Friday 15/07/2011 Latitude Festival, Day One @ Henham Park, Suffolk

It was until arriving at Latitude that all of the following facts were taken for granted when pitching up to spend a weekend under the stars at a music festival: a campsite so packed that it would make tinned sardines feel claustrophobic, toilets that look make Victorian sanitation standards positively luxurious and fields upon fields of scenester kids more intent on comparing straw hats and Jack Wills hoodies than witnessing the musical spectacle that is unfolding right in front of them. It quickly became clear that in terms of festivals Latitude is the exception that proves the rule.

Latitude, situated in the heart of the Suffolk countryside, benefits from certain uniqueness of atmosphere that would make even the most cynical festival goers swoon, including a much-lauded literary bend, picturesque site and eclectic line-up picked from across the musical spectrum. Often referred to as Glastonbury’s “little brother”, Latitude’s inimitably comes from its atmospheric ambience, something that makes it, in many ways, incomparable.

Day one of 2011 kicked off with Avi Zahner-Isenberg of Avi Buffalo’s virtuous guitar noodlings. Barely out of high school it’s easier to see why the four piece have caused such a stir on both sides of the pond since the release of their debut album last year. By his own admission Zahner-Isenberg is “stoked” to be playing Latitude before going on to clarify that the experience is “gnarly... as they say in California”. Working through the highlights of their eponymous debut including single What’s In It For, the only disappointment was that the band wasn’t afforded a longer slot to further mesmerise the onlookers.

The Duke and the King followed Avi Buffalo on the Word Arena/Stage as they opened with the sumptuous Americana of “Summer Morning Rain”. Simone Felice et al traded harmonies and instruments with consummate ease as the band’s unique brand of country gospel folk melted all those in attendance. A triumphant cover of Neil Young’s Helpless ended the forty minute set and ensured that the bar was raised extremely high for the rest of the weekend.

A quick dash over the Obelisk Arena (main stage) saw effervescent 73 year-old songstress Wanda Jackson play an eclectic mix of material, from Elvis Pressley and Amy Winehouse covers (Heartbreak Hotel and You Know I’m No Good) to tracks from her most recent Jack White produced album the 'Party Ain’t Over Yet'. Perhaps Jackson’s status as an American music institution was lost on a few hundred people gathered in a soggy field in Suffolk, but nonetheless , her lively set certainly belied her advancing years to provide a thoroughly entertaining spectacle.

Having briefly encountered the statue-esque Isobel Campbell and Mark Lanegan it was back over to the Word Arena to see everyone’s favourite Atlantan experimental purveyors of shoegaze Deerhunter in action. Front man Bradford Cox may have appeared somewhat awkward and aloof throughout the band’s set, but when one witnessed the monolithic sound resonating around the arena it was clear as to why Cox was content to let Deerhunter’s majestic compositions speak for themselves. 

The North American alternative theme continued with Caribou (aka Dan Snaith) at the Word Arena. In terms of atmosphere and audience participation Caribou’s set will long be considered one of Latitude 2011’s many triumph as one electronica pop gem followed another and delighted the sizable feral, fanatical audience in the process.
“Hello tree people!” Jonathon Rice greets the Sunrise Arena with as he takes to the stage with current beau and power pop partner in crime Jenny Lewis under the moniker of Jenny and Johnny. Fresh from appearing with Bright Eyes on the main stage earlier the duo looked the picture of domestic bliss as they rattled through highlights from their album I’m Having Fun Now regularly sharing the mic in the process. Particular highlights included the exceptional Committed and Lewis lead vocal of My Pet Snakes. Appearing more content with the quirkiness of Latitude than they did being crow-barred into an early slot on the the Park Stage at Glastonbury, Jenny and Jonny proved the perfect artists for the perfect evening down in the woods.

It was then up to main stage headliners and alternative American cult favourites The National to round off day one of Latitude. Matt Berninger’s slightly dodgy microphone failed to detract from a performance which was as epic as it was effortlessly magnificent. Passing the microphone from audience member to audience member the curtain was brought down on day one with an appropriately communal rendition of Mr November which summed up the collective aesthetic of both the day and the festival in a way that few other artists would have been able to.

Latitude Festival - Day One In Photos