 I had been a bit disappointed by the lack of decent festivals that I had been to in recent years. The usual cliché POOP bands (you know the ones who sing about looking out of windows and being in love!!) playing to a crowd of people off their nuts, singing the same songs their heard on the radio at work!! Being fed adverts on the big screens for washing up powder and Shit films your never gonna see. Well I was glad to find that all was not lost and that there are festivals out there that do have soul.
Hosted in the breathtaking grounds of Henham Park Estate, Southwold the Latitude festival celebrated its 3rd birthday. The festival is not famed for its amazing line up of blockbuster acts or its incredibly large but impenetrable fortress of fences, nor was any of it that ‘spectacular’ (apart from some sheep spray painted pink).However what it didn’t have in wedges of cash, it made up for it in character.
The main stage hosted some big name acts such as Sigur Ros, who played a phenomenal set of their Icelandic falsetto brilliance. Promoting a new album með suð í eyrum við spilum endalaust which according to Google means "with a buzz in our ears we play endlessly" which is a pretty f*”king cool name for an album if you ask me. Other main stage highlights include Seasick Steve an inspired American blues singer, who rocked the crowds with song likes “dog house blues” and “Cut My wings”. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-RlUwS1LKRs&feature=related
Moving around was another major part of this festival, although not long distances, walks had to be made to feast on the best parts of the festival. A few smaller stages situated around the woods and the beautiful river which ran through the festival; which hosted both gondolas; and a fantastic light projection of a spinning globe at night, a real sight to be seen!
The Sunrise Arena, located in the woods – hosted some great acts such as Crystal Castles and Metronomy to name but a few. In addition a great new act called ESSER who I think will be someone to look out for in the future (www.myspace.com/esserhq)
Other music acts which rocked the roof off the tented stages were Sebastien Tellier (http://www.myspace.com/telliersebastien) the French electro pop maestro, who knocked us all into submission with his electro beats and Blondie the punk goddess who still has it considering she is in here 60’s
Other treats included Comedy acts such as Bill Bailey and Ross Noble who went down a storm and upon finishing his set lead a 5,000 strong stampede across the fields. Fun was also had at the countless cabaret acts which continued long into the nights, which unfortunately on all three nights I cannot remember.
As I said before it was great to feel a part of something a bit more special, rather than the mundane churned out rubbish that we are fed most of the time at festival. This wasn’t a festival for festival’s sake. It hard charm, it had atmosphere and most importantly it had pink sheep!!
aNdYkAy Labels: Comedy, English countryside, festivals, Latitude, music |
I saw a pink sheep once...took a shit on it.