aaamusic | On 30, Jun 2010

LATITUDE ANNOUNCES THE LEGENDARY TOM JONES  

 FOR A VERY SPECIAL PERFORMANCE ON THURSDAY AT MIDNIGHT  

IN THE WOODS  

~ TOM JONES ~  

Latitude is absolutely delighted to announce that the legendary Tom Jones is set to appear at this year’s Latitude Festival with a special performance on Thursday July 15th. The appearance with his band will see Tom performing songs from his forthcoming album ‘Praise & Blame’ at midnight In The Woods.

This landmark album comes in the singer’s 70th year, a glowing achievement in what has been a ground-breaking, unpredictable roller-coaster of a 45-year career.  The songs from ‘Praise & Blame’ (released 26th July on Island Records), are from a repertoire that includes American traditional, gospel and country, seeing Tom going back to his roots and creating a truly evocative musical work, aided and abetted by producer/musician Ethan Johns. 

Tom Jones says of ‘Praise & Blame’: “It’s food for thought, it’s real, it’s natural, and in that sense it’s truly me.” 

This performance by Tom Jones will quite possibly be blowing the leaves off the trees when he takes to the secluded and magical stage In The Woods at midnight….

Warming up for Tom Jones are Les Clochards who began in 2005 when accordionist Karen Cleave and singer Ian Nixon decided that the chanson tradition is a deeper, wider seam than many had realised, linking Jacques Brel to Southern Soul via Gene Vincent. Fellow travellers and drinking partners Peter Momtchiloff, Gary Neville and Dean Ryan joined along the route, as French standards gave way to imperfectly beautiful original compositions. Their first LP ‘Sweet Tableaux’ was released on Big Red Sky Records in July 2009, following two well-received singles, and has attracted excellent reviews. That’s because it’s really, really good. 

PLUS MORE MUSIC & ARTS ADDITIONS  

THE WORD ARENA  

 

~ David Ford ~  

 SUNRISE ARENA  

~ The Lost Levels ~ I Blame Coco ~ Gentleman’s Dub Club ~  

 THE LAKE STAGE  

~ Boycott Monday ~ Clare Maguire ~ Spectrals ~  

~ The Quails ~ Aaron Wright ~  

 FILM & MUSIC  

~ Steve Mason ~  

 COMEDY AT LATITUDE  

~ Stephen K Amos ~  

~ Kevin Eldon ~ Dominic Holland ~  

 THEATRE AT LATITUDE  

~ Box Of Tricks: True Love Waits ~  

 PANDORAS PLAYGROUND  

~ Dance East ~ Enterplay ~  

~ After The Beep ~ Advice Booth ~ School Sports Day ~  

~ We are Words and Pictures ~ Famous Last Words ~  

~ Mimi Poskitt  ~ Scrabble Sunday ~ (ex)sighting ~  

 LITERARY SALON  

~ Write To Play with Sir Peter Hall and Thea Sharrock ~  

 POETRY ARENA  

~ Matt Abbott ~ The Fake Thackrays ~  

DJs  

~ John Rostron ~ DJ Felson ~ Jen Long ~  

Latitude Festival returns for an incredible 5^th Edition on 15-18^th July 2010 set in the beautiful countryside of Henham Park Estate on Suffolk’s Sunrise Coast. 

Unlike any other festival, Latitude has built its sterling reputation as a brave and pioneering event with a line-up like no other. In the beautiful Suffolk countryside, Latitude provides only the very best of music, theatre, comedy, literature, film, poetry, dance, art, fashion and cabaret for an exceptional three days and nights of heady indulgence and scintillating entertainment. Four arenas are dedicated to an exciting selection of musical talent from emerging bands, international stars and homegrown heroes, whilst the arts onsite command no less than thirteen arenas and areas providing something for everybody, no matter what your preferences. Latitude continues to be the complete summer weekend vacation.

~ THE WORD ARENA ~  

Inside the deceptively large canopy that comprises The Word Arena will be an amazing set of alternative artists crossing genre boundaries seamlessly. You’ll discover a host of fresh and exciting acts from across the spectrum. The Word Arena is bound to satiate both the esoteric music fan and the casual passer-by as they enjoy these introductions to their new favourite sounds.

Eastbourne songwriter David Ford meshes folk compositions with a thoroughly modern touch. Somehow managing to leap from harmonica-fuelled blues to menacing, gravel-voiced mantras, his latest album Let The Hard Times Roll shows a man in complete control of his musical destiny. Having graduated from indie-hopefuls Easyworld mid last decade, The Word Stage welcomes the mature and powerful gravitas of Mr Ford.

~ SUNRISE ARENA ~  

A deliciously unexpected treat awaits the audience within the fragrant woods on the other side of the lake. The Sunrise Arena is host to a splendid foray of new acts and is the place to discover tomorrow’s stars today. 

Norwich-based indie collective The Lost Levels streamline alternately slinky and chunky riffs with the impeccable sheen of wailing synths. With songs tightly structured with piano interludes and time changes, there’s not time or room to lose interest. With huge support from local BBC Radio and their current single ‘Training’ garnering attention, it won’t be long before these songsmiths have snatched achievements and progressed far beyond the early stages. 

Being the daughter of a world famous musician, in this case Sting, Coco Sumner – AKA I Blame Coco – only means she has to work that bit harder. The opposite of workshy, this nineteen year old has already been an actress and model and began working on her music at fifteen. The result is ‘The Constant’ an album of unabashed electronic pop. Her voice is incredibly familiar as recent singles ‘Caesar’ and ‘Self Machine’ have proved, but she’s a confident and future star in her own right, wielding choruses of impressive magnitude.

Specialising in a blend of dub, ska and roots reggae, The Gentleman’s Dub Club have been overwhelming audiences since 2006. Arising from Leeds, this nine piece keep authenticity and refreshing melodies at the forefront of what they do. They’ve already supported exceptional acts like Roots Manuva and The Streets as well as playing at various UK festivals and a previous slot at Latitude. An excellent addition to the Sunrise Arena.

~ LAKE STAGE ~  

curated by Huw Stephens  

A few metres away from the crystal waters of Latitude’s core landscape feature, The Lake Stage provides tantalisingly early glimpses of Huw Stephens’ freshest tips. Latitude audiences are treated to a full parade of diverse and exhilarating bands about to be splashed across magazines up and down the country.

Boycott Monday are fairly modest though their chiming, percussive indie tunes are anything but. Stripped back to the mere essentials – guitar, bass, drums, vocals – their streamlined, choppy songs are all geared towards pushing the melodic simplicity of their voices and instruments. They succeed at this, bringing to mind immediately the sublime indie-pop of South London’s Good Shoes. 

Birmingham singer Clare Maguire has had a long journey relative to our 22 years, but this Universal-signed pop singer has been the subject of a huge bidding war as well as being compared to Amy Winehouse and Duffy by The Guardian. Having cited Howlin’ Wolf and Rosetta Tharpe as influences, the bluesy tinge to her incredible voice has the edge over hundreds of wannabe divas. She’s been developing, away from hype, and Latitude are pleased to have her perform on the eclectic Lake Stage.  

Spectrals strip surf twang from its roots and implants it into a shadowy, echoing cavern that warps and distorts the upbeat into the weird and unsettling. With the off-hand drawl that accompanies it, their leering, potent sound urges further investigation, a willingness to indulge with them rather than just sit back. They are set to release a new 7″ with on-the-pulse label Moshi Moshi so this may well be your best chance to see them.

Teignmouth quartet The Quails have already made a name for themselves with support slots at Muse’s homecoming shows – the arena rock behemoths also come from Teignmouth – and with The Kooks. Their second album ‘Master Of Imperfection’ has just been released and is a great demonstration of their indie rock chops. Come see what those headliners saw in this young ensemble.

Aaron Wright has spent the last couple of years building on a growing reputation as a charismatic singer/songwriter. He is joined by his band The Aprils who have helped give his act a fuller sound which has gone done well in a number of capacity crowds in London lately.  In the studio Aaron has recently finished recording his debut album with the help of Francis MacDonald (Teenage Fanclub) as producer and some guest appearances from the members of bands such as Latitude headliners Belle and Sebastian and Camera Obscura so with such illustrious backing, things are looking up for Aaron Wright and the Aprils. With Aaron’s musical influences firmly rooted with the likes of Dylan and Neil Young his lyrical charm sets him apart from his contemporaries. 

`~ FILM & MUSIC ARENA~  

A heady mix of visual and aural pleasure, the Film & Music Arena is home to some of the festival’s most mesmerising performances. Bringing together the worlds of alternative cinema and music, the arena will showcase a jam-packed programme of award-winning films, documentaries and shorts with Q&A sessions and discussions alongside musical treats and thrilling visuals.

Ex-Beta Band songwriter Steve Mason has just released his collaboration with renowned pop producer Richard X, ‘Boys Outside’. Following critical acclaim for the dreamy, shimmering pop that adorns the new record, Steve Mason has already made a significant leap from his King Biscuit Time and Black Affair alter egos.  He will be performing a very special set at the Film & Music Arena which promises to be unmissable.

~ COMEDY AT LATITUDE ~  

One of the festival’s most enduring and prestigious fixtures, the Comedy Arena, sees a huge and varied bill of comic splendour. Vastly lauded by all who spend time within its bosom, you’re likely to have to hold back some energy in preparation as you’ll be expelling it in laughter and mirth for the duration of your visit.

The wickedly sharp observations of Stephen K. Amos has seen audiences all across the country rolling in the aisles in either hysterics and even, at times, outrage.  With each whistle stop tour upon racism, homophobia, pop culture – including documentaries on the two former topics – his bright and charming ripostes to everything around him have garnered him a respectable following. Having performed every year at the Edinburgh Fringe since 2003, and a regular at London’s Comedy Store, his reputation is bolstered by his eagerness to perform. He released his long awaited debut live DVD – Find the Funny – late last year. He’s made many TV appearances from Live At The Apollo to Children In Need. He returns to the Latitude Comedy Arena as one of the most popular rising performers.

Kevin Eldon is probably the most familiar face in comedy television. He’s appeared in shows such as Spaced, Fist of Fun, With Richard Not Judy, Big Train and Black Books in the role of quirky and extremely memorable characters. His most recent role was as a police sniper in Chris Morris’ ‘Four Lions’. Verging on the dark and disturbing but without veering away from hilarity, Kevin’s comic acting roles should give us a good indication of the brilliance in store for those attending and paying attention.

From winning the Perrier Best Newcomer Award back in 1993 Dominic Holland has elevated his comic voice onto radio, stages across the country and TV with the likes of Have I Got News For You. Described as “a comedian who makes you feel glad to be alive” by The Guardian, Dominic has gradually become a renowned author on top of his comedy persona. This multi-faceted talent is one of our best kept secrets and the Comedy Arena is proud to reveal him to a new batch of potential fans. 

 ~ THEATRE AT LATITUDE  ~  

Unique and very special Outdoor Theatre can be found throughout the Latitude site, on the banks of the lake and deep within the forest. Taking inspiration from the beautiful countryside in which it is set, performances vary from beat-boxing to classical orchestra and from musicals to Shakespeare.

Box of Tricks presents the world première of ‘True Love Waits’ by Kenneth Emson, Evan Placey and Marcelo Dos Santos. “I can’t talk about these things with anyone else. You’re my priest.” Daniel is a convicted murderer on Death Row. Alice is his neurotic girlfriend. Charlie is a 15-year-old girl from Reading. Judith, a God-fearing mother. They all write to Daniel. They all need Daniel. But will true love wait?  An explosive comic drama for three voices, ‘True Love Waits’ fuses monologue and movement to tell the story of three ‘pen pals’ approaching personal crises. As they write to Daniel, separate lives begin to interweave and collide, and events take a darker turn. A unique commission from three of the hottest talents from the Royal Court’s Young Writers’ Programme, this is a darkly comic journey through three women’s lives and their obsession with a serial killer.

~ PANDORA’S PLAYGROUND ~  

Whilst Latitude’s extensive line-up is an incredible assortment of riches that can keep you entertained all weekend, there is also a treasure trove of unexpected pleasures that lie through the festival’s magical woods and beyond. Pandora’s Playground is where anything and everything can happen. A mini festival of its own, this quirky corner of the Latitude site features side shows, games, interactive art, dance troupes, theatre and an all night disco shed. This is the place for pure, unadulterated playtime in all its childish and fun-filled glory.

Try out a new dance style with DanceEast who will be running dance class taster sessions throughout the weekend, including Tango and Belly Dancing, Hip Hop, Mum’s and Daughter’s workshops, Lah-di-dah (a mass participatory 1920/30s themed exercise class), and much more. On Saturday join in with the Lah-di-dah classes led by three super female instructors, it’s a mass 1920’s workout that will get you in tip top shape for summer!  Follow the ladies as their clipped British tones guide you through moves including ‘high tea’, ‘the penguin’ and ‘chased by a bee’. Complete the actions in unison with your chums to create a delightful spectacle of health and vitality. Jolly good show! Based on post-war outdoors keep fit, flappers and Buzby Berkley dance numbers, this is an interactive performance where you create the performance! Lah-di-dah is produced by Jen Walke and Hannah Kerr, producers of participatory arts events with a vintage twist, and performed by The Beaux Belles.  DanceEast brings opportunities to dance to everyone across East Anglia, promoting dance as a pastime for fun and fitness for everybody. DanceEast also brings world-class dance to the East of England, presenting an eclectic programme of performances at the Jerwood DanceHouse and Snape Maltings Concert Hall.

EnterPlay will be in The Faraway Forest each day bringing a new story to the Latitude audience. Friday offers Echo, an experiential narrative that leads players on an aural journey through the nighttime Forest. Those who unlock the clues may find a secret midnight speakeasy… Saturday’s Segue pits teams against each other to lead a dancer on a trans-Forest journey, armed only with fragments of a score and a willing musician. Can you get through all the checkpoints and back home first? And Sunday rounds off with Necropolis, transforming the Forest into a cemetery and players into long-lost heirs competing to prove their inheritance rights to the Macabre family fortune. EnterPlay creates bespoke interactive events combining games, music, and dance, for theatres and festivals around the world.

In unexpected places an old red K6 phone box is appearing, lost and no longer sure of its purpose in society  it seeks out those still needing to leave a message, who have something left unsaid, who want to get out of the rain or hide inside and shut the door for a little while. After the Beep is made by interactive arts trio Invisible Flock, you are invited to step inside the box, keep him company, leave a message, stay a while and think about what happens after the beep.

A regular stall on the Brick Lane market before being shut down by the council, The Advice Booth has travelled by invitation to Shunt, Forest Fringe, Art Art Art, Amnesty International and others.  Providing a typed out receipt/prescription and a lollipop to soothe the pain, any question is on the table and they will do their best to advise.  The Advice Booth has attracted the attention of Current TV, the Londonist and the Evening Standard, and has so far consulted with over 400 people and counting. Any problems you have whilst in the middle of the field, this is the place for you to go.

Think back to the halcyon, summer, school days of your youth, when you could still touch your toes, Neighbours welcomed you home on the BBC,  Wagon Wheels were your lunch box treat and your days were spent glueing glitter to card, making rose petal perfume and learning your times table. Do you remember the culmination of the year’s hard slog?  Yes, that’s right, the Annual School Sports Day….loved by those with a hint of athleticism and a mum who could balance an egg on a spoon whilst navigating an obstacle course in a floaty 1970s maxi number and hated by those with the sporting skills of a slug. And a dad who couldn’t walk in those ridiculous flares he used to wear, let alone win a 3 legged race in them.  So, if you were a winner, come along and relive your former glories and if you were, well, a loser, come along, kick some sports day ass and finally stow those childhood memories of defeat away into your He-man packed lunch box for good.  Giant egg and spoon races, sack races, 6-legged race, Tommy Toss and more…. AMAZING prizes for the winners…..They’ll be under the tree opposite Pandora’s on Friday 11am – 3pm if you want to sign up to guarantee your spot or turn up on the day and play. Don’t forget…If you don’t bring your PE kit, you’re doing it in your underwear! 16+

Come and join some of the UK’s finest small press illustrators and help create a unique comic to celebrate Latitude 2010. Drop in to polish up on your drawing skills, relax and take inspiration from our library of ‘zines and comics or help fill pages with colourful characters, tall tales and fantasy lands while we spin a yarn in the Suffolk sun. We Are Words + Pictures are a group of illustrators and writers creating comics throughout the UK. Since 2008 they have worked with the ICA’s Comica Festival, Brick Lane Market and comedians Josie Long and Robin Ince. 

An automatic gameshow-cum-cult induction ceremony, ingeniously built into an innocuous looking caravan.  Famous Last Words explores the desire for success by inviting you to take part in the gameshow that will change your life. Can you make your way from befuddled contestant to confident host in only fifteen minutes?  Do you want to succeed?  The answer is yes, of course you do. Just look for the caravan in Pandora’s Playground.  Famous Last Words takes in one contestant every three minutes, so bring a friend.  And £3 cash. Greg McLaren is a theatre artist. He created and performed the hit show How To Build A Time Machine and has collaborated with Rotozaza, Signal to Noise and Mapping 4D.  

Mimi Poskitt has been producing documentary-plays with her and Ben Freedman’s production company Look Left Look Right since 2005. This has resulted in the pioneering works like the recent ‘Counted?’, about the nation’s voting habits and experiences, and their first critically acclaimed work ‘Yesterday Was A Weird Day’ about the 7th July London bombings. With a specially created show for Latitude, the result should be entertaining, informative and extremely striking. 

Everyone knows the best board game in the world is Scrabble. Not only can you pit your vocabulary and word-making skills against someone else, you can have a pint, a bite to eat and a bit of a lounge about in the sun while you do it. Perfect. That’s why in Pandora’s Playground, you’ll find Scrabble Sunday. They’ll provide lovely boards (from 50’s ones to 80’s ones, from swivelly ones to inflatable ones), a referee (with official Scrabble dictionary of course) to rule on any arguments, some comfy blankets and maybe even an opponent. Prizes will be awarded to those who come up with extra special words. All you have to do is bring your brain. Be there and be square. Be there AND be square, get it?

(ex)sighting In 1980 something occurred in Rendlesham forest not far from the Latitude site, still unexplained the UFO sighting has stirred many into telling their story and catapulting the mystery into the annuals of history. A night-time spectacle of sound and AV lighting, (ex)sightings brings together fantastic visuals with stirring movement and a dark soundscape. As dusk turns to evening, unsuspecting festival goers will be treated to an orb lurking in the darker realms of Pandora’s Playground, a glowing, captivating and curious happening that will undoubtedly leave you with a worrying sense of the unknown..

~ LITERARY SALON ~  

New to last year’s festival, the Literary Salon is the noisy little sister of the Literary Arena that encourages you to get involved. A hub of interactive workshops, open discussions and wideranging debates all ready to get stuck into – it is a place to air your opinions, learn a brand new skill, discover new and exciting things and explore your inner most interests.

Sir Peter Hall joins the Write To Play initiative bringing his skills to an eager learning audience. Hall is the legendary theatre director who established the Royal Shakespeare Company in 1960, directed the National Theatre from 1973 until 1988 and in 2004 opened The Rose theatre in Kingston-Upon-Thames. He’s played a huge part in defending arts subsidies for the UK and his pedigree speaks for itself. He will be interviewed about his incredible life as a pioneering man in theatre by and Thea Sharrock an award-winning theatre director who was once Sir Hall’s protégé. With the invaluable experience, innovation and knowledge between the two esteemed guests, attendees can expect a valuable insight into the art of plays, playwriting and translation from script to stage. Whether it be for your own project or just to enhance your understanding of the theatre you love, this is a unique opportunity to learn and be inspired. Everyone should take full advantage of this experience. 

~ POETRY ARENA ~ 

Over the past four years, the Poetry Arena at Latitude has grown into one of Europe’s leading poetry events in its own right, boasting the hottest slam poets, spoken word, storytelling, comedy sketches, rappers and much, much more.  The Poetry Arena lures in passers by with comfy bean-bags and cushions which entice you to stay all day transfixed by the magnificence of the raconteurs on stage. Laugh, cry and become enlightened in Latitude’s now famous Poetry Arena.

21 year-old Matt Abbott began performing spoken word at the tender age of 17. Spontaneous occupation of the microphone led to bookings, and before long he had several regular compère slots throughout Yorkshire. Using the stage name of Skint & Demoralised, his peculiar style often made an impression and in May 2008 he began writing songs with Sheffield producer MiNI dOG. Within 6 months, demos of their songs were played by Steve Lamacq and Colin Murray on BBC Radio 1 and within 9 months they’d signed a deal with Mercury Records at Universal. Their debut album ‘Love, And Other Catastrophes’ was recorded in New York City with soul legends The Dap-Kings (Amy Winehouse, Mark Ronson) and RAK Studios in London over the summer of 2008. Despite travelling to New York, playing Glastonbury and being played on day-time Radio 1, Abbott cites the highlight of his career as supporting John Cooper Clarke in York in main 2009. “JCC was the reason that I started writing performance poetry. The man changed my life, and I genuinely believe that he’s the greatest lyricist/poet of all time. I can’t wait to see him again at Latitude.” Currently riding high and his sharp, witty and lyrical poetry will continue to build a dedicated following.

John Watterson and Paul Thompson are The Fake Thackrays, they have been performing the songs of Jake Thackray for many years in venues across the UK. They are joined by Alex Watterson on bass. Jake was a singer-songwriter from Yorkshire, whose songs are painfully funny, sad, tragic, rude, irreverent, incisive and happy, and often enough all these things at the same time. Like all great poets, Jake Thackray’s words are beautifully chosen and assembled with the skill of a real craftsman. Here was a man who knew how to use the English language, whose rhymes defied the rules yet worked perfectly. Come see what you think!  

~ DJs ~  

~ The Lake Stage ~  

Presenting the veritable cream of disc-spinners throughout the day, The Lake Stage will host a variety of DJs across the weekend.

DJ Felson continues to make waves as one of Wales’ premier DJs. He can often be seen spinning discs for Huw Stephens’ Introducing nights both in and out of Wales.

Jen Long is a prominent writer and DJ on Radio 1 Wales. She wrote extensively for the sadly-departed Kruger Magazine and contributes to the BBC Introducing blog. As a constant fixture on the Welsh music scene, her record skills are second-to-none.

John Rostron is a Cardiff-based promoter who puts on nights around Wales under the Swn banner, which is also the name of the new annual festival he co-programmes with The Lake Stage’s own Huw Stephens. He also occasionally puts out records on his very own My Kung Fu label.

Other musical highlights over the weekend include Obelisk Arena headliners Florence + the Machine, Belle and Sebastian and Vampire Weekend as well as The National, The xx, Empire Of The Sun, Laura Marling, Frank Turner, Charlotte Gainsbourg, Spoon, Crystal Castles and Mumford & Sons amongst so many other.

Elsewhere throughout the weekend, festival goers can enjoy the comedy stylings of Emo Philips, Phill Jupitus & Friends Improv Show, Richard Herring; literary musings from the ever-popular Robin Ince’s Book Club with Kevin Eldon, Jo Neary, Robyn Hitchcock, Josie Long & Gavin Osborn; leftfield poetry from Eddie Argos; and dramatic performances courtesy of the Royal Shakespeare Company, Royal Opera House and Liverpool Everyman & Playhouse in association with Paines Plough.  

It really is a place like no other; an intimate world away from reality that encourages you to be all that you’ve ever wanted to be whilst indulging in the spirit of exploration and discovery.