REVIEW: Latitude Festival 2013

Friday 19th to Sunday 21st July 2013 – Latitude Festival @ Henham Park, Suffolk

There's definitely no attitude at Latitude. In fact, out of all the comic and literary acts I saw - it's more than just a music festival, you see - not a set went by without a friendly jibe at the incredibly bourgeois, guardian-reading, hummus-eating crowd.

Friday saw the site in Henham Park, Suffolk bathed in sunshine as revellers wandered around getting their bearings. The nice thing about Latitude is that everywhere you turn there's something to see. Make the effort to wander a bit further and you'll find yourself in the deep dark woods, where - when day turns to night - all sorts up oddities surface out of the undergrowth.

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I AM KLOOT and YO LA TENGO took to the main Obelisk Arena stage to entertain people in the afternoon sun with their beguiling sounds, while over in the comedy tent Marcus Brigstocke managed to make a hilarious analogy out of the Greek debt crisis, comparing the country to underaged kids trying to get into a German megaclub where the DJ is playing superfast techno that the Greeks can't keep up with. Needless to say it went down well with the middle class crowd, who with Pimms in hand and cushion under bum, didn't seem to mind that Brigstocke was filling in for Mark Watson, who was running late.

In fact, that seemed to be a bit of a theme for the festival, as several acts here and there were moved around at the last minute - apparently because of ongoing traffic issues and train delays.

The Friday night warm up act were THE MACCABEES who were a hit with the teen crowd, while the older folk hot footed it to catch TEXAS thrashing out their old hits, including 'I Don't Want a Lover', which was released in 1989 - the same year as debuts from Nirvana and The Stone Roses.

Back at the main arena and another indie band took to the stage - BLOC PARTY. They gave what was rumoured to be their last ever performance amid talk of a split and trouble in the ranks - their drummer was a no-show. After finding a last minute replacement in the shape of New Young Pony Club's Sarah Jones, the band put on a solid performance that was easily bettered by the superb laser light show that closed their set.

At Latitude, the woods are the place to go as soon as the music stages close up for the night. Here is where you'll find things like a game of disco bingo complete with curly-haired grannies, ORBITAL’s Phil Hartnoll and GUILTY PLEASURES playing tunes in a dusty, little nook and suggestive neon signs hanging from trees. Things get even odder at the opposite end of the festival site at Pandora's Playground, where the fun gets 'unashamedly uninhibited', according to organisers.

Burlesque dancers, camp performers, a disco shed and a booth called 'Peep' showing racy-related shorts are hidden behind creepy looking, low lit branches - venture in and you'll be sure to see something eye-opening to keep you entertained until the wee small hours.

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Saturday also saw logistical problems, with Germaine Greer running late for her talk at the literary tent and an almost complete reshuffle of the morning's comedy acts. But, that did mean that we could catch Russell Kane at the comedy arena, who also based a part of his set around the middle class crowd. It was a high-octane performance with plenty of laughs at his Nick Grimshaw jokes and unique impressions of that odd creature - the Northerner - who he's observed closely through his relationship with his Mancunian girlfriend.

EVERYTHING EVERYTHING drew a pretty strong following to their afternoon set and it wasn't just because of the gloomy clouds and sporadic rain. But it was the YEAH YEAH YEAHs that most people seemed to be waiting for, they received a heroes welcome, although they did little more to get the crowd going after that.

Which is where HOT CHIP came in. By this time, most people at the Obelisk Arena were getting settled for the night and searching out a decent spot for the hotly anticipated Kraftwerk 3D show, but Hot Chip had a presence of their own and got the audience going with their infectious loops. Their live set is engineered to please and it did just that.

But there's no doubt that the highlight of the day - and perhaps even the entire festival - was KRAFTWERK and their eye-popping 3D show. Mums, dads, teens and little ones were all there, donned in 3D glasses ready to take in the spectacle. The 3D side of things definitely added to the show and the four ageing men wearing tight sci-fi costumes while pushing buttons on a podium also added to the atmosphere. It was all very theatrical and added greatly to the pioneering musical magnificence of classics like Autobahn, The Model and Tour de France. A set, I for one, will remember for a long time.

One thing that is really good about Latitude is that it lives up to its claim of being 'more than just a music festival'. While at many other events the expectation that the night time entertainment is there to help you get blind drunk and dance until you can't anymore - at Latitude there's plenty for those who want to remain a bit more civilised or who have already overdone it.

On Saturday night, for example, after the main stages closed there were still loads of big names heading up the comedy and literary tents, where a more sober crowd than those who had headed into the woods or Pandora's Playground sat pleasantly getting high on word play.

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With Sunday's standout performer not on until mid afternoon, the morning was a great time to get even more acquainted with the non-musical side of the festival. It's a very kid-friendly affair and the little ones even have a whole section to themselves, where sites such as Noisy Toys combine science with music in a hands on, experimental way. Sticking with the science theme, a pop-up shed in the same area offered the chance to chill out on giant cushions while taking a sonic tour of the brain - from firing neurons to hissing hair cells and singing cortices - it was an audio journey with a difference. For people who wanted to get to know the brain in a more intimate way, jelly dissections with brains made out of panna cotta were taking place next door.

In the literary tent, DJ STUART MACONIE didn't stop talking for one hour straight, fortunately he had some pretty good stories and didn't plug his new book too much. Over at the comedy tent RICHARD HERRING managed to spoil the crowd with a belly laughing story about his girlfriend and Ferrero Rocher - it was romantic rather than rude and people were walking away after his set quoting parts and reliving it with their mates.

But all of that was a preamble before Sunday afternoon's special lunchtime guest BOBBY WOMACK, who commanded serious presence as soon as he stepped on stage with his matching red leather hat, jacket and trousers.

With a career stretching back 50 years it's no wonder he knows exactly how to work the crowd and his set featured soul classics such as Across 110th Street and tracks from his 2012 album the Bravest Man in the Universe. Backed by a talented team of musicians and singers - one of which is Womack's daughter - they turned a field in Suffolk into a soul party and highlighted Latitude's approach to providing a varied roster of performers.

Womack was clearly in his element and seemed surprised when, after almost an hour, he was told he had only five minutes left. "I’m just getting warmed up," he said.

Sunday closed with beguiling sets from GRIZZLY BEAR and FOALS, who marked their first headline slot at a major UK festival. The rockers rose to the challenge and were met with rapturous response as they played their hits Total Life Forever and Two Steps, Twice. Then a fantastic light show illuminated the Suffolk skyline, with piercing red lasers signalling the end of Latitude for another year.

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CLICK HERE to see Latitude Festival 2013 in photos.

Words: Rakhi Sinha Photos: Danny North, Jenna Foxton, Pooneh Ghana