Latitude Festival 2008 - My Top 5 Musical Acts

Latitude is a festival that I'd heard a lot about from several different sources, and everything that I'd been told about it was positive. I couldn't wait to go. The best thing about it was that it lived up to expectations and more!
Set in an arena that is far different to the vast flat expanses of larger festivals it really is like a little wonderland with woods, lakes and wildlife.
The choice of things to see is almost endless from the cabaret to theatre, you can barely walk fifty yards without coming across something of interest.
Anyway what I really went for was the music, which had a great mix of established artists and up and coming acts. Here are my top 5 performances of the weekend.

Artists appear in order of appearance, not in order of preference.

Broken Records - Sunrise Arena - 1.30pm, Friday 18th July

My first experience of this intimate stage set in the woodlands and a memory that will probably stay with me for a good while. I didn't know what to expect from the seven-piece band from Edinburgh but they excited and enthralled me from beginning to end of their set, which seemed far too short.
Using a variety of instruments including accordion, mandolin and glockenspiel they played through their small ensemble of songs which combined influences including Arcade Fire and Jeff Buckley producing epic and affecting folk-rock music.
They only got twenty minutes on stage, but that was more than enough to get me excited about this band and proclaim myself an immediate fan. So far they have only released one EP but I can't wait to hear more from these guys who could be the future of British indie music.


Elbow - Obelisk Arena - 8.00pm , Saturday 19th July

Elbow have been a band that I've eternally been meaning to listen to but never found the time. That will now change.
Taking to the main stage just before the headliners Sigur Rós they seemed to me to be a well suited warm up for that evening but they turned out to be so much more. They really made the stage their own playing their mellow anthems in the fading sunlight made for a perfect summer's evening. Guy Garvey's beautiful vocals seemed to float on the light breeze and pleasantly into the crowd's ears.
Switching easily between moments of admirable musical arrangements to high flying sing-along choruses it included everything that could be desired from a band playing at a festival.
The highlight was the finale of 'One Day Like This' which saw the whole crowd chanting the "So throw those curtains wide/One day like this a year'd see me right" refrain for several minutes over the beautiful string part.
A truly memorable performances from one of Britain's most underrated bands.

Sigur Rós - Obelisk Arena - 9.30pm, Saturday 19th July

Exactly two weeks since I last saw them, they played the same set but such is the power and the beauty of their songs and live show that it was still absolutely stunning.
Once again Jónsi Birgisson's vocals were spot on changing from fragile to powerful or harsh all perfectly fitting with the mood of the moment.
The songs may all be individual pieces of work but something about a Sigur Rós performance sometimes makes you feel that it's all one epic and carefully crafted piece of art that leads you through an hour and a half with more emotion and excitement than your average Hollywood blockbuster would provide.
The band clearly feel the same way as they always return to the stage after they have finished with their supporting members to take a well-deserved bow.


Okkervil River - Uncut Arena - 7.25pm, Sunday 20th July

I've been listening to this Texan band almost non-stop for quite a while now and I was ridiculously excited to get the chance to see them at Latitude, which was definitely an unexpected surprise.
Thankfully they lived up to expectations. Playing songs mostly from their most recent album 'The Stage Names' they spanned all their different moods in such a short set. From the catchy indie pop song (The Latest Toughs) to the rocker (Unless It's Kicks) and my personal favourite of theirs, the fragile ballad (A Girl in Port).
Lead singer Will Sheff seemed to be held in place only by his duty to sing. Any time he could get away from the mic he would, to go rock out elsewhere. Climbing up on the drum platform or heading to one of his fellow band members to enjoy the moment with them he really put his all into the performance.
The band were solid and tight layering all their sounds together to bring their music into full focus to the crowd's delight.
Unfortunately in such a short space of time they couldn't fit in the great longer songs such as 'So Come Back, I Am Waiting' or 'Westfall', but their set was almost pure gold nontheless and I will definitely see them again as soon as possible.


Interpol - Obelisk Arena - 9.30pm, Sunday 20th July

The Sunday night headliners, and closers of the festival may not have been to everyone's taste, but for anyone who is even the slightest Interpol fan there is definitely something in their live show to keep you watching.
They came on stage as usual sharply dressed in expensive suits, which certainly made those of us in the crowd who had been sleeping in tents for the past three nights feel under-dressed!
Their style in terms of clothing also transfers across to their style in music. Playing simple rock songs that are lifted to another plain by brilliant bass lines or subtle guitar lines there is not a cooler band in the world.
They play their songs live with ease and grace, barely stopping between songs. They mixed their set evenly between their three albums and included all of the crowd favourites such as 'Evil' and 'PDA'.
When the weather turned sour towards the end of their set and it started to rain, moods were not dampened, it just seemed to suit the moment and make it all the more special particularly for the grand finale of 'Stella Was A Diver and She Was Always Down'.
Overall it was a great end to a fantastic weekend!