16/07/10-18/07/10 Latitude Festival @ Henham Park, Suffolk

The festival that claims to be more than just music, must be one hell of a behemoth as the gigs alone were world class, eclectic and unrivalled. Set in the mesmerising Henham Park in Suffolk, Latitude offers secret woods, ballet on the lake, poetry corners and magical performances. We fell down the rabbit hole and landed in Wonderland.

But what of the music? Well Latitude proved that 2010 is the year of The National. The five-piece from Ohio went up against the one-woman crowd puller, Florence and the Machine on Friday night. And won. The packed second stage was mesmerised by Matt Berninger’s conflicting dulcet tones and brawling boxer intensity, with breakthrough track Fake Empire being the biggest sing-along of the weekend (except for the predictable – yawn – James’ Sit Down rendition on Saturday, of course).

The National are on the verge of superstardom: slowly building a committed and epic fan base over their five albums, much like the music itself. They're the band you want to keep your very own little secret, until they only go and play the best set all festival. Secret's out, boys.

Speaking of hushed promises, Everything Everything on the small Lake Stage was the performance you'll be telling your friends you were lucky enough to witness in years to come. The foursome from Manchester make complex catchy, while hinting at a young Radiohead meets Foals. What’s not to love?

Empire of the Sun win the best show award, thanks to backing dancers looking somewhere between Power Rangers and Tron, space age projections, fish masks and Prince-esque vocals. It could only be Luke Steele (minus Nick Littlemore, as no one knows where he is these days). Despite appearing that it was all a backing track, the former Sleepy Jackson entertainer delivered a set worthy of the Alice in Wonderland vibes.

Second day Saturday opened with a promising set from California’s new boys Chief. Laid-back, catchy and cool, the surfer rockers featured the best beards of the festival. One to keep an eye on. The music that is.

The talking point of the weekend goes to Crystal Castles… and not in a good way. Despite winning us over with their experimental electro sounds (and trademark screaming), Alice Glass only had to go and lose it in the crowd, throwing punches at ‘fans’, while the crowd scarppered. Not very Latitude.

Headliners Belle & Sebastian played for the first time in four years and showed why their fans are still loyal. The Glaswegians covered The Rolling Stones’ Jumpin Jack Flash and received a huge reception to their twee, inoffensive, original back catalogue. A new track I Didn’t See it Coming hints they’re back for good.

The XX competed with Belle & Sebastian under the Word Arena tent and the atmosphere was as brooding as the band. Dark and dangerous, The XX can only be compared to the great Joy Division. The usual set went down a storm ­– here’s hoping they depart the festival circuit long enough to come back with record number two soon.

The line-up hit new heights on Sunday as practically every exciting young band on people’s to-see lists performed. Beginning with Mumford & Sons, the London country stars riled up a massive crowd at the main stage with their hit-laden debut Sigh No More. Parents winced as everyone in the Obelisk arena, young and old, sang ‘I really ****ed it up this time,’ but Marcus Mumford revelled, even taking his place behind the drum kit for a new track. 

Brooklyn’s Dirty Projectors, although a surprise slot on the main stage in the afternoon, delivered an intriguing set. Challenging at times, but overall addictive, Dave Longstreth and his experimental six-piece questioned disposable pop with their dark seven-record back catalogue. Stillness is the Move stood out from the practically indescribable genre Dirty Projectors have created.

Yeasayer wowed in the afternoon with a set that had everyone dancing like their lives depended on it. It would have been easy to only play recent record Odd Blood, but the Brooklynites took the chance and played tracks from 2007’s lesser known All Hour Cymbals, including opener Sunrise. And the gamble paid off. The electronica rock (like Dirty Projectors before them, Yeasayer are a music critics nightmare), were as addictive as anything all weekend.

On to the next one and The Temper Trap completed a packed summer with a glorious set built for the Suffolk sunshine. Closing track Sweet Disposition is a contender to rival James’ singalong crown – and a far more credible one.

Moving on to the Word Arena, via the cider bus (the sun was shining, it would’ve been rude not to) and The Coral took us back in time to the days when everyone listened to their delightful Liverpudlian shanties. Why does this day no longer exist? The Coral still have it, as Butterfly House proves.

An act that is creating waves is New York’s Darwin Deez. Performing in the spellbinding Sunrise Arena in the woods, the indie folkstar drew an excited crowd who revelled in his Napoleon Dynamite-esque dance routines and splash of The Strokes-meets-Adam Green.   

Closing one of the most relaxed festivals you’ll find was two-minute pop anthem specialists Vampire Weekend. Looking like they’d just stepped off the plane straight from The Hamptons, the smartly dressed quartet came on stage 15 minutes late to House of Pain’s Jump Around.

After apologising for their tardiness, ‘Sorry to keep you waiting, our instruments just got here from Portugal,’ (where they played the previous night) the lads you could take home to your parents, launched in to current record Contra’s Holiday and White Sky before returning to the release that made their name, Cape Cod Kwassa Kwassa from 2010’s eponymous album. The crowd lapped up the New Yorker’s injection of kitsch indie, with I Stand Corrected and A-Punk highlights from a hit-laden set.

Ending Latitude 2010 with Walcott from the first record, Vampire Weekend left everyone wanting more. More music, more dancing, more Wonderland, more fun. Please don’t let two awful, unforgivable incidents ruin it for everyone. Here’s to Latitude coming back stronger than ever in 2011.

Latitude Festival 2010 - The Best Bits