Latitude Festival

Latitude Festival 2017 is nearly upon us! The line-up promises great sets from some great established names in the music business, with The 1975, Mumford & Sons and Fleet Foxes headlining and the likes of Fatboy Slim, Placebo, Two Door Cinema Club and Goldfrapp also on the bill.

However, Latitude does have an excellent reputation for boldness in selecting names that are a bit off the beaten track, and of promoting new talent to prestigious slots on the line-up.

So, here are ten recommendations of new and critically acclaimed acts off the beaten path to see at Latitude 2017!

Continue reading: Latitude 2017 Preview

Latitude has earned its reputation as the best ‘small festival’ in Britain with over 11 years of careful bookings, detailed organisation and bold choices for headliner, but the annual gathering in Southwold, Suffolk isn’t just about the music.

With a number of interesting nooks and crannies scattered around the site, it’s truly a genre-defying experience and there’s plenty to be getting up to if there’s a lull in proceedings. If it’s a ridiculously hot day, the gin bar in the Faraway Forest is a lovely and quiet bolthole for thirsty music lovers – but if that isn’t your bag, there’s loads of stuff to scope out at your leisure.

Crowds and atmosphere at Latitude Festival 2016

Continue reading: It's Not Just About The Music - Other Things To Do At Latitude Festival 2017

Despite all the truisms about it being an impeccably middle-class experience (I once heard someone strolling around the campsite asking a succession of people if they had a garlic crusher.), anybody who's been even once to Latitude will testify that it really is more than just a music festival. With smaller tents and stages spread out across its spacious arena specifically dedicated to literature, poetry, performing arts, theatre, film and cabaret, its vibe is extremely relaxed, explicitly family-friendly, and very different to almost all of the major festivals.

In the spirit of not tinkering with a winning formula, the organisers have looked to build the 11th edition of Latitude along the same lines as they always have. While they've broken with their tradition of never having the same headliner twice (this year's Saturday night top billing act The National also headlined back in 2011), the list of music acts is as diverse and impressive as ever, with The Maccabees finally getting a crack at a full headlining spot on Friday and the resurgent Mancunian legends New Order closing the festival on Sunday night.

Continue reading: Latitude Festival 2016 - Top 6 Alternative Things To Do

Latitude Festival 2014 was marred by tragedy this Sunday, when a teenager died after becoming ill on the festival site. The boy, whose identity remains undisclosed, was airlifted from the festival at around 4.30PM on Saturday, according to The Mirror. He died in the early hours of Sunday morning. His death has been attributed to an “isolated medical condition,” according to organizers.

Latitude festival: Boy aged 17 dies on the final day of popular music event http://t.co/LEM85D5QZW pic.twitter.com/sWxJ9RUm74

— Daily Mirror (@DailyMirror) July 20, 2014

Continue reading: Latitude Festival 2014 Marred By The Death Of 17-Year-Old Attendee

Lily Allen has been drafted in to headline the Friday night at Latitude Festival after indie-rockers Two Door Cinema Club were forced to cancel. The band's lead singer Alex Timble was hospitalised with a chronic stomach complaint after collapsing at Chicago airport. 

Lily Allen performs at the Glastonbury Festival 2014 [Getty/Ian Gavan]

"It is with deep sadness that our longstanding supporters and Friday night headliner Two Door Cinema Club have had to cancel their performance under advice of doctors. We wish Alex all the best and a speedy recovery," said Melvin Benn of Latitude organisers Festival Republic.

Continue reading: Lily Allen To Headline Latitude Festival After Two Door Cinema Club Cancel

Henham Park in Southwold, Suffolk once again held the coming together of music, comedy, arts and more in it's scenic woodland surroundings to a rapturous reception from the many revellers who travelled to see the likes of Foals, Kraftwerk, Texas and Bobby Womack rub shoulders with the likes of Eddie Izzard, Dylan Moran and Daniel Kitson. And that's just scratching the surface of what was on show.

Kraftwerk have been touring their 3-D show across the globe

On the first day (Friday 19 July) Bloc Party lit up the main-stage, having seen the likes of the Maccabees, Yo La Tengo and The Leisure Society come before them. Elsewhere, on the smaller BBC Radio 6 stage, Texas were the headliners of the night, with Willy Mason, Villagers, Beth Orton and more coming before them, whilst Japandroids and DIIV were among the bigger names on the smaller stages. Meanwhile, bringing the laughs to the comedy stage was Lee Nelson and Sean Lock, to name but two.

Continue reading: Latitude Festival Closes It's Gates After Another Successful Year In Southwold [Pictures]