Latitude 2023
There was sunshine, there was rain, bands I’ve loved for 30 years, amazing bands I’d never seen before, top-notch comedy, and plenty of opportunity to dance and sing. I loved Latitude! Herewith the markontour guide to one festival goer’s Latitude 2023.
Friday
- Wasia Project, Sunrise Arena, 12 noon
Fun start which drew an out-sized audience. Probably too jazzy for me to enjoy a whole LP, but great energy for a live show. - Cloth, Sunrise Arena, 1.15pm
A surely XX-inspired Scottish band with broody guitars. I can imagine enjoying Cloth while working. - Lime Garden, Sunrise Arena, 2.30pm
Catchy, poppy, quirky and fun from this all-female 4-piece guitar band. Must see again. Citrus in the name seems a good guide to talent -t last year we loved Lime Cordiale on the same stage. - The Last Dinner Party, Sunrise Arena, 3.45pm
Kate Bush meets Florence and the Machine and a lead singer who appears born to be on stage. All dressed in red silk, white lace and black the whole band are already full of confidence on stage despite being only a couple of EPs into their career. Going to be big. - Gretel Hanlyn, 6.15pm, Sunrise Arena
I didn’t actually manage to watch this band so can only review vicariously via Dr.G, but he was adamant she was the best new find of Latitude and listening after the fact I can see why. Missed her at Green Man last year too. Damn. - Yard Act, 8pm, BBC Sounds
Leeds agitators on top form, with a great mix of politics, social observation and wit. - Pulp, 9.30pm, Obelisk Arena
Ah, Pulp, how we missed them. Back and on top form, this was a blissful hour and a half of songs everyone knew. From 50 metres away Jarvis looks and moved just like it was 1995 all over again. - Massaoke / Club de Fromage, Comedy Arena, 11pm
The only way to follow Pulp was 3 hours of dancing and voice-losing sing-a-long.
Saturday
A day which started with the life-changing revelation that we’d made the front page of the Lowestoft Journal under the headline ‘Revellers dance through the drizzle’. I don’t remember the rain..
- Disco Yoga, 11am, Waterfront
A sensible way to start for those whose joints now need some recovery exercises and after a breakfast of 1980s favourite for those who grew up in a brewing town: malt loaf. Mind you, most of the time we were encouraged to lie on the ground and drift off.. - The Mysterines, 12 noon, Sunrise Arena
Good name and listening back I can hear why we all ticked this one as one to see. I don’t think I was really concentrating in the moment, however. - Suzi Ruffell, 1.30pm, Comedy Arena
Wow she was funny. I believe I’m repeating her description as a “lesbian with a geezer Dad”. When she came out to her family a similarly blokeish, but supportive, uncle said “I don’t blame you: I wouldn’t fancy shagging a hairy bloke.” - The Lightning Seeds, 2.45pm, Obelisk Arena
We arrived just in time for the hits and, thus, enjoyed a three song nostalgia-fest. - The Big Moon, 4.25pm, Obelisk Arena
I’ve seen this uplifting 4-piece all-female band so often now that I must be becoming a superfan. But it’s not only me enjoying the gorgeous harmonies of The Big Moon, who are blossoming into one of the best indie bands out there, bass player, Celia Archer, was grinning like the happiest person alive throughout. - Bridget Christie, 5.25pm, Comedy Arena
A great day for comedy, with my personal Taskmaster favourite, Bridget Christie, also on fire. Riffing on the menopause and the challenge of women becoming invisible after 50. “They must all be dead. That’s the only explanation. They’re never on TV, never in the films. Must be dead.” - Paul Heaton, 6pm, Obelisk Arena
I’m so glad we danced through the rain to catch the second half of this wonderful set full of Housemartins and Beautiful South classics. Everyone – and I mean everyone – at the Obelisk was singing, dancing and smiling big, big smiles. It only got better finding out that Paul Heaton had put a few quid behind each bar in the Latitude area so fans could have a drink on him on the way home. - The Young Fathers, 10pm, BBC Sounds
OMG. OMG. OMG. Deep breath. This makes it into my all time top 10 live gigs. The intensity was breath-taking and relentless. With 5 singers inter-weaving singing, whooping, and chanting over double-drums and some deep bass, if you didn’t love this then you weren’t alive. Deservedly nominated for the Mercury prize again for their astounding fifth album, Heavy Heavy. - Guilty Pleasures, midnight, Comedy Arena
Dancing to stuff you’re not supposed to like was the only way to follow The Young Fathers. Although what’s guilty about loving Wham, Fleetwood Mac and even Madonna makes it on to the list now?
Sunday
- James, 12 noon, Obelisk Arena
We’d thought we’d come on early when it was a bit quieter, explained Tim Booth before introducing the 20 piece orchestra and Manchester Inspirational Voices gospel choir, who would accompany the band on a run through just come of their amazing back catalogue. I love James and they nearly topped Young Fathers. After confidently telling a friend that they never play Sit Down, they started with it. The sing-a-long to slowed down Sometimes nearly got the tear-ducts going, and finishing with Laid was a dream. - Sons of the East, 2.30pm, Sunrise Arena
Performing with the comfortable confidence of a band who are big in the homeland of Australia, I enjoyed their country-tinged positivity. Obvious comparisons to Mumford and Sons and The Lumineers, but I’d say better than both. - Gwenno, 3.20pm, BBC Sounds
I loved Gwenno in The Pippettes, adore her progressive Welsh politics, and have kept going to see her through several reincarnations. She’s so relentlessly, eclectically creative that not all of them have clicked with me, but her latest album, mostly sung in Cornish, Tresor, is wonderful and the accompanying live show is gloriously uplifting. - Helen Bauer, 5.20pm, Comedy Arena
I don’t usually record the stuff I didn’t like because everyone’s taste is different and what’s the point in being horrible about someone? But this was so much not to mine and all my accompanying friends’ taste that I need to note it just to make sure we never make the mistake again. - Romesh Raganathan, 5.50pm, Comedy Arena
I like Romesh Raganathan, so maybe it was the preceding horror of Helen Bauer’s cruel, hide-behind-the-sofa- therapy session, but this show about middle age and long marriage didn’t quite hit the spot that his TV appearances usually achieve. - Red Rum Club, 8.45pm Sunrise Arena
Without a headliner of interest we thought we’d stick with the stage where everything was good this year, and Red Rum club came up trumps. Don’t remember anything other than I loved them. Quite poppy in a Vaccines kind of way, I think. - Bob Vylan, 10pm, Sunrise Arena
Vying with The Young Fathers for intensity, the two Bobs’ uncompromising, combative, politics-to-the-front mix of heavy metal and hip-hop deservingly won them Kerrang! Best Album award last year. We jumped up and down, screamed and shouted along with everyone else who wasn’t watching George Ezra. I vaguely remember a soliloquy where lead singer Bob explained “Some people think you should talk to fascists and try and help them understand why they’re wrong. Bob Vylan say fuck that – if you encounter a fascist, hit ‘em”.
Special mention to Fashionclicksss, purveyors of fine festival-wear and lots of laughs while you’re buying.
markontour 
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