Latitude Festival 2015 Day 3

1) Zola Jesus 10/10
After Portishead the previous night, it was difficult to imagine any experience not being an anti-climax, but in a more intimate setting, Zola Jesus was even more powerful. Indeed, it had the greatest emotional impact on me of any art since the remarkable set by St Vincent at Manchester Cathedral in early 2014. I suspect that the forest setting was an important motivation in Nika Rosa Danilova agreeing to come to Latitude. She grew up in rural Wisconsin, and after a spell in LA, talked about how she feels more comfortable in the vastness of the Pacific Northwest. The title of her latest album, Taiga, refers to the boreal forest in Russia. As an ecosystem, Suffolk may have little in common with it, but the trees visible behind the stage gave a sense of connection to nature. She’s explained: ‘I wish you could make music in a specific place, and it could be experienced only there,’ and there’s little doubt that environment has a profound impact on appreciation of music. Zola Jesus was backlit throughout, making for an extremely dramatic visual spectacle, and giving a sense of total absorption and escapism. Indeed, appropriately for a festival which embraces a wide range of the arts, this set brought astonishing dance to the aesthetic and sonic. Zola’s soaring vocals remained at its heart though, in a flawless, virtuoso performance, backed by soaring, majestic brass. Yet, there’s also a playful, mischievous side to this intellectual introvert, which emerged when she took a security guard's sunglasses and climbed up the rigging at the side of the stage in a strong echo of St Vincent. Above all, though, for all the formal framework, this formed a short, concentrated, devastating burst of emotion which as a memory will remain in my consciousness for years to come.

2) Warpaint 9/10
A large festival stage in the daytime isn't the ideal context for Warpaint’s subtle music, and despite being on the barrier, they felt physically distant. Yet, the LA quartet weaved their spell, proving atmospheric with their harmonies, and reaching a climax with Disco / Very. This was one of the most absorbing, haunting sets of the weekend.

3) Young Fathers 9/10
I’d recently seen Young Fathers in small venues, and  this was their third time playing Latitude, but they made the leap to a larger stage successfully. The Scottish rap trio exude energy and impact, whilst pushing boundaries of genre musically. Their unexpected, imaginative leaps seize the audience’s attention, despite their conscious decision not to compromise for popular appeal.

4) SBTRKT 8/10
Ending my festival, SBTRKT illustrated the relevance and rise of electronic music to headlining status, even at a non-mainstream festival such as Latitude. They created a boisterous, excitable atmosphere in the absolutely packed BBC 6 Music tent. Aaron Jerome urged: ‘Let’s end this right’ for one final escape from reality in the closing Hurricane, though in truth some of the crowd departed after his hit from the first album, Pharoahs. The London producer mixed soul, dubstep and techno in a visually spectacular presentation, in a fitting conclusion to Latitude’s tenth anniversary.

5) Adult Jazz 6/10
My motivation for attending this set was to get a prime position for Zola Jesus, who followed, and the art pop of Leeds quartet Adult Jazz proved to be too fussy for my taste. The performance was polished, but despite comparisons to Alt-J, their music simply didn't move me.

6) Kindness 5/10
Kindness’ pop (with R&B and soul influences) wasn't quite to my taste either, but his stage craft can’t be faulted, and neither can the energy of his collaborators on stage.

7) Kwabs 4/10
Kwabs is a hotly tipped rising star with his upbeat soul, and the set felt carefully choreographed, with energised dancing. Yet, it also felt overly calculated, and most problematically, the music was refined to the point of blandness. In contrast to Young Fathers, a determination to court the widest possible appeal meant that it had lost character; I wouldn't like to speculate on whether such compromise will pay dividends commercially.

Latitude Festival 2015 Day 2

1) Portishead 10/10
The renowned trip hop pioneers from Bristol are highly selective about their live appearances, and this set had the feel of a truly memorable event. Visually, the video graphics were stunning, and musically the sound was tight and devastating in its impact. The performance was also highly charged politically: images of David Cameron with green demon eyes and anti-war demonstrations during the industrial sounding Machine Gun felt relevant and necessary. For audience involvement, the set was remarkable: I made contact with Beth Gibbons when she stage dived into the crowd. The culmination came in the encore, when she was joined on stage by Thom Yorke for The Rip. That he said nothing did nothing to dampen the excitement of the occasion, or the impact of Beth’s incredibly focused, powerful tour de force.

2) Wolf Alice 9/10
My first encounter in March with the rising London band was marred by inaudible vocals; this time the sound was far better, if not flawless. More significantly, we've now seen the release of their début album, which judging by the crowd on the BBC 6 Music stage has propelled them to huge popular success. The largely young audience was whipped into a frenzy of excitement, the like of which I've rarely experienced before, whilst Ellie's progressed hugely in assurance this year. It seems almost a certainty that they'll be in the headlining set for numerous festivals in 2016.

3) Leon Bridges 9/10
I'd seen Leon in even more intimate surroundings a week previously and been most impressed, but nothing was lost on a less formal festival stage. His performances are totally focussed, and the band incredibly tight, so there's a real frisson to the experience. As in Manchester, he was relatively reserved between songs, but the packed arena had an atmosphere of excitement at being able to witness such a talent.

4) Savages 8/10
On the same stage as Wolf Alice earlier in the afternoon, Savages were one of the surprises of the festival. Jehnny Beth was a totally committed front woman who was probably the most adventurous crowd surfer of the weekend, and the atmosphere in the stiflingly hot tent was charged. The sheer enthusiasm of the audience is in my view a huge advantage of many British festivals over the sometimes more sanitised North American ones.

5) Laura Marling 8/10
I’ve been lucky enough to see Laura Marling in far more intimate settings than the main stage of this festival in the past few months, yet the more assertive songs from Short Movie translated surprisingly well to this setting. Her onstage chatter was as endearingly awkward as ever, and sound bleed from other stages was nowhere near as debilitating as the unfortunate time I saw her at Coachella.

6) Nadine Shah 7.5/10
Brit Nadine Shah was a warm, personable presence on stage, and musically notable for her rich, sultry singing voice. Her music is often bleak and brooding, in contrast to the levity when she talks, and made up in impact for what the songs lacked in contrast of mood.

7) Marika Hackman 7/10
After a late start, Marika initially seemed a little nervous, and uneasy: her music is immensely subtle, and its vulnerability means its delivery can seem unintentionally tentative. She shared some false starts and fumbles with her friend Laura Marling, but came into her stride, and the audience luxuriated in the dark melancholy of We Slept At Last.

8) James Blake 6/10
James Blake is at the stage in his album release cycle when he’s seemingly ubiquitous at festivals, and the atmosphere at this outdoor occasion failed to live up to that in the Parklife tent where he had the headline slot. Perhaps too many of those at the front were there largely to secure a prime spot for Portishead.

Latitude Festival 2015 Day 1

1) Caribou 9/10

The undoubted highlight of day 1 was the Canadian electronic act Caribou, who headlined the main stage in the sunset slot, despite at first sight appearing more suited to the BBC 6 Music Tent. This not overly extrovert act’s appeal was to draw you in through the music and lighting, rather than through stagecraft, which was relatively static, but I was mesmerised.

2) Alt-J 8/10

Alt-J proved to be a relative disappointment after their set at Primavera in May, though in truth even then they made little overt effort to engage the audience.  Here, the young, boisterous crowd at the front of the stage served to distract from concentration on the intricate music. Live, they recreated the studio sound with dexterity, accuracy and skill, but the elaborate lighting was insufficient compensation for an act that seemed to be on auto pilot.

3) Songhoy Blues 8/10
I was eager to see this band in exile from Mali following the release of their strong debut album earlier this year. The I-Arena stage was packed, but some still found space to dance, and in spite of the adversity in their homeland, this was a set of much joy and rhythmic energy. Lead singer Aliou Toure in particular exuded happiness.

4) Femi Kuti & The Postive Force 7/10

The Nigerian son of Afrobeat pioneer Fela Kuti assembled an extensive cast of musicians and dancers to accompany him. The visual interest made this an ideal afternoon outdoor festival set, and his band proved aptly named with its joy. Yet, there was a powerful political message from Kuti, in an arresting, charismatic set.

5) Ed Harcourt 7/10
The Sussex musician showed his experience on the festival circuit with direct interaction down in the crowd. There was much passion and drive in his delivery, but in contrast to Alt-J, I found the music less memorable than the stagecraft.

6) Nintin Sawhney 7/10

Nintin overcame early sound issues to produce a set as notable for his female collaborators as his guitar virtuosity. Nicki Wells assimilated an Indian micro-tone vocal style, whilst Nintin taught the audience a little Hindi, and musical styles ranged widely, from R&B to jazz and flamenco, breaking down cultural barriers in a life affirming manner.

7) Wild Beasts 5/10
The Kendal rock band disappointed,failing to inspire the crowd, and sounding routine. I later discovered that van problems meant that they'd almost missed their slot; despite making it, this wasn't to be Wild Beasts' day.

Latitude Festival 2015 Introduction

Day 1 Review

Day 2 Review

Day 3 Review

Latitude Festival, sharing its organiser, could be regarded as Reading and Leeds for a more mature audience, though at the side of Primavera, I was surprised by the prominence of young people in the crowd. The middle class positioning is reflected in a more eclectic line-up, the genteel country location, and a  steep increase in ticket prices since its early days. The inconvenience of a site in the eastern fringes of England, accessed by traffic clogged narrow rural roads, is outweighed by the beauty of the setting. The lake forms the iconic Latitude view, and this year offering wild swimming, but I found the wood to be the most atmospheric element. The beautiful third stage was in its midst, but alas often felt overcrowded. Indeed, the limited capacity here made the secret sets by Ed Sheeran and Thom Yorke too exclusive to gain entry for those, like me, who were on the front rail for the main acts. 

At the side of Green Man, with its smaller audiences, and Primavera with a far more spacious site, at times it felt claustrophobic, and also initially difficult to navigate. The festival started off slowly for me, as the first day’s line-up proved to be less compelling than the others, and I often found that the more interesting acts were concentrated into the peak time period, leading to some heart breaking evening clashes across the almost too numerous stages. Perhaps the organisers were keen to ensure that we paid attention to the non-musical offerings for which Latitude is renowned, notably comedy, theatre and literature. Yet, overall, Latitude’s tenth anniversary must be declared an overwhelming success, aided by dry, often sunny weather. The Guardian described it as a ‘countrified Coachella’, with its guest appearances, but it’s quintessentially English, not just in the setting, but in the laid back approach of the staff, with a welcome lack of officious security, and the abandon of its revellers, who were more interested in hedonism than being seen.

Latitude is also notable for a genuine commitment to sustainability: a deposit scheme for glasses ensured that there was none of the plastic waste which marred Primavera, whilst they willingly supplied me with electric car charging facilities. Corporate sponsorship was also kept in check, and there was a welcome absence of divisive VIP areas. Its roots go back much further than 10 years, to the father of festivals, Glastonbury. I’d thoroughly recommend it to anyone looking for a mid sized UK festival.

Leon Bridges, Deaf Institute Manchester, 9th July 2015 9/10

Leon Bridges has already outgrown the Deaf Institute's music hall both figuratively and physically. His just released début album Coming Home is at number three in the UK album charts, and this show sold out so quickly that he's playing a venue ten times the size here in September. It therefore had the feel of a real event: everyone present must have realised that this was a one-off opportunity to see a rising star in such intimate circumstances. Adding to the sense of occasion, it also marked the end of the gig season until mid September, as artists concentrate on festivals and I on my other great passion. Leon's back story is inspiring: until being signed by Columbia Records in December, he was employed as a dishwasher in his home of Fort Worth, Texas, and the 25 year old exudes youthful enthusiasm. His break into the music industry is attributed to a chance meeting in a bar with White Denim guitarist Austin Jenkins. After coming to one of Leon's gigs a week later, he immediately offered to pay for session musicians and studio space.

Leon's break led to two demos being posted on Soundcloud in late 2014, and the first US tour came only in January this year. A support slot for Sharon van Etten (an artist known for carefully curating her openers) in New York in February also helped to raise his profile. Life changing opportunities are now arriving at an incredible pace, and he played Glastonbury before  the start of this first UK tour. As the band opened with Better Man it was immediately obvious why Austin Jenkins was so impressed: the energy in the room was palpable. Dressed in black tie, Leon's charisma as he moves on stage is infectious, despite the fact he's relatively softly spoken. His interventions between songs were brief, often starting before the applause subsided, but he was always endearingly courteous, and kept emphasising that his desire for us all to be happy. He should have no concerns on this front: this was one of the most joyous events I've experienced this year.

Leon's voice is smooth and honeyed, yet the electricity came from a team collaboration rather than solo effort. The six piece band crammed onto the stage sounded incredibly tight, encompassing bass, rhythm and acoustic guitars; a female backing singer, and a tenor saxophonist added a rich sonority. Aside from the first encore where he played guitar, the band gave Leon the freedom to concentrate on his vocals and dancing. This ambitious scale makes it clear that the touring act has been conceived for large venues from the outset. The reviewers who consider Coming Home to be derivative surely haven't seen the act live. The immediacy reminds me of the excitement of seeing another retro act for the first time in 2012, Alabama Shakes. At its best, music can transport you to another place and Leon strongly evoked the American South. Yet he was also able to transport the highly appreciative, rapt audience in time to the early 1960's.

At college, Leon was most interested in '90's R&B artists such as Ginuwine and Usher, but he altered direction after hearing Sam Cook's song A Change Is Gonna Come in Spike Lee's Malcolm X biopic. From this point he said: “I became so fascinated with that sound I wanted to recreate it exactly.”. He listened to every detail of this vintage soul on You Tube and Spotify. allowing him to go far beyond a mere tribute. The highly personal song Lisa Sawyer about his mother's life story demonstrates how he's assimilated the genre and made it his own. Yet, to me, the essence of Leon Bridges is in the closing number Mississippi Kisses. In common with the other encores, this song isn't even on the album. It was inspired by a visit to New Orleans with his saxophonist, and so draws on the spirit of jazz, and dance, leading to the entire room seemingly swaying and dancing in an escapist joy. After the disappointment of Natalie Prass here, my faith in live music was triumphantly restored during a magical 60 minutes. Don't miss an opporunity to catch this exciting new, and old, act.