Latitude 2007 - Beyond The Beat

United Kingdom | by Jonny Rocket | 17 July 2007

With all tickets sold, year two at the Latitude party of life, art and poetry manifests itself, once again, within the simply beautiful surroundings of Southwold's Henham Estate. This gorgeous place is worth a visit on it's own. Add a cast of thousands and its beauty acts like an amplifier. It's a lovely setting that brings out the best in the audience and the artists.

Latitude is for those festival-goers hungry for wider cultural experience. It's based on a European tradition of events that offer entertainment across the gamut of the creative arts. If you want an adrenaline-induced rush of 24/7 all-night party action, then Latitude's not your home. If you want a positive laid-back time, then the festival is an easy place to find new friendships. The place and the entertainment open people up. Here's what could be a typical day there, away from music.

Henham boasts a beautiful forest area; you can smell the trees, moss, and ferns as you wander its woodland paths toward the lake, where you pause to pat a multi-coloured sheep, and then...
From nowhere comes a voice, it's an operatic vocal Anthony and the Johnsons would be proud of. Beside the fern-fused riverbank four white-clad ballet dancers are moving marvellously while unique 9-piece act The Irrepresibles, dressed-up in post-modern Regency garb deliver a song so otherworldly it takes your breath away. You can feel your aesthetic sensibility pulsing.

Cross the bridge, take a left, you're at the Luke Wright-hosted poetry arena. John Hegley, Roger McGough and Louis de Bernieres are the big names on show. Francesca Beard wins a standing ovation with her witty, whimsical poetic biography, while unknown Radio 1 poetry competition winner Jamie Littlefire reads his verses in public for the first time. Tom Sutton shares one of his guerilla complaints letters. He contacts companies for some sham reason, writing long and almost completely irrelevant 'biographical' letters appealing for help with his personal life, loosely tying these up to something relevant to the company. The real humour is in the company's increasingly stressed-out responses.

The open mic poetry slots are outstanding: PeteMC gets the audience in stitches with his witty, sardonic account of being mugged, while the crowd explodes at the naked poet, who despite her nudity offers evocative verses on the nature of passion and desire, before urging the audience to strip: "Hollywood shows you rape and gore, but show them a prick or fanny and they'll show you the door". 

Over at the Literary arena, Four Weddings and a Funeral and Notting Hill writer Richard Curtis tells you that writing Blackadder was "the worst experience of my life." The man behind 1963's Great Train Robbery, Bruce Reynold's shows up to read extracts from his biographical account of Britain's legendary heist. Now in his seventies, he captivates everyone with tales of Ronnie Biggs and 60's crime culture. Former MC5 manager and founder of the White Panthers John Sinclair sticks to his guns, sharing his thoughts on the revolutionary nature of dope, rock music and sex. The counter-culture icon read extracts from his 60's manual of revolution, Guitar Army. Still on the trail, Sinclair urges the Latitude crows to switch off the TV, take over their bodies and their minds and "Be free, free, free."

Space is a problem in both venues. Audiences are usually too large to fit inside. PA systems aren't powerful enough to reach the ears of everyone outside (including smokers, evicted from indoors by the draconian, poorly thought out smoking ban). Many just can't see what they want to see. Near the main music stage and adjacent to one of the site's biggest bars, comedy stage highlights include Bill Bailey, Phil Jupitus, Alan Carr, Mark Steel and Dylan Moran. Comedy here is international, world-class but, again, almost impossible to see, as huge heaving crowds fill the area, inside and out. We love Brendon Burns' angry savaging of modern "PC" culture. His challenge to every taboo topic on the planet raises belly laughs, before Mike Wilmott's masterfully gentle and self-deprecating take on sexuality and ageing reduces everyone to tears.

The Theatre arena hosts performance previews from a dizzying roster of alternative theatre groups on their way to Edinburgh Festival. Highlights include performances from Dance East associate and Royal Ballet choreographer Wayne McGrego's Random Dance group and the world premier of 'Murder At Cobbler's Wood', written especially for Latitude.

Fortified by a refreshing cocktail of cider, ale and lager, we stagger to the Lake stage for a surprise performance from Get Cape. Wear Cape. Fly. One of the most intelligent and charming young artists in the business, the set confirms the lyrical singer/songwriter has a huge future and he warms the crowd up for a thrilling performance by Blood Red Shoes.

We rush across to the Cabaret arena venue for a drag queen workshop, where random guys take the chance to dress up like ladies. The reluctant winner has the chance to mime Shirley Bassey's 'Diamonds Are Forever'. What is it about Brit blokes and women's clothes? Later we swoon at the acts featured during the Lenny Beige-compered evening, a stunning performance from Two Magicians (Barry and Stuart) who make like Jesus by turning water into wine. Even site security stare gap-jawed in fascination and wonder. It's followed by a death-defying and sexy performance from the truly amazing Lucifire, who flies above our heads suspended by hooks driven through the flesh on her back. It leaves us gasping (and wincing). The entertainment here is again world-class, with a burlesque and dangerous, edge.

Back into the woods and we find Gruff Rees (ex-Super Furry Animals) and Welsh songstress Lisa Jen standing by the path, singing a few songs. Unexpected and enchanting. Late night now, it's off to the BAFTA-supported Music and Film arena. This classy venue resembles an incredibly fashionable old school cinema. You sit at table, enjoy a drink from the bar (whisky follows so well once you work through the other alcohol groups) and enjoyed a host of international film previews, including Future Cinema's brave mixed media film, music, theatre and performance cuts. Later on, the weekend's most thrilling slice of Nick Cave/The Cramps/Gallon Drunk-inspired rock 'n roll comes from Brighton's best-kept secret, The Guilottines. Energised by their performance, we run across to the Comedy Tent, which turns into a late night disco hosted by the kings of cheese, Guilty Pleasures. You know you like Abba deep down, the Queen and Vanilla Ice tracks on either side are pretty good too. And the beer helps...

So did Latitude match its promise to offer more than just music? We think so. There was world class entertainment everywhere and it was fun to bimble among the incredibly laid-back and friendly crowd.
What was missing? We would like to have seen more walk-about performances and think a dedicated workshop arena would make a great addition to the site. Also, while an excellent treat for mind and spirit, amenities including stage tent sizes, toilet placement, food vendors will need upgrading to handle 20,000 attendees should the show sell-out again next year. There were ridiculous queues for food at key eating times.

What's great is that Latitude's audience aren't just passive cultural consumers, but creators, too. You meet people all the time. Artists wander around among the crowd. It's friendly, people are actively interested in what they're seeing and who is around them. We think Latitude's a welcome antidote to the bland, boring burger, beer and band travesties some festivals have become.