After last year’s edition of Latitude festival, we arrived at Henham Park eager to see what the 20th installment would hold. With an eclectic mix of music, comedy, poetry and academia on offer, what better way to start off than ‘Killer Crabs: The Musical’? We made our way to the Apollo Stage to find it packed out with all the early birds arriving on Thursday, trying to make the most of the weekend. The satirical homage to Guy N. Smith’s work clearly tickled the fancy of the Latitude demographic, and it was easy to see why. Robin Ince (the man behind the madness), Josie Long and Reece Shearsmith delivered an amazingly entertaining performance of surreal comedy set to music. The music itself wasn’t the most original or interesting but, let’s be honest, people showed up for the stupidity, the comedy, the camp of it all, more so than the music.
The Salford Bard himself, Dr John Cooper Clarke, made multiple appearances at The Listening Post throughout the weekend. We caught him on Thursday evening, somewhat disjointedly reciting poetry to a massive audience, fighting against the ever increasing disco music blaring from the wine bar opposite. Quick as ever, he interrupted himself mid-set to declare “Oh I love this song” in his sarcastic northern twang.
It was hard to move for space in The Listening Post tent for all of the legend’s sets and it was clear to see why. Despite his age, Dr John Cooper Clarke can still hold and entertain a crowd, no matter the age, size or setting.
Last up to bat on Thursday night, Sports Team delivered an electrifying set of their signature alt-rock sound, just after midnight, at The Alcove for DORK magazine. These guys were a
must-see for those willing to stay up late, playing the kind of music that you can’t help but move to. Experts in commanding their audience, frontman Alex deployed his usual
crowd-interaction tactics and managed to surf through the packed tent, still keeping his cool as if it was nothing at all. Everyone ate it up. This was followed up by a cheeky cover of
fellow lineup-member, Vanessa Carlton’s, A Thousand Miles – which, while not their usual sound, weirdly worked quite well.
Sports Team truly were the perfect end to our first night at Latitude 2026. We started off Friday at the Second Stage, with the Adam Buxton Band. Coming into it with little knowledge of the comedy legend’s foray into music, I was truly converted. The man himself, and his band of dopplegangers, delivered a genre-spanning set that attracted passing festival-goers to fill out the Second Stage tent. Cynically, I didn’t expect much from the band’s music, assuming the comedic lyrics would carry the act through, but I was pleasantly surprised.
The influence of Friday headliner and the big man himself, David Byrne, was apparent in the DNA of Buxton’s set, but he still made sure to mention so. I found myself immersed in the polished and dynamic songs that married rock, electronic, jazz, pop, and comedy all to provide an experience that (in my opinion), blew Gok Wan’s generic dance/pop-y DJ set booming behind us in the Obelisk Arena, out of the water.
Dry Cleaning felt right at home on the main stage – their zoom-style backdrop of paranormal activity to open may have been off-putting to some, however they still managed to draw in a large crowd. Their setlist was a solid offering for any serious Dry Cleaning fans, and was a great introduction to the band for anyone unfamiliar with their work. Flexing their serious sound with completely unserious lyrics and deadpan delivery, you’d be forgiven for mistaking Dry Cleaning as a satire act, but the band are anything but a joke. Their presence demands attention and they could easily be filling a slot later on in the evening to an even larger crowd. Dry Cleaning should be on the radar of many more festival bookers and we look forward to seeing them again in the near future.
As fans of Lime Garden, we were excited to see their performance on the Second Stage, an upgrade since their appearance 4 years ago in a much smaller tent, to a much smaller crowd. They seemed charmingly surprised at the turnout they got, but it truly was deserved. With the bass amped up enough to shake the tent, Lime Garden played an electrifying set to an adoring crowd. It wouldn’t surprise me if they got another upgrade in the next few years, I’m sure they could light up the main stage of the Obelisk Arena if their set this year is anything to go by.
The Climate Live stage, outside of the main arena, was offering up a wide array of acts throughout the weekend. We managed to catch charlotte sometimesss on Friday evening
and didn’t quite know what to expect. Her recent appearance on the BBC reality show ‘I Kissed A Girl’ was all we had to go off of, and I assumed she would just be DJing. To my
surprise, she sang a mix of self and indie produced dance tracks that got the (disappointingly small) crowd dancing. I enjoyed the music but it was clear that charlotte sometimesss is not yet an experienced performer – she could do with more confidence in her work as she felt the need to explain each track before she performed it. Keeping the set flowing would definitely be a help in future. Our first Latitude 2026 headliner, the incomparable David Byrne, capped off Friday perfectly. For a man of 74, we were blown away by his stage presence and the stamina of both his voice and his body to pull off such an amazing 90 minute set. Unfortunately, no press was allowed, but we still enjoyed taking in the music from the back of a huge crowd. Byrne is an absolute professional, and knows exactly how to command his audience. He was truly a highlight of the weekend.
On Saturday morning, Gareth Malone’s Latitude Choir took to the main stage to celebrate the 20th edition of this amazing festival. There were so many strong voices in the choir,
many of whom took on solos, but the song choice felt drab and predictable. Overall, the choir’s performance fell flat, and on deaf ears – with the Obelisk Arena sparsely littered with
families camping out for later performances. In the comedy tent, Blank Peng (a new addition on our British comedy radar) had us howling. Her blunt and cutting critiques of British society and government were spot on and hilarious. Peng’s success perhaps overshadowed Lucas Jones Ho who proceeded her. Compared to Peng, Jones Ho felt monotonous and almost lifeless. Perhaps the festival environment isn’t the best platform for his particular style of comedy, or perhaps he just didn’t float the boat of this particular crowd.
Turning the energy back up in the comedy tent came the pro, Marcus Brigstocke. A legend in the British comedy scene, and Latitude festival specifically, Brigstocke’s humour always seems to please the crowd. Whilst he is brilliant on any stage, Brigstocke really shines amongst the Comedy Store Players, a testament to his quick wit and ability to improvise. Getting back to the music, my personal favourites on Saturday were Temples. They presented the surprisingly diverse crowd they attracted with a brilliant set (we spotted everything from Psychedelic Porn Crumpets t-shirts to Blondie vests), another band showing us that their upgrade from previous years to the Second Stage is most definitely deserved. Temples were engaging and entertaining on stage, as well as bringing that amazing signature psychedelic sound. It was pleasing to see such a strong turnout as the band begin to find their feet again after some time away over the last few years. Personally, I think Temples are the closest modern equivalent to the great classic rock bands of the 70s, chanelling the likes of TRex, Cream and Jefferson Airplane. It won’t be long before they too are filling out the Obelisk Arena.#
James Marriott fans clearly did not come to play at Latitude this year. Though his set on the Second Stage wasn’t until around 8pm, teenage fans in their tour t-shirts lined the barrier
from the beginning of Temples set, through Westside Cowboy and Just Mustard. While we didn’t go to see his set, if the loyalty (and as some would call it, extremity) of his fans is anything to go by, he must be pretty good.
Manchester outfit Westside Cowboy are undeniably indie’s next big sweethearts. The four piece have ripped through the Northern Quarter music scene, onto the national touring
circuit, and have very successfully completed a run of festivals all across Europe this summer. Watching them pack out the second stage doesn’t feel too dissimilar to the rise of
other indie bands such as Sports Team, Vistas and The Orielles pre-lockdown. We caught the tail end of their set at the same stage last year and it was a delight to see that they’d so
easily doubled, if not tripled, their crowd, with people of all ages and musical persuasions coming to check them out. I would be lying if I said I wasn’t kicking myself for not giving them a serious listen after last year’s set, as this felt like an important moment and a pivotal step for the band. With their debut album due out in August and already being hyped to the gods, we’re certain that the next time Westside Cowboy are back at Latitude, they’ll be on the Obelisk stage.
Vanessa Carlton graced the main stage on Saturday evening. Though I suspect many people (like us) were only familiar with ‘A Thousand Miles’ going into the set, she seemed to have everyone dancing and enjoying themselves throughout. Her music is that fun pop that you only seem to get from the early 00s specifically, and acted as the perfect palette cleanser three days into the festival. Our last stop on Saturday was with Billy Ocean in the Obelisk Arena. A music legend with an amazing voice that has persisted even now at 76 years old. His songs are timeless and soulful and something that you just can’t help but dance and sing along to. His six decades of performing and making music drew in a huge crowd, and his character and stage presence held their attention throughout. Sunday, by this time we are exhausted but all the same sad that only one more day remains of Latitude’s 20th edition.
Starting our day off strong, Alex James Britpop Classical had us in a chokehold. Iconic songs from the golden age of Britpop, amazing guests like Saffron (of Republica fame), Phil Daniels (Parklife, Quadrophenia, Eastenders) and Gary Stringer (Reef) joining in, and an adoring crowd singing along to it all. I wasn’t sure what to expect going into this set but boy was I happy with what I got. Personal highlights included Country House, Disco 2000 and The Universal (which may or may not have caused a flood of tears for one of us). Many people have accused Alex James of being a sell out with this project – and before the festival I might have agreed – but considering the amazing skill of the London Concert Orchestra, the hours of work clearly poured into the project, the special guests, arrangements and joy packed in, seeing the Britpop Classical should absolutely be on anyone’s festival radar. I’d even happily pay to see them outside of a festival setting, they were so delightful to watch and left an electrifying energy in the air for the rest of the day.
Next up, Panic Shack performed on the Second Stage and blew me away. Only familiar with a few of their songs, I didn’t expect to be leaving the tent an hour later with a new favourite band. Their riot grrrl revival music, scattered with lyrics referencing the most mundane of things, seems as though it shouldn’t work – but it does. And it works SO well. The whole band could be accused of being telepathic for how in sync they were. Tightly choreographed moves, met raging guitar riffs and commanding bass tones, to say I was impressed would be an understatement. Panic Shack is what the music industry is massively lacking – a group of people having FUN on stage. The girls had amazing chemistry onstage and it is clear to see their hard work paying off, as the tent began to overflow into the field towards the main stage. We see big things happening for Panic Shack, appearances on Jools Holland, the Latitude Second Stage and so many others feel like the beginning of a huge success story.
Taking to the Obelisk Arena, The Undertones proved why they’re still at the top of their game, a good 50 years on from their origins in Northern Ireland. The band, now fronted by
Paul McLoone, had a strong crowd of loyal fans ranging from teenagers to 60 year olds (and arguably older too). Despite being in their late 60s themselves, the band were full of energy,
starting out with Jimmy Jimmy, they immediately had the crowd entertained and singing along with them. It would be easy to dismiss The Undertones as an act of days gone by, but they easily proved that they’re anything but.
Tons of stage presence, a strong setlist including hits, Teenage Kicks and Here Comes The Summer (a personal favourite), and the moves of a toddler after one too many fruit shoots, McLoone proved his worth as a frontman and truly cemented The Undertones position back on large festival lineups.
Peter Hook (of Joy Division and New Order fame) and The Light had a great turn out in the Second Stage tent, engaging the audience with the nostalgic rock anthems we all know and
love. The act was so well subscribed with such an effervescent crowd that we wondered if it would have been better suited to the main stage, but still, Hook and The Light turned out a
great performance. No one can accuse Hook of not trying but it was clear that he wasn’t the singer in his previous bands, not that anyone showed up for his voice, they showed up for the good music and the nostalgia.
Self Esteem took to the main stage before headliner, Lewis Capaldi. Her set was dynamic and cheeky and brilliant from the music to the dancing, to the costume changes, stage presence, personality – she truly had it all. Playing a mix of newer and older music, Self Esteem really hit the nail on the head for this performance, not only attracting a massive crowd, but converting anyone in that crowd who were there waiting for the headliner. She is an immense talent that still remains humble and down-to-earth, something I’m not sure many people could be if they went straight from a workout-inspired dance number doing star jumps into a flawless vibrato.
As a fan of English Teacher (I was wearing their merch most of the weekend), their set on the Second Stage on Sunday was really disappointing. I hate to say it but whether they were tired from festival season or hungover from the night before, the group were hard to watch. None of the members seemed as though they wanted to be on stage, let alone prepared to be, and the performance suffered because of it. The music itself was brilliant as always, and singer (Lily) sang beautifully despite something clearly being off. Overall, we left the set early and disappointed, and I hope this was just a bad day – not the beginning of the end. And so, Latitude 2026 was played out by none other than Lewis Capaldi. As someone who writes heartbreaking music and very publicly went through a ‘mental breakdown’ (his words, not mine) it seemed like we were in for a teary end to the weekend. But Capaldi is truly a dichotomy, pairing emotional and raw songs with his reassuringly hilarious personality.
Capaldi is unique in his ‘performance style’, telling us outright when he gets something wrong, stopping and starting again, even belching mid-set. Somehow Capaldi does all this
with charm, and his authenticity only makes his audience love him more. His set had everyone singing along and felt like the perfect end to this year’s festival.
So, while Latitude had a wide array of arts, culture, poetry, academia, food, drinks, talks, exhibits and installations, they were certainly not lacking in the music department. While we
enjoyed this year immensely, we can’t help but think that last year’s lineup would have been better suited to an occasion like the 20th edition. Nevertheless, from legends like Billy
Ocean, to new kids on the block, Panic Shack, Latitude put on a brilliant line up that I enjoyed (rather cynically) much more than I expected. While on site, it was revealed that the
Latitude team have secured the Henham Park site for the next 25 years – so here’s to 20 years and another 25 more!
Words – Conni Ablitt
Contributions and Photography – Amalia Gherman
