Photo: Richard Gray
The organiser of Latitude, Reading & Leeds has revealed his hopes for newer acts to step up as festival headliners in the future - tipping Young Fathers and Years & Years as likely contenders.
Watch our interview with Festival Republic boss Melvin Benn below
Speaking to Gigwise at Latitude Festival, Melvin Benn spoke highly of Mercury Prize winners Young Fathers and the BBC Sound of 2015 Years & Years, hoping for them to rise through the ranks like Foals and Alt-J to headline.
"Certainly for me, the best live act I've seen in the last year is Young Fathers," Benn told Gigwise. "Even more than their album, I think that seeing them live is transporting them to another level in terms of what that band are. I think they're doing things differently. It's not just about a lead singer, a bass and a lead guitarist - they're challenging how to present and what the songs are. For me they're extraordinary and I'd love to see them move and come forward."
He continued: "Quite frankly, the explosion of interest in Years & Years is such that they're playing the BBC 6 Music Stage but they could have easily been playing very high up on the main stage."
Watch our interview with Melvin Benn below
Speaking of his regrets, Benn told Gigwise that he wish he'd been able to offer Ed Sheeran a spot at the top of the bill before his rapid ascent after starting his career at Latitude Festival. Sheeran helped Latitude celebrate 10 years of Latitude by playing not one, but two secret sets this year.
"Sadly Ed Sheeran jumped a stage," said Benn. "He started here then jumped straight to Wembley Stadium - what a bugger! I didn't get the chane to give him his first headline performance, but there are always a few that are coming through the ranks as such but Young Fathers are the ones that I'm most excited about."
Speaking of his other hopes for fresh talent, Benn added: "George The Poet is playing the Film & Music stage, he's played the Poetry Stage I don't know how many times. I think George The Poet will end up on the main stage. I don't know if he could headline but he's an incredible talent. That would be a dream for me - to see someone like him on the main stage. It isn't about dreaming that Bruce Springsteen will come, it's about dreaming that someone who's risen through the ranks of Latitude will come and be the headliner."
