Latitude Additions

• 23rd Jun 2009

The pioneering, award-winning Latitude Festival returns to England ’s Sunrise Coast for another spectacular edition. Taking place on 16th – 19th July, near Suffolk ’s stunning seaside town of Southwold , organisers Festival Republic are promising Latitude will be the perfect British summer destination.

OBELISK ARENA
The open-air Obelisk Arena has been the stage for some epic performances over the past three years and the line up for Latitude 2009 will continue in this success. Lay out your picnic blanket, bask in the sunshine and get down to some of the best music around. The latest act to join the likes of Pet Shop Boys, Grace Jones, Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds, Editors, Doves, Pretenders, Regina Spektor, White Lies is:

The Broken Family Band, hailing from Cambridge , the prolific four piece are considered the hidden gem of the alt-country-rock scene. With a constantly growing fanbase they are renowned for their beautifully crafted music, bitingly witty lyrics and superb live show. Their seventh full length studio album ‘Please and Thank You’ came out earlier this year which saw a shift from their country style to full-on alt-rock akin to American alternative heroes Pavement. Discover the brilliance of The Broken Family Band at the Obelisk Arena at Latitude.

Seven piece Broken Records have been tipped as the Scottish answer to Arcade Fire. Their variety and constant swapping of instruments result in a breathtakingly brilliant live act where cellos, fiddles, drums, trumpets, ukuleles and pianos are combined with perfection creating a folk-dancing nostalgic sound. Don’t miss the opportunity to watch them present their debut album ‘Until The Earth Begins To Part’ at the Obelisk Arena. “They deal in big lush, string-soaked songs with a pop sensibility. Think a British Arcade Fire with soaring, Jeff Buckley-esque melodies.” (Rough Trade)

UNCUT ARENA
The impressive structure of the tented Uncut Arena houses a line-up of alternative, leftfield music; a hotbed of genre-spanning artists all offering something unique. This year will once again host a myriad of musical musts from the fields of folk, world, experimental, electronica, rock, indie and any other musical style you can think of. It’s all on offer at the Uncut Arena.
Miike Snow is Pontus Winnberg, Kristian Carlsson and Andrew Wyatt. Named after controversial Japanese director Takashi Miike, they are very experienced in the music industry. Two of the members are responsible for Britney Spears’ most successful single, Toxic, and producers of artists such as Madonna and Kylie Minogue. The other member has worked on Daniel Merriweather’s album with Mark Ronson. Although their pop background is irrefutable, Miike Snow’s sound is surprisingly far from teenage pop. They combine guitar, piano and electronics to originate light, airy and sweet music.

Gurrumul is a member of the Gumatj clan of north east Arnhemland in Australia and it is the songs and stories of the Gumatj clan that he sublimely adapts into contemporary song styles. Currently a member of the hugely talented Saltwater Band he has contributed greatly to the Indigenous music industry which was recognised at the NT Indigenous Music Awards where he was awarded the Album of the Year and Song of the Year 2008. He earned the attention of the mainstream music scene in Australia and was nominated for several 2008 ARIA Awards including the coveted Male Artist of the Year and Album of the Year. His debut self-titled album ‘Gurrumul’ released last year received exceptional worldwide reviews. Gurrumul’s solo performances are a rare treat for music lovers and should not be missed. Geoffrey Gurrumul Yunupingu’s solo excursions highlight his amazing talent and his beautiful voice that will stay with you forever as he sings the songs of his Gumatj country.

Formed in 1986 and disbanded in 1990, Glaswegians The Vaselines are coming to Latitude in what is one of only a handful of shows the recently reformed band are doing. Though popular in their native country it was super-fan Kurt Cobain who helped get them worldwide acclaim by covering songs, ‘Molly’s Lips’, ‘Son Of A Gun’ and ‘Jesus Doesn’t Want Me For A Sunbeam’. Eugene Kelly and Frances McKee reformed last year to audiences with their folky punk-garage sound. Tongue-in-cheek references in the lyrics and grungy guitars bring us back to those summers of the late 80s and give the young generation a chance to hear the music that inspired one of rock’s greatest icons.

Manchester Orchestra come from Atlanta , USA to bring us their raw, emotional and authentic music. Inspired by the pounding, primal assault of Weezer’s ‘Pinkerton’, Nirvana’s ‘In Utero’, and Foo Fighters’ ‘The Colour and the Shape’, this young band has created its own version of what a classic rock album should sound like. Their second album ‘Mean Everything to Nothing’ perfectly exemplifies their loud/soft dynamics complete with fiercely beautiful melodies, shifting guitar and keyboard textures which live is am engaging and powerful performance.

Alela Diane’s gentle acoustic style has been described as campfire gospel as it is driven by trance-like arpeggios played on the guitar and her remarkable warm voice. She has been compared to fellow female solo artist Joanna Newsom, who helped and encouraged Alela to her first solo appearance. Her innocent, meditative lyrics about family and mostly nature saw her debut album, The Pirate's Gospel being voted best album of 2007 by the Rough Trade. Her second album, ‘To Be Still’ came out in February.

Been named as one of the hottest bands for 2009, eclectic Red Light Company formed through an ad just over 2 years ago, but demonstrate the expertise and quality of music veterans. They have wowed critics like Radio 1’s Jo Whiley and Zane Lowe as well as amassing a legion of fans through touring with the Editors last year. Their debut album ‘Fine Fascination’ came out earlier this year to wide acclaim.

SUNRISE ARENA
Take a stroll through Latitude’s fairytale woods with art exhibited within the trees and dappled sunlight shining through the leaves and you will stumble across the most exquisite space of all; the Sunrise Arena, home to tomorrow’s biggest stars. With a full schedule still to be announced, this cosy and cherished arena is the place to find the most exciting new talent. Discover the next big thing at Latitude’s stunning Sunrise Arena.

The Phenomenal Handclap Band started when Collás and Marquand, two New York underground club DJs, became restless with the concept of playing other people’s music. Both had also been involved in the thriving nightlife scene and had an almost encyclopaedic knowledge of esoteric music ranging from Brazilian soul to vintage psych-rock, so becoming producers seemed to be the next logical step. They gathered talented musicians and artists from Lower Manhattan and Brooklyn and started creating anthemic, dancefloor-oriented and orchestral sounds borrowing elements from progressive rock, disco, electro, and psychedelia. Live, The Phenomenal Handclap Band is distilled to an eight-member powerhouse, an eye-popping spectacle that overwhelms the senses. It pulses with a savage rhythm section that provides the ultimate foil for cascading guitars and electrified washes of organ and synthesizers. Their delirious sermonizing whips crowds into a charismatic frenzy. Needless to say, their live shows are more akin to a spiritual church revival than an actual rock show.

Elsewhere, the very best in film, theatre, comedy, literature, poetry, dance, art and cabaret will be pitching up at the fourth edition of Latitude Festival. Sadler’s Wells and the Royal Opera House will be showcasing stunning performances on The Waterfront Stage; Royal Shakespeare Company, The Bush, National Theatre, Paines Plough, and nabokov plus many more will be coming to the Theatre Arena along with the English Touring Theatre presenting Latitude’s first musical ‘Been So Long’. Also for the first time is the dynamic orchestral brilliance of Britten Sinfonia performing in Latitude’s outdoor spaces. The House Of BlueEyes collective will be presenting a stunning fashion show over the lake at sunset plus stellar poets Andrew Motion, Brian Patten, Jackie Kay and Simon Armitage will be in the Poetry Arena. The Cabaret Arena welcomes Pippa Evans, Ida Barr, Dusty Limits, Johnny Woo, Timberlina, David Mills and Watson & Oliver plus plenty more exciting performances to announce.

TICKET INFORMATION
Weekend tickets £150 plus booking fees • Day tickets Fri, Sat, Sun £60 plus booking fee. Weekend tickets prices include car parking and camping • Days include car parking only.
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