The Sophs make their UK debut with charm-offensive secret set at End of the Road

Playing on the Piano Stage, the first words uttered by singer Ethan Ramon were “Fuck RFK Jr. RIP Françoise Hardy” before launching into a cover of “Four Dead in Ohio”. The legendary protest tune was written by Neil Young and released by Crosby, Stills, Nash and Young soon after the 1970 Kent State shootings in which the National Guard massacred anti-war college protestors – a topical choice in light of the Trump administration’s recent curbing of civil liberties (and Robert Kennedy Jr’s ban on Covid vaccines).

While this was a serious tone to strike by such a fun-loving band, the rest of the set was more on-brand charming: pianist Sam Yuh was “tickling the ivories,” as frontman Ethan Ramon referred to it, during the intro of “House” – an unreleased song; the band only have only three tracks out so far. During their final number, titled “Sweat” – their most-streamed so far and most upbeat – an accidentally unplugged microphone meant Ramon had to scream even louder than the song already called for, leaping offstage spontaneously and barking into the crowd of people sat happily on tree trunks.

The band will play in their usual full-volume formation on Saturday, opening The Folly stage. End of the Road continues this evening with headline sets from Caribou, The National’s Matt Berninger, and Joy Orbison.