - Josephine Review: HERE
Magnolia Electric Co. Live At Primavera Festival 2009 Review: HERE

Magnolia Electric Co.: Myspace / LastFM

Wye Oak

Two people. One male, one female. Separately they're two rather talented musicians but together they are Wye Oak; one of Maryland's most promising bands. The duo just released album number two, The Knot and have been the name on everyone's lips since the beginning of the year. With a European tour currently taking place and an American road-trip running through til late October, it seems Wye Oak are hot property in more than just the UK. Floaty folk with experimental stylistics is a difficult thing to pull off but we can safely say that this pair more than live up to expectations. They play the festival on the Sunday so make sure you're present when they they fill the entire place with some of the most intriguing music 2009 has offered so far.

Wye Oak - The Knot Review: HERE

Wye Oak: Myspace / LastFM

The Dodos

It was 2006's Beware Of The Maniacs that really kicked things into gear for the The Dodos who now, just three years later, have become something of a success story in the world of 'indie' music. Their newest record Time To Die didn't necessarily live up to our expectations (when you consider its superior predecessor, 2008's Visiter) but was nonetheless another curve in the growing twists and turns of the band's changing sound. A trio that need to be seen live to truly be appreciated.

The Dodos - Time To Die Review: HERE

The Dodos: Myspace / LastFM

The Pack A.D

Fancy some loud, well-crafted blues rock on your weekend away? Then you must (and we mean must) check The Pack A.D out when they hit the stage on the festivals Sunday line-up. Genuine new-era blues at its core but catchy as hell to boot, the two female members Becky Black and Maya Miller almost seem like experts at their trade; quite the compliment considering they're just two albums in. Sure to draw a big crowd because of both their energy and hilarity, The Pack A.D are exactly what the last day of any Festival needs; an injection of straight up garage rock for the last-day blues.

The Pack A.D: Myspace / LastFM

Did we mention that Explosions In The Sky, Fleet Foxes, The Low Anthem, Blitzen Trapper, Alela Diane, The Hold Steady and Malcolm Middleton were also playing? No we didn't did we. Then again we also didn't mention that Efterklang, First Aid Kit, Ohbijou, Wildbirds & Peacedrums, Spokes, Tiny Vipers, Brakes, Mumford And Sons and a DJ Set by Jarvis Cocker and Richard Hawley were all also set to take place over the weekend, did we? It really is that hard to pick just ten bands that you have to see.

You've also got a comedy tent with acts including Ben Goldacre, Josie Long, Neil Edmond and Tom Bell that we didn't tell you about, along with a range of different food stalls, drink stalls and other such stalls all expected at your typical Summer Festival that we nearly forgot to mention.

A whole host of other little additions are present at this year including a cinema tent, a 'healing field' where the 'Relaxation Room' is situated (anyone for some mid-Festival acupuncture?), Scrabble Sunday, an Enchanted Forest and a music Bingo. More and more things are being announced in the run up to the event but make sure to do a little exploring yourself, you're bound to find something that we've missed.

Tickets are now sold out for the festival so if you didn't manage to grab one, we guess there's always E-Bay? (if you can mortgage your house for a pair that is). 

If you did manage to acquire one or two however, then, well, we'll be seeing you in Dorset on September 11th.

Oh, and don't forget to bring a towel...

Click HERE for the cut-out and keep End Of The Road 2009 stage times. And check back for Strange Glue's coverage of EotR early next week.