Latitude Festival review: Our top 10 acts

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Latitude Festival is set in the leafy enclave of Henham Park, Suffolk, its idyllic setting complemented by multi-coloured sheep, drifting gondolas and shady woods. This year the bucolic paradise was marred only by the presence of torrential, monsoon-like precipitation springing forth between bouts of brilliant sunshine, rainbows and everything else the heavens could throw at us, proving the old Crowded House adage -- you really can have four seasons in one day.

It's billed as 'more than just a music festival', with impressive programmes spanning comedy, literature, poetry, theatre, cabaret and dance as well as music, and as crowds dodged the rain, Latitude's tent-based activities became more popular than ever. We chortled along to Dylan Moran and Adam Buxton, watched an all-female production of Ibsen's 'A Doll's House', caught short films in a woodshed, and enjoyed poets as diverse as the award-winning Luke Kennard and rising spoken-word star Kate Tempest. Wandering through the woods we got covered in 'snow', saw a tiny Prince impersonator, a brilliant robotic DJ and gazed in wonder at Sadler's Wells' Electric Hotel - a specially constructed looping installation where we, like voyeurs, watched performers lit up in boxes like lonely, dancing Hopper paintings.

Musically, Latitude has a history of attracting interesting headliners (this year's included the old-timers, the gloomy indie stars and the radio-friendly combination of Suede, The National and Paolo Nutini) while smaller stages feature a range of up-and-coming acts. Check out our favourite 10 performances here.

Reports by Rebecca Laurence and Stephen Dowling


My Morning Jacket

MMJ proved what a diverse and unusual back catalogue they have by dipping into their last four albums for their main stage set. From the rollicking jams of 'It Still Moves' 'One Big Holiday' through the echoey omnichord of 'Evil Urges' 'Touch Me I'm Going to Scream. Part 2' towards 'Circuital', MMJ's current offering, and its grandstanding, brass and choir-backed centrepiece, 'Holdin' Onto Black Metal', the hirsute Kentuckians showed again that live, they rock out in a big way. (RL)

Lykke Li

Lykke Li's been steadily working her way up the Latitude lineup in recent years. Watching her command the mid-evening Word Arena slot on Sunday evening is a far cry from her breakthrough appearance on the tiny Sunrise Arena stage in 2008. Draped in a black cape, commandeering drums and flanked by her impressive band, dry ice, pounding percussion and Lykke Li's own haunted vocal intensity created a mesmeric backdrop to the Spector-esque arrangements from this year's 'Wounded Rhymes'. (RL)

Steve Mason

It's an exhilirating experience seeing Steve Mason live, the mournful beauty of his voice counteracted by his wonderful, railing, anti-establishment banter. The Beta Band and King Biscuit Time stalwart has a host of songwriting gems to pull from, but at Latitude, it's the songs from solo album, 'Boys Outside', in particular the title track, 'Am I Just a Man' and 'Lost and Found' which stood out as modern classics. (RL)


The Walkmen

Making no allowances for the mud - Hamilton Leithauser shimmering and resplendent in a pristine white suit - The Walkmen's set was as crisp and confident as their singer's attire, proving the time spent on the road touring 'Lisbon' has further fine-tuned a tight ship. Although the same can't be said for Leithauser's driving abilities. "I was so proud of getting the band here so quickly at 1am this morning" he explained, "I didn't realise about these speed cameras. Now I know what all those white flashes were on the way!" (RL)

Caitlin Rose

Shades on, all in black, as Caitlin Rose took to the Sunrise Arena on Sunday evening, it was only her flowery wellies which betrayed the weather outside, along with the occasional deluge pouring onto the stage from the tent's roof. A warm, charming stage presence, the Nashville star chatted aimiably between songs, waved at little kids and encouraged the crowd to "roll around in the mud like little piggies" while two security guards performed an impromptu hoedown side of stage. Highlights included her ode to the evil weed, 'Shanghai Cigarettes' and 'Young Blood', a Coasters cover - Rose's rich country tones enveloping the crowd in a warm (albeit brief) shelter from the elements. (RL)

The National

The National have been no strangers to UK shores of late, thanks to fifth-album 'High Violet' getting the most gushing of praise. But this was something special. Guitarist Aaron Dessner told the crowd at the start of their Obelisk Stage set the band wanted to dip back into the archives, resulting in them playing B-side 'Driver Surprise Me' from 2005's 'Abel' EP. To National-loving completists like your humble AOL Music scribes, this was worth any amount of leaking tents and aching calves. (SD)

British Sea Power

Cumbrian-by-Brighton six-piece British Sea Power always appear to be enthusiastic festival fans, dressing like grown-up boy scouts bent on badges for guitar-based pyrotechnics. Their set at the Word tent ended with guitarist Noble wading into the crowd complete with microphone stand to capture the wailing of the front rows. That's commitment. (SD)

Suede

You've got to give it to Brett Anderson and crew -- they're not phoning in these reunion performances. From the moment they ran out on stage, they appeared to be trying to cram eight-odd years if inaction into one set. Anderson's histrionic gesticulations and straining shirt buttons were captivating -- especially so during 'Animal Nitrate', where he got down on all fours to scream into a nearby camera. Someone's been down the gym. (SD)

Seasick Steve

Grizzled festival favourite Seasick Steve has become a summertime event perennial, just like hog roasts and over-priced lager. This time, however, fans of bare-knuckle blues had an extra treat -- former Led Zeppelin bass player John Paul Jones, plucking a mandolin like a man possessed. Extra points for drummer Dan Magnusson, who appeared to be plugged into the mains. (SD)

Foals

Apparently, Oxford's Foals are taking a few months off after two albums -- justifiably deserved if every night on tour has been like their Saturday night headline at the Word tent. The 6,000-capacity marquee was rammed, and what the band lacked in between-songs banter they more than made up for with noise and energy. (SD)

Latitude Festival 2011: in pictures



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