Latitude Festival 2011

With four bespoke arenas dedicated to music, the Latitude Festival offers an incredible array of sonic brilliance, bands and artists hand-picked to create the perfect soundtrack to the perfect weekend.

Whether it’s the hottest new band or the once in a life-time chance to see a legend perform; if it’s rock or pop, folk or blues, electro or dance, Latitude’s music arenas have it all. With The National, Paolo Nutini and Suede headlining the Obelisk Arena; Bombay Bicycle Club, Foals and Eels headlining The Word Arena and a whole wealth of musical talent playing across the weekend, Latitude once again boasts an exciting and unique line-up.

And whilst the best bands play, Latitude’s unrivalled arts programme features the very best from the worlds of theatre, poetry, literary, comedy, cabaret, dance, art, fashion and film. All of these performances come together to create one spectacular weekend. Visually stunning, awe-inspiring and mind-expanding – Latitude Festival just gets better and better with these new additions:

Ian McCulloch and Will Sergeant have been at the core of Echo & the Bunnymen since 1978. The Liverpudlians produced consecutive classics of flowing, highly melodic searing post-punk from debut ‘Crocodiles‘ to their self titled fifth album. ‘The Cutter‘ was a top 10 single and has become a confirmed classic of the era, along with their 1987 hit ‘The Killing Moon‘.

After a split in 1993, they returned with ‘Evergreen’, and proved they’d lost none of their sublime qualities. 2009’s ‘The Fountain’ marked their eleventh studio release, and this staying power has ensured a huge and unwavering fan base. With a wealth of excellent songs to dip into, watching the Echo & the Bunnymen festival performance will be an essential moment of the weekend.

The Cribs are masters of addictive, wiry indie pop suss. In a career spanning almost 10 years the Yorkshire men – together with now full time member Johnny Marr – have produced passionate anti-hipster anthems including ‘Our Bovine Public‘, ‘Mirror Kissers‘ and ‘Hey Scenesters!‘. Last year they released the single, ‘Housewife‘ which was a great taster of the new material that’s due out later this year. You can hear these new tracks when they play Latitude in what will be a raucous, jump-out fun-filled festival set to remember!

American singer-songwriter Lyle Lovett began his career writing songs for others but by 1986 he had released his self-titled debut album, which contained three Billboard Top 20 singles. His country style has ensnared four Grammy Awards from Best Country Male Vocal in 1989 for ‘Lyle Lovett and His Large Band’ and Best Country Album for 1996’s ‘The Road To Ensenada‘.

His songs have appeared, sometimes with different vocalists, in films as varied as ‘The Crying Game‘ and ‘Toy Story‘ and even in recent US vampire drama ‘True Blood‘. These tunes have been woven into the fabric of US culture to the point where you’ve probably heard more Lyle Lovett songs than you realise. Check out his distinctive Americana at Latitude this year.

The Raghu Dixit Project is one of India’s foremost bands in its genre. Ethnic and rooted at the core, but at the same time, global in its outlook. It’s not a surprise that Raghu has been referred to as India’s biggest cultural export of recent times.

Recently nominated for Songlines’ Best Newcomer of the Year, Raghu Dixit has had an unexpectedly rich musical career. From initial fumbling with the guitar to impress girls, he ended up playing in indie and rock bands – notably Antaragni – in Bangalore before writing radio jingles for money.

He was initially rejected by the Bollywood-dominated music industry in his home country before being recognised by composers Vishal and Shekhar as having a unique talent. His debut album quickly became the best selling non-Bollywood record in India two years ago. Raghu has played several festivals in the UK and has toured several continents. His band’s eclectic blend of traditional and modern music – covering both western and eastern ideas and sounds – has resulted in hugely appreciative audiences, worldwide record deals and now a spot on the diverse and exceptional Latitude line-up.

Also playing in the Music Arenas over the weekend is a fantastic mix of burgeoning acts and household names including: Queen of Rockabilly Wanda Jackson, Isobel Campbell & Mark Lanegan, Edwyn Collins, Bright Eyes, Anna Calvi, Hurts, Deerhunter, Bellowhead, The Vaccines and Everything Everything to name just a few.

Elsewhere throughout the weekend, festival goers can enjoy readings from leading poets and authors including Linton Kwesi Johnson, Esther Freud, Jo Shapcott, Simon Armitage, Sarah Dunant, Dave Gorman and Alexei Sayle; top comics Alan Carr, Omid Djalili, Jason Byrne and a festival debut of Never Mind The Buzzcocks; exciting theatre and dance productions presented by The Gate, Bush Theatre, Sadler’s Wells and English National Ballet to name but a few, cabaret performances from David Schneider & Friends, Will Adamsdale, Bourgeois and Maurice; and BAFTA return to the Film & Music Arena with a fantastic programme of Q&A’s, discussions and workshops including comedy stars Steve Coogan and Rob Brydon discussing their hilarious work on Michael Winterbottom’s ‘The Trip’.

With DJ’s, The Winter’s Ball and late night parties found throughout the site, it is a unique and special weekend of fun, culture and entertainment. An intimate world away from reality waiting to be explored and enjoyed.

For a complete line-up visit the Latitude Festival website.

Latitude Festival 2011 Tickets

Weekend tickets £170.00 including VAT, subject to booking fee

Day tickets Fri, Sat, Sun £70.00 including VAT, subject to booking fee.

Child ticket (5-12 years) £5.00 including VAT, subject to booking fee Campervan Permit £30.00

Weekend tickets prices include car parking and camping Day tickets include car parking only.

Tom Jones

Welsh singing legend Tom Jones will be making a special appearance at the upcoming Latitude Festival at the Henham Park Estate in Suffolk it has been announced.

Now in his seventieth year Tom Jones will appear in the woodland setting on the opening night of the festival July 15th, taking to the secluded and magical Stage In The Woods at midnight.

In this late and special performance Jones will appear with his band to perform songs from his brand new album Praise & Blame which will be released on July 26th through Island Records.

Jones’ career spans an unprecedented 45 years of a roller coaster ride, ground breaking and unpredictable times that have seen the singer achieve popularity through generations of record buying, concert going music fans.

The songs from Praise & Blame are from a repertoire that includes American traditional, gospel and country, seeing Jones going back to his roots and creating a truly evocative musical work, aided and abetted by producer/musician Ethan Johns.

Tom Jones says of Praise & Blame: “It’s food for thought, it’s real, it’s natural, and in that sense it’s truly me.”

Thirty years ago the UK music scene was alive and kickin’.  But the anger of post-punk Britain had turned to new explorative angles which were awkward boxed and termed as ‘new wave’.

The ripped up jeans and spiky hair of seventies punk was about to be replaced with the clean-cut and tidy mod and ska revival headed by The Specials and Madness.  Both of whom have reformed to play live this year.

With the 1980s came glamour, dressing up and synthesizers, the polar opposite to loud aggressive punk rock and a dress-down culture of 1970s.  A new pop sensation was in the making, and began playing sporadic, word-of-mouth live shows and a new scene began to grow around a small London nightclub called The Blitz.  Club regulars included Boy George, Steve Strange (the manager), and a band who were about to have their first Top 20 hit single with To Cut A Long Story Short.

From the New Romantics movement came Spandau Ballet, who like many other groups from the 1980s have recently reformed after officially breaking up in 1989.

Soon other pop groups were wearing make-up and flowery shirts.  Duran Duran jumped on the coat-tails of the New Romantic scene, while electro ‘Synth Pop’ music swamped the charts.  Bands like Soft Cell, Human League and Depeche Mode had hit after hit.

Depeche Mode went on to become one of the biggest bands in the world. Their last album, Playing the Angel topped the album charts in no less than 18 countries and the band’s subsequent tour saw them play to 2.5 million fans across the world.

The Depeche Mode 2009 Tour will be their first for six years.

Other artists from the 1980s that have recently resurrected their pop careers with new albums and announced live shows include Grace Jones and the Pet Shop Boys, who won the award for ‘Outstanding Contribution to Music’ at the 2009 Brit Awards.

Grace Jones and the Pet Shop Boys are headlining this year’s Latitude Festival as well as playing live concerts in the UK this year.

Latitude Festival 2009

While Reading & Leeds Festivals are geared towards rock music lovers, Glastonbury has always offered more than just the music and been a more family-friendly festival.  But with the price of festival tickets there has been room for a smaller music festival in the UK with big name headline acts.  Over the past three years that void has been perfectly filled by the Latitude Festival.

Latitude is a small family-friendly music festival staged on the beautiful Suffolk coast, and this year it plays host to three legendary performers - Pet Shop Boys, Grace Jones and Nick Cave & the Bad Seeds.

Pet Shop Boys headline announcement comes after their recent performance at the 2009 BRIT Awards, where they received an award for ‘Outstanding Contribution to Music’ award. The Pet Shop Boys have released ten studio albums, all with a single word titles.  They have enjoyed continued commercial success since their first single, West End Girls was re-released in 1985.  Their current album is titled Yes.

Grace Jones has also recently returned with a commercially successful studio allbum, Hurricane (2008). Former supermodel, Grace Jones was at the peak of her commercial success between 1980 and 1985, original with great cover versions of songs like Private Life (The Pretenders) and Nightclubbing (Iggy Pop) with the perfect rhythm section accompaniment of Sly & Robbie, and then later with the Trevor Horn produced Slave To The Rhythm.

Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds have enjoyed alternative cult status since they were formed in 198. Together they have released an astonishing 14 studio albums, the latest was Dig Lazarus Dig in 2008.

Other music acts already confirmed to play include Doves, Editors and Bat For Lashes along with other acts both musical and non-musical across the festival’s many arenas!

Taking place on 16th – 19th July, near Suffolk’s stunning sea-side town of Southwold, Latitude tickets are more reasonable priced, especially for a families.  This year’s festival will offer a wide range of entertainment from the worlds of music, film, comedy, theatre, cabaret, dance, poetry, literature and art.