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Day one of Latitude 2015 was brought to an epic climax with a staggering headline set by Alt-J, as well as performances from Caribou, Django Django and Wild Beasts.
Public Service Broadcasting drew a mighty crowd in from the dusty sunshine for a rousing set of eccentric post-punk, drawing heavily from 2015's brilliant Race For Space, with a performance laden with vintage movie reels. Then at the BBC 6 Music Stage, Django Django played a triumphant set to an overflowing tent, drawing heavily from their self-titled debut album for an hour-long set.
Opening the set with the first two tracks of their 2012 debut, 'Introduction' and 'Hail Bop', the four-piece then cascaded neatly into 'Shake and Tremble', from their second album, Born Under Saturn.
Though fans have had three months now to get to know the band's latest LP, it was a shrewd decision to placate the festival crowd with material they were more familiar with - 'Default' in particular went down a storm.
By the end, the echo effect on Vincent Neff's mic was turned up so intensely that his every utterance to the audience, however mundane, reverberated through the packed tent for the next few minutes.
Then came the time for Caribou, whose blissed-out, psychedelic electronica was perfect for the sunset hours. The huge crowd were locked in dance well into the far reaches of the Obelisk Arena field, while bystanders still were locked a dreamy haze. With a career-spanning set that culminated the rapture of 'Can't Do Without You', 'Odessa' and 'Sun', the sheer joy of Caribou's set again set them apart as one of the finest festival acts on the planet.
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To cut to the chase, Alt-J's long-awaited headline set at Latitude will go down as one of the true musical highlights of summer 2015. Cynics may think their tight-knit introverted sounds more suited to a more intimate and humble environment - but the truth is that their charming eccentricity and idiosyncrasies were multiplied tenfold in wide open space, as the live translation of the likes of 'Hunger Of The Pine', 'Fitzpleasure' and 'Something Good' bloom into a far more cinematic and life-affirming experience.
"Latitude, it would be very special if you sang this next song with us," said keyboard man Gus Unger-Hamilton - before the packed out field roared back the words to 'Matilda'. Their cover of Bill Withers' 'Lovely Day' sent waves of fans into a deep swoon, before 'Breezeblocks' proved itself a bona fide modern day alt-anthem. Radiohead-sized greatness awaits them. One might not put the term 'crowd pleasers' and Alt-J in the same sentence, but the truth of the matter is that's all that Alt-J do - they were born to headline.
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Meanwhile, Ed Sheeran played a surprise secret set in the forest's i Arena.
Latitude Festival continues today with performances from Portishead, Laura Marling, James Blake, Wolf Alice, The Vaccines, The Charlatans and many more.
Check back at Gigwise for the latest news, reviews, photos, updates and more from Latitude 2015.
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