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Latitude Festival 2017


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Am I biased (because I can't stand them) but did mumfords make latitude worse not better?

Limited alternatives on Saturday night, big queues in the car park straight after their set and a feeling like sunday was half empty? 

Had a top weekend but saw about 2 full set from the top six on the main stage and not because I had other places to be. I like fleet foxes and John cale but head and sub at a festival that size they are not... and they drew the crowd to prove it. 

Can't help but feel that a more regular sized Saturday headliner could have meant John cale in the afternoon, fleet foxes at sunset and a headline act that people would have stuck around for?

That said still had great fun at Goldfrapp, Placebo, DJ yoda, Joe goddard and in the woods generally

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Am I biased (because I can't stand them) but did mumfords make latitude worse not better?

Limited alternatives on Saturday night, big queues in the car park straight after their set and a feeling like sunday was half empty? 

Had a top weekend but saw about 2 full set from the top six on the main stage and not because I had other places to be. I like fleet foxes and John cale but head and sub at a festival that size they are not... and they drew the crowd to prove it. 

Can't help but feel that a more regular sized Saturday headliner could have meant John cale in the afternoon, fleet foxes at sunset and a headline act that people would have stuck around for?

That said still had great fun at Goldfrapp, Placebo, DJ yoda, Joe goddard and in the woods generally

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Am I biased (because I can't stand them) but did mumfords make latitude worse not better?

Limited alternatives on Saturday night, big queues in the car park straight after their set and a feeling like sunday was half empty? 

Had a top weekend but saw about 2 full set from the top six on the main stage and not because I had other places to be. I like fleet foxes and John cale but head and sub at a festival that size they are not... and they drew the crowd to prove it. 

Can't help but feel that a more regular sized Saturday headliner could have meant John cale in the afternoon, fleet foxes at sunset and a headline act that people would have stuck around for?

That said still had great fun at Goldfrapp, Placebo, DJ yoda, Joe goddard and in the woods generally

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As a Saturday day ticket holder (girlfriend and I are big Mumford fans) I thought it would be interesting to know whether the weekend ticket holders thought the GOTR takeover thing was a success or not compared to the rest of the festival? As we were there for one day it was hard to gauge the overall mood. 

I get the marmite nature of Mumford themselves but I wondered if the day as a whole worked and will become a common thing? Or did it just feel like another day at latitude?

PS first time at the festival - loved the feel of the place and am thinking of weekend tickets for next year so it appears as though it worked for me!

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9 hours ago, mufan118 said:

As a Saturday day ticket holder (girlfriend and I are big Mumford fans) I thought it would be interesting to know whether the weekend ticket holders thought the GOTR takeover thing was a success or not compared to the rest of the festival? As we were there for one day it was hard to gauge the overall mood. 

I get the marmite nature of Mumford themselves but I wondered if the day as a whole worked and will become a common thing? Or did it just feel like another day at latitude?

PS first time at the festival - loved the feel of the place and am thinking of weekend tickets for next year so it appears as though it worked for me!

Obviously all the following is my opinion and others will feel differently.

Also we're regular attendees at both Latitude and a variety of other festivals (we try to do 3 or so each year) so I'd like to think I have a wider perspective.

Firstly I'd say Saturday at Latitude is never indicative of the other two days - on fact we generally dislike the Saturday compared to Fri / Sun.

Basically the Saturday tends to be more "mainstream" than the other 2 days (and imho less interesting) and is full of day ticket holders which broadly means gangs of teenagers who can be a pain in the backside on occasion and a lot more alcohol being consumed which means it can get a bit lairy.

(to be fair most of the day ticket holders seem lovely but there tends to be a bit more grief on Saturday though we are talking Latitude rather than T In The Park so it's more entitled behaviour than physical violence)

As for the whole GOTR thing.

If you check out the "other forum" you'll see most of the old timers (some of whom have attended Latitude since the beginning) hated it - some to the point of not attending at all this year. (It's also garnered mixed reviews in the mainstream press)

The whole idea of M&S taking over an entire day seems to have meant a lack of musical choice (basically if you don't like the same stuff as M&S then you were screwed), the whole no one else on in the big tent at the same time as M&S was a disgrace and I could go on.

in short it's a festival not an M&S Gig.

Finally there is a feeling that in order to get M&S, a lot of the other budgets were slashed hence the reduction in the other arts and the increase in corporate branding.

I don't know if it was a success or not but a lot of the old timers are awaiting next years announcements before deciding whether to attend rather than buying tickets as soon as they are on sale.

So there's my view....

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Had a great weekend overall but it is def time for my family to try something new next year so Kendal Calling 2018 has already been booked. The kids wanted to see more music this year once they got there and there just wasn't enough that they were interested in. If they want to increase capacity they need to improve the quality of the lineup next year. 

The kids really surprised me how much they got stuck into the kids area this year but there's no way they could do a 4th year in a row.

Enjoyed Mumfords but didn't think their takeover added anything but a few w*nkers claiming entitlement over their precious space and chairs, the way a few people acted as I was getting my ten year old daughter out of the main stage to go to toilet was an absolute disgrace.

People were great for the most part but there was pockets of people whose attitudes stunk, one guy in front of me queuing up to get into the family camping was moaning at his wife that "it's never been like this getting in other years" and "this is a joke, last year we come", I thought are you fucking kidding me in light of recent events, the queues weren't even that bad 

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I am so conflicted....

There was so much wrong this year. The pr debacle is shameful for such a big entertainment company. The bag searches being a case in point. But, in family camping, the searches were light. I was NEVER searched during the weekend. I had an OK time, but would seriously consider whether we should come again (having an OK time at the 'tude, surely, is a net loss. It is supposed to be magical...). Yet Layla (my baby) had a BRILLIANT time! And the kids area is SO BIG, when she gets a little older, I just KNOW she will love it. So we will likely be back. The sponsorship is completely hideous (that Waitrose abomination was horrid), yet loved pimms. One of the WORST line up day for any festival I've ever been to (Saturday) was the busiest day of the weekend (and possibly the busiest I have ever seen latitude be). 

I do not know what to think.....

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What has happened to all the small venues/ tents in the Faraway forest that had some great performing arts etc in them, last year they were scaled down & this year they were virtually non existent. Latitude seem to be going the same way as other festivals by replacing  all the weird & wonderful with DJ's after hours.

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4 hours ago, jimbo68 said:

What has happened to all the small venues/ tents in the Faraway forest that had some great performing arts etc in them, last year they were scaled down & this year they were virtually non existent. Latitude seem to be going the same way as other festivals by replacing  all the weird & wonderful with DJ's after hours.

Didn't Neil say this was due to arts council funding cuts? Another thing we can blame on Marcus Mumford (but I bet a lot of the Latitude audience also voted Tory).

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On 20/07/2017 at 7:02 PM, GETOFFAMYLAWN said:

Didn't Neil say this was due to arts council funding cuts? Another thing we can blame on Marcus Mumford (but I bet a lot of the Latitude audience also voted Tory).

A large section of the crowd were singing the Jeremy corbyn song on the sunrise stage before Dave came on... which was surprising

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18 hours ago, dentalplan said:

The crowd watching an up and coming rapper while Mumford & Sons were on? I mean, if anywhere there'd be a JC chant...

Oh yes of course, i'm not saying latitude has turned into leftfield! It wouldn't have happened a year ago though...

Not to my personal taste but Dave was really good.

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On ‎18‎/‎07‎/‎2017 at 0:35 AM, mufan118 said:

As a Saturday day ticket holder (girlfriend and I are big Mumford fans) I thought it would be interesting to know whether the weekend ticket holders thought the GOTR takeover thing was a success or not compared to the rest of the festival? As we were there for one day it was hard to gauge the overall mood. 

That was my 6th Latitude, and fair to say, a lot of our group felt that Mumford ruined our Saturday.  I don't mind them on record, but found them horribly dull live, and could really understand the "every song sounds the same" brigade.  But the main crime was taking away our choice.  I don't but a festival ticket expecting to have stages closed to try and force you to watch a headliner, whoever from FR that agreed to that demand from the band should be ashamed.

So hopefully this sort of shite will never be allowed to happen again, is my simple summing up.

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On 7/18/2017 at 0:10 PM, swede said:

Had a great weekend overall but it is def time for my family to try something new next year so Kendal Calling 2018 has already been booked. The kids wanted to see more music this year once they got there and there just wasn't enough that they were interested in. If they want to increase capacity they need to improve the quality of the lineup next year. 

The kids really surprised me how much they got stuck into the kids area this year but there's no way they could do a 4th year in a row.

Enjoyed Mumfords but didn't think their takeover added anything but a few w*nkers claiming entitlement over their precious space and chairs, the way a few people acted as I was getting my ten year old daughter out of the main stage to go to toilet was an absolute disgrace.

People were great for the most part but there was pockets of people whose attitudes stunk, one guy in front of me queuing up to get into the family camping was moaning at his wife that "it's never been like this getting in other years" and "this is a joke, last year we come", I thought are you fucking kidding me in light of recent events, the queues weren't even that bad 

 

Don't intend to be the bringer of bad news but I wouldn't personally go with kids to Kendal Calling.

Maybe 4/5 years ago. I went twice 2012/2013 and even in 2013 it had become a hot bed of teens just taking drugs they couldn't hack. Don't get me wrong I've been a silly boy as much as the next man but it all got a little bit Leeds Fest. A bit of a GCSE results party. 

We were offered MDMA daily by lads walking round with bumbags on, later in the festival they were frog-marched with hands cuffed behind back by undercover police. 

It has bits and bobs for kids but nothing like Latitude, personally Latitude is far and above the friendliest atmosphere I've experienced at any festival. Kendal also experiences a fair amount of theft stewards told us. 

You may love it but just a personal view I'd never go again. 

 

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Hmmm yeah - Kendal Calling and kids.

Depends how old they are I guess. 

We did KC in 2015 (liked the line up more than Latitude that year) and it was a lot of fun. 

However that was the year with a drug related death and half a dozen others being hospitalised. 

It seemed to be two festivals - a slightly boozey day / evening festival and a drug fuelled teen night rave. 

The day was ok though we saw people being openly offered drugs and taking them (and not just a bit of weed either). However you could ignore this. 

However the nights apparently got a bit wild (didn't see it personally as we're too old for that sort of thing) and I gather camping nearer the arena got a bit iffy at times. 

So if they are young kids, you camp in family area and you don't go to the late night stuff you'd probably be ok. 

We go to a couple of festivals each year and KC was the "edgeist" we've attended. That said was a lot of fun. 

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On 7/20/2017 at 7:02 PM, GETOFFAMYLAWN said:

Didn't Neil say this was due to arts council funding cuts? 

I speculated that it might be, yup.

I know that Latitude was benefitting directly and indirectly from Arts Council funding in the past, and i know Arts Council funding has been cut, so it's quite possible that's impacted on Latitude.

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On 25/07/2017 at 1:08 PM, Jacko45 said:

 

Don't intend to be the bringer of bad news but I wouldn't personally go with kids to Kendal Calling.

Maybe 4/5 years ago. I went twice 2012/2013 and even in 2013 it had become a hot bed of teens just taking drugs they couldn't hack. Don't get me wrong I've been a silly boy as much as the next man but it all got a little bit Leeds Fest. A bit of a GCSE results party. 

We were offered MDMA daily by lads walking round with bumbags on, later in the festival they were frog-marched with hands cuffed behind back by undercover police. 

It has bits and bobs for kids but nothing like Latitude, personally Latitude is far and above the friendliest atmosphere I've experienced at any festival. Kendal also experiences a fair amount of theft stewards told us. 

You may love it but just a personal view I'd never go again. 

 

 

22 hours ago, Vamagus said:

Hmmm yeah - Kendal Calling and kids.

Depends how old they are I guess. 

We did KC in 2015 (liked the line up more than Latitude that year) and it was a lot of fun. 

However that was the year with a drug related death and half a dozen others being hospitalised. 

It seemed to be two festivals - a slightly boozey day / evening festival and a drug fuelled teen night rave. 

The day was ok though we saw people being openly offered drugs and taking them (and not just a bit of weed either). However you could ignore this. 

However the nights apparently got a bit wild (didn't see it personally as we're too old for that sort of thing) and I gather camping nearer the arena got a bit iffy at times. 

So if they are young kids, you camp in family area and you don't go to the late night stuff you'd probably be ok. 

We go to a couple of festivals each year and KC was the "edgeist" we've attended. That said was a lot of fun. 

I've got family who work in the Kendal area who go every year and rave about KC.

My kids will be 11 and 9 by KC next year and my cousins 3 kids are of a similar age, I haven't seen her in years and our kids have never met so that's one of the big reasons for going next year. 

The photos she posts every year look great and when I said I was looking for something new to try she gave it brilliant reviews, were not daft either, our kids don't stay out much past the headliners at Latitude anyway so it'll be no different at KC

Theyve loved going to Latitude but my two have exhausted the kids area there and they really wanted to see more music this year but there wasn't enough stuff they knew, whereas I showed them this years Kendal Calling lineup and they couldn't believe the amount of acts playing they would go and see. 

People openly take drugs at Glastonbury but at the same time people are respectful of people with families, and there was definitely groups of people getting on it at Latitude this year, and on my first visit I was asked by someone during Manics on the Sunday if I could get hold of any gear, so let's not be nieve as it goes on in some shape or form at every festival 

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34 minutes ago, swede said:

 

I've got family who work in the Kendal area who go every year and rave about KC.

My kids will be 11 and 9 by KC next year and my cousins 3 kids are of a similar age, I haven't seen her in years and our kids have never met so that's one of the big reasons for going next year. 

The photos she posts every year look great and when I said I was looking for something new to try she gave it brilliant reviews, were not daft either, our kids don't stay out much past the headliners at Latitude anyway so it'll be no different at KC

Theyve loved going to Latitude but my two have exhausted the kids area there and they really wanted to see more music this year but there wasn't enough stuff they knew, whereas I showed them this years Kendal Calling lineup and they couldn't believe the amount of acts playing they would go and see. 

People openly take drugs at Glastonbury but at the same time people are respectful of people with families, and there was definitely groups of people getting on it at Latitude this year, and on my first visit I was asked by someone during Manics on the Sunday if I could get hold of any gear, so let's not be nieve as it goes on in some shape or form at every festival 

 

I don't think anyone was being naive, I'm just telling you that it's a festival with lots of 16-18 kids who can't hack whatever they're taking. I don't dabble in drugs and if people want to do it then that's their thing, it's when it gets thrust upon others I don't like.

You will probably have a great time, I just personally think it's got a little bit less friendly in recent years. 

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7 minutes ago, Jacko45 said:

 

I don't think anyone was being naive, I'm just telling you that it's a festival with lots of 16-18 kids who can't hack whatever they're taking. I don't dabble in drugs and if people want to do it then that's their thing, it's when it gets thrust upon others I don't like.

You will probably have a great time, I just personally think it's got a little bit less friendly in recent years. 

No worries, it seems that's the pattern for a lot of festivals then, latitude wasn't as friendly as the other two years this year 

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4 hours ago, swede said:

on my first visit I was asked by someone during Manics on the Sunday if I could get hold of any gear

Latitude is the tamest festival I've ever been to, and the only one where I've been asked if I'm selling drugs or know anybody who is. Always seems to be sheepish teenagers doing it, and most of them have asked me for a lighter first and then kind of mumbled into "by the by, would you perhaps...". I think it's a by-product of the festival being tame that a lot of these naive kids go along for their first festival and want to try something. Little do they know that I haven't the constitution to handle much of anything stronger than a double espresso.

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