Day # one of Latitude 2024 had hot and sunny weather and a healthy turn out – with Kasabian topping the bill on the main stage in fine style.
The Suffolk site has a capacity of 45,000 for each of the three days of the celebrated music and arts festival run by Festival Republic.
It began in 2006 in Henman Park near Southwold, Suffolk where it has been based ever since – running for 17 years as 2020 was cancelled due to the pandemic.
Kasabian
Day one Headliners Kasabian pulled in many stalwart fans who follow them around when they tour, and there was a fair amount of Foxes shirts in the crowd.
Er, if you do not follow foootball, that is the nickname for Leicester City Football Club who the band support being from that city; a city which also brought us Gary Linker, Engelbert Humperdinck and Showaddywaddy. No comment!
Screams and cheers when the lads took to the stage under strobe lighting and loud intro’ music, diving straight into “Club Foot”. The band seemed well up for it and so did their fans who called out for various songs and got ’em. “IIIRAY”, “Underdog”, “Call”, “Shoot The Runner” etc etc etc…..
The phrase, “let’s bounce” in today’s parlance if you are ‘down wiv de kids’ usually means “to bugger off”, to “do one” to “foxtrot oscar”, to exit. To leave. Tonight that was not the case. For most of the set, the bouncing was like watching the biggest trampoline in the world…
Serge doing the same. Punks used to pogo (without the stick!). Kasabian fans bounced for a lot of this gig; like The Magic Roundabout’s Zebedee on Spice! Sales of Deep Heat and Ibuprofen may well shoot up this weekend!
The funny thing thing though: most appearing to have a drink in hand and not spilling a drop. Mad skillz! The fans ranged from young lads to dads and grandads, young women to the more mature too….
The band’s lead singer Sergio “Serge” Pizzorno – who replaced Tom Meighan when he was ejected from the band due to his well publicised domestic violence conviction against his then girlfriend [now his wife] – highlighted a youngster, on dad’s shoulders, wearing a Leicester City tee-shirt, who was then picked out by the cameras and shown on the big screen to loud cheers and a big cheeky grin from the lad.
The track “Fire” is the one the footie fans wait for in a Kasabian set, which Leicester City Football Club blasts out of the PA at their King Power stadium every time they score a goal.
The first few rows of the barrier by the stage were the hard core fans, and many who had stood in their spot all day in that blazing heat, just to get prime position for their heroes Kasabian. The band were worthy headliners and did a good job.
Originally comprising vocalist Tom Meighan, guitarist and keyboardist Christopher Karloff, guitarist and backing vocalist Sergio Pizzorno and bassist Chris Edwards, the band have released seven studio albums: “Kasabian” (2004), “Empire” (2006), “West Ryder Pauper Lunatic Asylum” (2009), “Velociraptor (2011), “48:13” (2014), “For Crying Out Loud” (2017) “The Alchemist’s Euphoria” (2022), their first without Tom, and their latest LP, “Happenings” which dropped on 5th July 2024.
Current line-up is Serge, Chris Edwards on bass, Ian Matthews on drums, Tim Carter on guitar and keyboards, and a couple of touring guys.
Caity Baser
Caity Baser on the Obelisk Arena stage at 4.35pm for a very enjoyable 70 minute set – with Oli on drums and Louie on guitar.
If Caity was counting her steps today, she’d have clocked up a good chunk of ’em; literally running around in circles across the stage throughout her set.
Some artists look flipping miserable on stage and give the impression they do not want to be there. Not this artist…
Smiles for the duration and looking like she was in her happy place up on that stage; joyous at seeing the big crowd dancing and singing along to her infectious songs.
[Caity went walkabout on the site with some children while she was at Latitude, to soak up the vibe and the rays, as relaxed as anything.]
Her biggies such as “I’m A Problem” and “2020s” were well received, but the cover of Abba’s “Dancing Queen” was like a 10,000 volt charge was put through the crowd who could probably be heard 30 miles away in Ipswich!
Movie & TV star Damian Lewis
Damian Lewis was on the second stage for an hour from 2.30pm on day # one. A decent crowd filling up the big top before the star and his band arrived on stage. The tent providing well needed shade from the blazing Suffolk sunshine.
He performed a mix of brand new music from his forthcoming second album, due end of this year, and self-penned tracks from his debut LP, “Mission Creep” which was released on Decca last summer.
The debut album made the Top 40 on the UK Official Album Chart and peaked at #2 on the Jazz & Blues Album Chart. Having first announced his plans to record and release his debut album back in 2022, the acting star performed a series of sold-out shows across London.
He also made impressive festival appearances at Wilderness and Black Deer Festival, winning praise from the likes of The Times and The Telegraph, before heading into the recording studio to put the finishing touches to “Mission Creep.” [The title is a military operation term where initial success ratchets into doing a much larger job for a longer time than was originally expected].
Damian wrote all of the original songs on the album during the first lockdown of the pandemic, allowing the continuation of a story that first began when he finished Eton school and took to the road with his guitar, busking through Europe. This experience has stayed with Damian ever since and is reflected in the songs on the album.
While his acting career took over, he never stopped playing, occasionally performing at ‘wrap’ parties as part of a ‘scratch’ band. But with lockdown affording him time and space away from a busy acting schedule, he was able to throw himself into playing and writing songs – with the additional maturity and experience that an eventful life has given him, the ideas started to flow.
At his other job, he is perhaps best known for portraying U.S. Army Major Richard Winters in the utterly brilliant HBO series “Band of Brothers.” He won a Primetime Emmy Award and a Golden Globe Award for his portrayal of U.S. Marine Gunnery Sergeant Nicholas Brody in the Showtime series “Homeland”, and nominations for his performance as Henry VIII of England in “Wolf Hall.”
He portrays Bobby Axelrod in the Showtime series “Billions”, and appeared in “Once Upon A Time In Hollywood” in 2019 as actor Steve McQueen. Damian was appointed Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE) in the 2014 Birthday Honours for services to drama, and Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE) in the 2022 Birthday Honours for services to drama and charity.
Here at Latitude, Damian is accompanied by a young and talented five-piece band which included Amelie [Watson] on backing vocals, who was the excellent support act on his last tour and was also in his band then too.
His set list usually includes the emotionally charged “My Little One”, about his late wife, the acclaimed actress Helen McCrory who he married in July 2007.
The couple have a daughter, born in 2006 and a son born in 2007. Sadly, Helen died of cancer in April 2021 at 52-years-old.
It was a chilled vibe inside and outside the tent at Latitude, with people sat/laying on the grass enjoying the music, and the tent was full by the end of Damian’s impressive set.
Aussie trio Blusher
Opening the second stage on day # one at noon is Blusher. Jade, Lauren and Miranda, an Australian trio from Melbourne who formed from three solo artists. They pulled a good crowd of adults and kids and delivered a fine performance.
Lots of energy, decent harmonies and some slick choreography in a fun and upbeat set which blends dance with pop. Well worth seeking their stuff out online…
Not quite filling the tent this early in the day, but loud encouraging cheers from the crowd, who to a man (and woman/child) seemed to be well into Blusher’s catchy material .
The trio included some brand new unreleased songs for the first time, including “Rave Angle” inspired by Charlie XCX. Ones to watch for sure…
Frank Turner & The Sleeping Souls
Frank Turner & The Sleeping Souls pulled a huge crowd to the main stage [Obelisk Arena] early on Friday afternoon, and the energy on stage and in the crowd was as electric as a night time gig in a packed venue.
Frank kicked off the set with new music, and apart from the staple fan faves, he included a slew of tracks from the latest album, “Undefeated” which dropped circa three months ago.
The emotional connection between FT and the fans was there from the off, with lots of crowd engagement. He barely took a breath between songs.
Hot in the sunshine and in the crowd, but some cloud cover provided some welcome relief during the superb set.
- Check out our Q & A with Frank Turner in the “Track Record” Zone…
Corinne Bailey Rae
Corinne Bailey Rae won a huge response to her 2006 hit “Put Your Records On”, and her newer stuff went down well too from her current album “Black Rainbows,” her fourth album which was released in September 2023.
The Vaccines
The majority of the folk on the festival site on Friday tea-time were making their way to the main stage ahead of The Vaccines slick one hour set which kicked of at just gone 6pm.
A welcome respite from the scorchio heat for some of their set with the sun hiding behind the clouds.
The crowd well up for this band who didn’t mess about and tore straight into their job in style.
Last at Latitude in 2021 on the smaller second stage, frontman Justin Hayward-Young told the crowd about the big changes for the band since they were last at this Suffolk festival, and how their career has gone from strength to strength.
They dipped in to most of their back catalogue LPs, but with emphasis on tracks from their current, sixth album “Pick-Up Full Of Pink Carnations”, with a clue as to that title with bunches of carnations tied to their mic stands.
The band currently on a UK and European tour. Sounding superb at Latitude, especially “If You Wannna”, “Headphones Baby”, and “All My Friends Are Falling In Love.”
Alison Goldfrapp
Very decent set from Alison Goldfrapp on the Second Stage as the penultimate act before headliners Future Islands. The tent was rammed full and many outside unable to get in by sticking around to listen…A moody vibe on stage with the lighting and smoke effects creating a dramatic and edgy scene.
- The vibe on the site is very chilled, very family friendly and barely a single piece of litter anywhere.The kids raiding the bins for paper cups and drink cans to return in exchange for 10p per item, an opportunity to pocket up to £25 each per day.
Clearly a very effective method of keeping the place clean, the kids occupied and earning a few bob’s pocket money. Bravo….Other festivals should all adopt this scheme.
**** Check out our coverage of day # two and day # three in the “Live Zone” … London Grammar and Orbital the two main headliners for Saturday. Duran Duran closing the last day.
