Latitude 2009: Grace Jones, Pet Shop Boys & Nick Cave And The Bad Seeds To Headline

• 26th Mar 2009

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

Now in its fourth edition Latitude continues to inspire and innovate offering the very best from the worlds of music, film, comedy, theatre, cabaret, dance, poetry, literature and art. With stunning individual performance spaces dedicated to each of the arts, the arenas are treasure troves of talent, with open doors and inviting atmospheres. Sit back and be entertained by over 700 performers or participate and learn a new skill in the many workshops on offer, there are new experiences round every corner. Latitude encourages you to open your mind, embrace the unknown and try everything; a fun-filled, cultural adventure by the sea; the ideal weekend away.

It is this ethos that has set Latitude apart from its contemporaries and helped win many awards over the past three years. In October last year, Latitude Festival was delighted to win The Stage Award for Special Achievement in Regional Theatre at the coveted TMA Awards (Theatrical Management Association). The Stage Newspaper, main sponsor of the ceremony and of the award Latitude won, praised the festival's efforts to take theatre to new audiences. This is a massive achievement that places the theatre programme at Latitude, up there with the great and the good of the performing arts world.

This year’s line-up is already boasting a wealth of exciting acts across all arenas, and with so much more to be announced over the next five months this year’s event will no doubt shape up to be yet another glorious slice of cultural heaven. So why not book the time off now and rest assured that you’ll have the time of your life, being entertained on the Sunrise Coast at Latitude Festival 2009.

~ MUSIC ARENAS ~

Latitude Festival boasts four principle music arenas all dedicated to the very best from the music world catering for all tastes and moods. Throughout the whole weekend the Obelisk, Uncut, and Sunrise Arenas and The Lake Stage will showcase eclectic line-ups consisting of some of the nation’s most cherished performers alongside the cream of emerging new acts. Enjoy musical styles ranging from electro to rock, dance to indie, classical to reggae, and from world to jazz; witness breathtaking headlining appearances and all in picture-perfect surroundings.

Jon Dunn ~ Music Arenas Booker, says:

“The perfection and spectacle of Sigur Rós, the chaos in the tent for Crystal Castles, the moment Blondie took to the stage, the rush of Foals at the Obelisk Arena, the arrival of Elbow as a band breaking through to the big league, the sonic power of The Mars Volta, the emergence of White Lies for the first time, Seasick Steve and his three string guitar and bottle of whisky ,the diminutive figure of Joanna Newsom wooing 15,000 people at midday on the Sunday…
…My own highlights from 2008.

I’m excited for this year’s event more than ever, our three headliners Pet Shop Boys, Grace Jones and Nick Cave epitomise where Latitude is at, challenging, iconic and visually stunning.

Over the next three months we'll be announcing over 100 more artists for this year’s event, an event that has grown every year, and one that I feel will be our strongest musically yet.”

 
OBELISK ARENA

~ Pet Shop Boys ~ Grace Jones ~ Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds ~

The open-air Obelisk Arena has been the stage of some epic performances over the past three years and Latitude 2009 will be no different. Lay out your picnic blanket, bask in the sunshine and get down to some of the best music around.

Electronic dance pioneers Pet Shop Boys will be bringing their astounding live show to Latitude’s Obelisk Arena on Friday evening. Fresh from winning a BRIT Award for Outstanding Contribution to Music, Neil Tennant and Chris Lowe come armed with tracks from their brand new album ‘Yes’ and a back catalogue that includes 22 Top 10 hits and four number ones. They have sold a staggering 30 million records worldwide; giving us such classics as ‘It’s A Sin’, ‘Heart’, ‘West End Girls’ and ‘Always On My Mind’ to name just a few. Their influence can be heard in tracks from Madonna to The Killers, and they are as relevant and important today as they were 20 years ago. Masters of incredible visual displays while pumping out fantastic club anthems – this will be a headline set to remember. Be sure to wear your dancing shoes!

The iconic, hard-hitting, disco icon Grace Jones is currently enjoying a revival in popularity and mainstream success, her recent album ‘Hurricane’, (her first in nearly 20 years) has positioned her on the frontline of popular culture once again. Recently named Q Idol at the 2008 Awards, Jones is a model, actress, performer, entertainer, singer, producer, writer and enigma – a superstar that exudes style and talent. Her music career, spanning 30 years, incorporates late 70’s disco, early 80’s new wave, dub reggae and present day jagged pop. Carving out her own niche is her most exciting attribute, and her live shows that often descend into mayhem and anarchic performances are the essence of her appeal. For a mesmerising Saturday night show, expect the unexpected!

After a fantastically frenetic show last year with Grinderman, the phenomenal figure of Nick Cave returns with his band The Bad Seeds. Recent album and masterpiece ‘Dig!!! Lazarus Dig!!!’ which was voted Album Of The Year by Mojo sees Cave at his snarling, darkly humorous, and decadent best. Lyrically unparalleled, musically stunning, Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds have produced 14 incredible albums to date in a career spanning three decades. Lovingly remastered and repackaged, the first four classic albums are being re-released in March 2009 highlighting the prolific and infectious songs from one of Australia’s musical legends. His show on the Sunday night will be a fitting climax to the festival weekend.

UNCUT ARENA

The impressive structure of the tented Uncut Arena houses an eclectic line-up of alternative, leftfield music; a hotbed of genre-spanning artists all offering something unique. Last year, the arena presented: reggae, jazz and blues from African duo Amadou And Mariam, progressive and experimental rock from The Mars Volta, and orchestral rock from cult band Tindersticks, plus the legendary disco/punk of Blondie amongst many others. 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.

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. Showcasing the very best in up-and-coming music, the Sunrise Arena gives the perfect platform for new bands and artists to play to larger audiences. Last year saw performances from Crystal Castles, Metronomy, Black Kids and Lykke Li to name a few, who are now enjoying mainstream successes. With a full schedule to be announced shortly 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 LAKE STAGE PRESENTS

curated by Radio 1 DJ Huw Stephens

With the shimmering lake as a stunning backdrop The Lake Stage is an open air hub of rising stars handpicked by Radio 1 DJ and new music aficionado, Huw Stephens. A place for discovery and recognition The Lake Stage brings you the freshest new acts before they even register on the radar of the music press. A chance for budding young bands such as last year’s headliners Errors, Cheeky Cheeky & The Nosebleeds and The Wave Pictures to springboard from their early beginnings to great success. It is a place for up-and-coming creativity from across the musical spectrum to be unearthed and given a chance to shine. Come witness the next generation emerge at Latitude’s wonderful Lake Stage.