Hayden Pedigo inaugurates the Garden Stage on End of the Road’s first full day

Despite having six albums under his belt – beginning with his debut cassette Seven Years Late in 2013 – the master of open tunings said that he “didn’t start playing live until 2023 because I struggled with severe stage fright. Moments like this remind me why it took me so long to start playing live.”

Flanked by acoustic and electric guitars and donning his well-to-do cowboy attire, Pedigo went on to offer a disclaimer that his compositions have long, awkward pauses, encouraging the audience – lounging on the grass with morning coffees – to embrace that silence. This was most notable during his rendition of the theme from Brokeback Mountain, the 2005 film starring Heath Ledger opposite Jake Gyllenhaal, which he then morphed into his track “Elsewhere” from 2023’s The Happiest Times I Ever Ignored. Other influences Pedigo cited included prog rock acts Genesis and King Crimson, and the intricate fingerpicking of John Fahey.

With his eccentric, Nathan Fielder-esque wit and relaxing yet intellectual music, Pedigo was the perfect act to kick off the first full day at End of the Road 2025 – which he calls the “most beautiful place I’ve ever seen,” adding, “This is the most respectful crowd I’ve ever played to. This place is a lot more kind to my music than Texas.”

End of the Road Festival continues this evening with headline sets from Caribou, The National’s Matt Berninger, and Joy Orbison.