lovely report and you are hereby promoted to Major. Keep up the good work!

the line up (largely advertised in advance) you hated so much. If they had put together a dad rock friendly pool there would have been posts complaining about "stagnation and beards". I also think you make the common mistake made around here that the music we like is way more popular than it actually is.
Personally I was pleased with the mix of bands it's a family friendly festival so there's Crystal Castles for the kids to go mad for and in the same moment to make their parents tut and in one case of the woman behind me a look physical disgust and mild terror1!

I think it's very easy to underestimate their pull - one person in the know I spoke to suggested their booking was the main reason that the festival sold out so quickly. They're one of those rare acts with an enormous, slavish following who'll travel to the ends of the earth to see them play (especially as it doesn't happen often). But because they're not exactly a chart-bothering act, it's probably true that people outside the band's vast clique might be puzzled by their apparent elevation to headliner.

*Everyone* is more popular than I think they are. Every single person I met over the weekend said the same thing: "The act I really want to see is........." and in each case they added a different name.
It's something to do with the fact that as the story of pop gets longer its appeal also gets broader. I was amazed by the things that even my family wanted to see. And I don't think you can assume that you know what different groups find entertaining. Belle and Sebastian I can take or leave but I meet enough people to know that they're as big in their world as Little Feat used to be in mine. On the other hand I enjoyed the bit of Crystal Castles I saw.

Really looking forward to 2 days of rock this weekend, perhaps with just a dash of roll.

Only went for the Saturday, and this time it was with a pushchair (+ requisite baby), so I had a very different experience to the last few times I've been. The biggest difference this year was, for me, the crowds: I'm assuming they've upped the numbers as this was the first time I'd had to queue for toilets or food (obviously there were queues last time, but not at EVERY stall/toilet block). This was a minor problem, though I'd be nervous if they increased capacity any further.

Said pushcair meant that I largely ended up experiencing the comparatively easy-to-navigate main stage. I was similarly sceptical about Belle and Sebastian's headlining capability but I have to admit to being rather blown away by them. How sweet, winsome pop could be so successful was beyond me, but it worked very well. The crowd thinned alarmingly after 20 minutes or so, but I noticed that after another half hour there were more people than ever in attendance; I can only assume someone else with a similar fanbase had finished.

I can't help thinking, however, that they missed a trick by relegating James to an early evening slot. It was the first time the whole crowd was on their feet, and judging by their reception they could have easily played for another half an hour without too many objections. I think B&S followed by James would have been magnificent; but then I'm very clearly a 30something indie kid.

Highlights for me were John Grant who played a sublime set and Noah and the Whale who are one of the few bands who manage to sound far better live than on cd. Aside from that, I learned that if you go too far into a crowd with a pushchair, then you're there for the duration. I did, on occasion, have an urge to shout 'Captain Underpants' at the top of my lungs when I thought he might be around (e.g. John Grant) - I thought Latitude might be as good a time as ever to put a face to the pants - but thought better of it in the end.

IMHO, it's the diversity of Latitude and the "something for everyone" nature that makes it such a success. If you've got a "Radio 4 festival with a Radio 1 playlist" then fantastic, you're keeping two sets of people more than happy.

As to what universe are B&S a Saturday night festival headliner: my universe, and the universe of all the people around me (situated dead centre at the front as I was, I appeared to have the misfortune of being surrounded by beautiful young ladies in pretty dresses).

I also spotted Mr. Hepworth; he was outside The Word tent while Joshua Radin played. He looked less than delighted to be there, but that may be down to sleep deprivation and the absolute claptrap Mr. Radin was pedalling.

I also looked for you too, Captain, during David Ford's set, but alas, to no avail

From reading these posts - and others yet more elitist on the festival's own forum - I've come to the conclusion that I suffer from appallingly bad taste. I enjoy music which has a tune and is played well; if I and a few thousand others can sing along too, so much the better. This is a bonus, since I was able to enjoy lots of Latitude. I saw Kassidy, the Unthanks, Laura Marling, The National, Richard Hawley, Paul Heaton, Noah and the Whale, John Grant, Corinne Bailey Rae, James, Belle and Sebastian, Tom Jones, Sweet Billy Pilgrim, Mumford & Sons and Midlake, and I loved them all. As Uncle Monty rightly says, Noah and the Whale in particular played out of their skins, bringing a reflective and in some ways forlorn album to loud and optimistic life on stage. Midlake, too, gave an old-fashioned performance to go with their old-fashioned music and haircuts: lengthy guitar solos, songs doubled or tripled in length, and not one but two flautists.

My wife and I last came to Latitude in 2008. This year we noticed the increase in the total numbers attending, and in the number of spoilt teenage girls trying and, I hope, often failing, to shove past us and bring their tall hairy boyfriends to stand in front of us. The bass levels in the Word tent were, at least for my aged ears, far too high, so that even a lightly strummed bass string during the soundcheck resulted in shove to the diaphragm, and the combined forces of the National playing at full pelt on Friday night constituted a sustained physical assault. It didn't need to be quite that loud, and the resulting leakage from the Word tent did affect the acts both on the Obelisk stage and in the Poetry Tent and elsewhere (poor Wendy Cope did her best, but was plainly most uncomfortable with the racket).

Would we go again? Yes. We were shocked by the alleged rapes in the campsite (and our children, being looked after by Granny and Grandpa, were understandably worried). I think we'd both like the feel of the festival to go back in time to 2008, when it was less crowded and the average age was significantly higher, but even in its present incarnation it's worthy of the Word's support.

So the alleged rapes didn't put anyone off going again next year?

Just got back from four nights (yes thats four!) of the latitude toilets and associated entertainments. It started badly on the thursday. A complete balls up by the organisers meant that all camper vans were kept queuing in the car park for three hours after getting through the gates. After arriving at 7:30 it was 10:30 before we were settled in a pitch. Then followed the Tom Jones fiasco where they put him on tiny stage in the forest. A major advertising campaign meant that thousands were trying to get in to the area in the pitch black. No announcements, no control at all. How anyone wasn't hurt I don't know. Gave up and hiked back to bed.
Things began to pick up on the Friday, although Saturday was the highlight for me. We got in the swing of things and so decided to stay the extra night. Left the site this morning for a dip in the sea at southwold before returning home.
Haven't heard the podcasts as yet, but picking up on the theme expressed above, stage presence was few and far between for many of the acts. The highlights of the festival for us were usually away from the music stages.
Got to see Tom Jones finally on Sunday but the festival musical highlight bar none was later in the evening when Rodrigo y Gabriela hit the stage.
Bumped into Fraser and Mr and Mrs underpants at various stages.
I learned something about myself. I can't sit on the floor of a comedy tent without getting severe cramp. I was in agony during Emo Phillips set. I had to stand up and hobble through the crowd without the use of my left leg. Unbelievably he didn't pick on me! God did I feel old. (I was certainly in the top ten percent age wise by the way).
Would I go again? Not for a few years. Did I mention the toilets?

but the family still had a great time and I saw three absolutely brilliant sets. The National on Friday (I've seen 'em before and been a tad underwhelmed), Kristin Hersh on Sunday (when the world were mostly off to see Mumford and Sons FFS). And I'm really glad I changed my mind at the last minute and wandered off to see These New Puritans instead of Charlotte Grizzly, they were superb (though scarily young...).

I've attempted Latitude in 1000 characters elsewhere...

Kate Mossman plays the hits of Queen on her keyboard accompanying Fraser Lewry making black puddings on his gas cooker.

please consider a trip West to the completely unofficial yet none-more-Word Port Eliot festival. This year is a Now Hear This CD on stage in the grounds of a stately home: Jakob Dylan, Harper Simon, Ed Harcourt, Danny and The Champions of the World, Cherry Ghost and playing her greatest hits, Jude Rogers! I have no investment in this apart from it being the best weekend of my year.

..I am terribly tired, but here's my two-penn'orth. Robert Forster's Q&A in the literature arena got things off to a charming, low-key start. Earnest and professorial, these days, he's like the kindly curator of the rock'n'roll museum. Highlights of The Word stage were Villagers, who seem amazingly self-assured for such a youthful band and the tremendous triple header of Wild Beasts, Richard Hawley and The National. I loved the maddening, knotty math-rock of Dirty Projectors and their scheduling in the main arena seemed specifically designed to annoy Mumford and Sons' audience, which was nice. Later on that afternoon I enjoyed Midlake and was within touching distance of both Simon Amstel and David Morrissey. Other sleb spots included Toby Young having a parenting crisis while scoffing a burger - do not let this man run a free school. Also amongst the hoi-polloi: Jarvis Cocker, Phill "One Curry From A Coronary" Jupitas (officially the festival's hardest working man), Marcus Brigstock, Mark Ellen and Kate Mossman, and possible sighting of Man Utd and England inadequate Michael Carrick. The Sunrise stage was the place for off-kilter bands lacking the confidence to engage with their audience, but I particularly enjoyed the early R.E.M meets post-punk electronica of Lonelady. Mark Lamarr's God's Jukebox club night line-up was superb, blending the sophisto-soul of Noel McKoy with the dirty-ass rock'n'roll of The Jim Jones Review and the unique exuberance of Geno Washington. Frankie And The Heartstrings will be massive - he has genuine charisma despite trace elements of Jim Kerr. Belle and Sebastian pulled off their headline slot with aplomb, not afraid to use every trick in the book to win over an audience which contained as many curiosity seekers as diehard fans. Very different from the timid and ramshackle school orchestra I saw in 1998. Also loved Adam Buxton's Bug, Steve Mason's acoustic set, Mickey Flanagan and Angelos Epithemou's stand-up, venison and ostrich burgers, Hector's Pure ale, and sunshine. Didn't much like Grizzly Bear, gangs of self-absorbed teenagers, clueless stewards and some shambolic organisational hiccups, especially the frequent campsite water shortages. For me, the live entertainment ended with John Cooper Clarke in the poetry tent and he was godlike.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/bltpicons/sets/72157624538371762/

Here's what I think I'm getting at. At most festivals there's a point - usually late afternoon, as it's cooling off a bit, when there's a band everyone's heard of on stage, and three songs in they play the intro to a song that was a number five hit in 1996, and there's a vertical-take-off rush as the place just goes voom. Everyone of every age just leaps about grinning at each other. Years later they say, do you remember that moment when Blur did Song 2 at Latitude?

I didn't see one of those this weekend. For each band there were fans, and interested observers. No one brought the two together. That's why I'd have liked to see a Crowded House or Pet Shop Boys or, I don't know, Take That or Human League or Kylie.

Top 5 this year -

1. Midlake
2. Yuck
3. John Grant
4. The Pains Of Being Pure At Heart
5. The Horrors

Bottom 5 -

1. No more facilities than last year, despite 5000 more people.
2. Poor security in Family Camping
3. Teenager talking throughout gigs
4. Florence Welch
5. Latitude is now sponsored by Rupert Murdoch and Absolute Radio

It was the worst of the three I've been to. Not sure I'll go next year.

Still had some great moments this year:

- Seeing Robert Forster & briefly meeting him on Thursday night
- Unexpectedly enjoying a great unashamedly pop set from The Feeling
- The great Richard Hawley, despite the lack of between song banter as he was not well
- The amusing Eddie Argos & his cut down band he called 'Part Brut'
- Paul Heaton proving he's still a talent not to mention a funny guy
- Frightened Rabbit - why aren't they bigger?
- The ever reliable Latitude regulars Noah & The Whale (including the mass audience singalong to Bohemian Rhapsody before they came on!)
- A crowd pleasing Belle & Sebastian set
- Good old dirty rock 'n' roll from the Jim Jones Revue in the film tent
- Mumford & Sons playing to a massive crowd

Acts I will probably investigate further after seeing them:

- Angus & Julia Stone
- David Ford
- Frankie & The Heartstrings - a great frontman looking destined to go places

There were a few acts I was disapponted with but I won't dwell on that too long except to say I don't get the appeal of Florence & I fell asleep during John Grant's set (to be fair I was shattered, I sat down for a while & despite having a great voice its not exactly lively music).

I spent a large amount of time in the Word arena so congrats on a good line-up there.

I saw Tom Jones twice. The guy has still got a voice & the new stuff suited it perfectly. I know he was only down to play the album but the same set in the same order twice & not even a bit of Delilah to get the crowd singing on Sunday?

Some cover versions I enjoyed:

- The Feeling - Video Killed The Radio Star
- Paul Heaton - White Man in Hammersmith Palais
- Belle & Sebastian - Jumping Jack Flash

Now for the negative aspects. The rapes, which I didn't really hear about until after, obviously cast a dark shadow over things, which is a shame & hopefully they'll review security & lighting. Other than that I think there are now too many people there & it seems queues for everything - toilets, shop, arena entrance, food - were much worse. I think over the 4 years I have been going it has gone from feeling quite intimate & 'our little secret' to something bigger & not necessarily better. There were also a lot more teenagers about this year which changed the overall vibe, although I don't want to come across as a grumpy middle aged guy with a downer on the kids (although I probably am!). I'm not the best person to comment as my experience of festivals other than Latitude is very limited.

All in all, despite some reservations, I'll probably be back next year, although End of the Road also appeals.

Belle & Sebastian - Genuinely taken back by how much I ehjoyed them, having passed me by previously.
John Grant - Wonderful performance.
Word Signing Tent - Great to see so many people attending and hopefully buying subscriptions.
Comedy/Cabaret Tent - Some great discoveries here especially some guy who I can't remember the name of who had me in stitches with a routine about a Karate/Transformer obsessed character
Jonsi - Jawdropping stuff.
The National - Since when did they become so popular?

There was lots of other performances that hit the spot - Robert Forster, Middle East, Steve Mason,Black Mountain, Midlake, Richard Hawley, and equally some that didn't, The Horrors and Grizzly Bear were both looked forward to but were just dull

This was my 2nd Latitude,and the increased capacity was very noticeable as was the lack of extra facilities to compinsate. Except for a larger comedy tent it was exactly the same site as before. Yes there are loads of teenagers letting their hair down, but the few I came into contact with were very pleasant.
Reading the Latitude site forum, many of the hardcore posters are declaring this year to be the end of Latitude as they know it, and they are probably right, but its still a remarkably diverse event which in my opinion should cut back its capacity to gain back that user friendly vibe of before

My first ever festival where we did the full camping malarkey.

Mrs Beach and I are working through a "things to do before we're 50" list and absolutely loved Latitude.

The toilets?. As someone who regularly dug and filled in latrines on childhood Boys Brigade camps I have honestly seen worse.Some of the Sixth Form leaver parties and stags on site could have done with shooting and what is it with pushing your kids and a tonne of gear around on a cart?.Everytime we took up position for a set at the Obelisk we were guaranteed someone from Crouch End with a trilby and a son called Marcus would park in front of us. 35000 people and it was the same tit who seemed to pop up everywhere.

As a Northerner I ate my first ever Falevales(sp) they were ok, better still was all the other stuff on offer.Mostly cultural but the food and drink wasn't the rip off I had expected and we ate and drank some reasonable grub.

Personal highlights;

Jonsi - no idea what to expect other than a mate told me he would be a bit special.A quite mesmerising performance, one of those occasions when music takes you to someone else. I was enthralled.

Sebastian Faulkes - what I would give to have an ounce of this man's articulation . Great voice. A decent chap as well. I had a short chat with him in the queue for the Comedy stage the day before his own "performance" (what's the correct term for a writer chatting to nice literate folk?).

David Ford - Neil McCormack in the Telegraph had it spot on - "edgily magnificent". This man ought to be much better known.

The National - the only time throughout the weekend where Mrs Beach and I had different priorities. She took in Flossie and I enjoyed a stunning perfromance by the National. Everything I could have hoped for from a band who must be at the height of their powers.

Funniest moments;

Mumford and Sons - Sunday afternoon, pretty hot and possibly the most crowded the main arean was all weekend. I spent a large part of the set trying to avoid standing on the woman to my right who was lying down reading a copy of Medea by Euripdes.In the original Classical Greek from what I could see.

Comedy tent on Sunday morning and the MC was trying to jam as many in as possible before Ardal O'Hanlon's appearance.Asked the man who looked like Richard Curtis to shove up. Yes - it was the man himself.

Wasn't terribly engaged by Vampire Weekend but I did like the dry comment from the lead man saying those who didn't know their catalogue and were only at the festival to see Brett Easton Ellis might want to try and dance to the next one.

And apart from the bogs? - really there honestly wasn't a lot I didn't enjoy. I tried to take in things I wouldn't normally pay to see. Sadlers Wells on Sunday afternoon and the superb physicality of the dancers was wonderful, talked to a number of really interesting people and had three interrupted days with my wife talking about music, comedy and life.Time together and it couldn't have been much better.

So much we didn't cover- should have spent more time checking out new bands, didn't venture into the film tent and poetry has yet to excite my interest.

We need to find a similar event next year.

Overcrowding/wobbly infrastructure, truly underwhelming line-up and an apparent influx of pissed kids -- Latitude has sadly jumped the proverbial shark. So glad I chose to miss it this time in favour of... http://www.endoftheroadfestival.com

Latitude 2010 was my first fully camped festival for at least 25 years and in general I really enjoyed it.

Sleeping in a tent was OK especially after a few pints of Scarecrow. The toilets were bearable (don't look down) and apart from a few lagered up youngsters talking a bit too loudly, the campsite was fine.

The setting is really beautiful and I think the organisers do a great job of making it look really pretty (especially by the lake and in the woods).

Lots going on. I stuck primarily to the Word Arena and main stage for music and flirted with the literary, poetry and comedy tents for other stimuli.

The highlights for me were Richard Hawley, Paul Heaton (thanks for the brandy Paul), Vampire Weekend (who despite having a limited catalogue were a revelation - I enjoyed watching the drummer bouncing up and down), Belle And Sebastian, John Grant, Midlake, Tom Jones (Ethan Johns guitar playing was worth the early start), The Unthanks, Steve Mason, John Ronson and Ardol O' Hanlon and a girl singing Kiss in the Gaymers bar during the rockaoke session.

The lowlights were Florence, The National (more to do with the sound than anything), but the absolute worse thing I stumbled across was Peter Hook being interviewed by Keith Allen in the literary tent. Hookie was fine but Keith Allen was off his face, gurning towards the crowd and bullying everyone around him. A very objectionable man indeed.

Very enjoyable all round. Yes there were lots of children being pushed/pulled around in contraptions with wheels and possibly too many over exuberant under 18s but not too many to ruin the weekend and they were all watching different things to me.

Oh yeah and the weather was amazing!

Thanks a lot latitude (said in the style of Vampire Weekend)

And I meant to add that it is also all about the people you go with and in my case they were very good fellow campers and I enjoyed firemaking with them very much indeed.

I'm another one of those who only decided to go to Latitude because of B&S - but I'll be back next year. Must admit I'm looking forward to seeing them in Manchester or Gateshead in December in front of their own fans without the posh drunk girls who pushed their way to the front only to chat all the way through while doing a sort of lunging dance thing while standing sideways on to the stage. But if I was still there I'd be instantly snapping out of grump mode and smiling again. Maybe the weather helped but Latitude seems to have that effect - you can't help but look around and feel at one with the world.

I wish I'd had more time to hang around the Sunrise tent where I caught some great acts I'd not come across before. Anyone else see Lupen Crook's late morning set on Saturday? We (me, my partner and our 11-year-old son) all thought he was fantastic and will be first in the queue to buy his new album when it's out.

So, yes, we'll be back next year regardless of line-up - though my wishlist would include the Decemberists, who'd be perfect for this venue and crowd, more Scottish bands (The View, Glasvegas), and maybe some more black faces - how about Toots and the Maytals to get everyone going. But avoid booking anyone who attracts the spoilt young girls!

Robert Forster, Richard Hawley and the National were all highlights, and while I was previously only vaguely aware of the work of Belle & Sebastian and Kirsten Hersh, I'll certainly being digging in to their respective back catalogues now. I can't say the same for the Feeling, although they're clearly a great live band. If I had to pick one overall highlight it would be witnessing Amiina providing a live soundtrack to some wonderfully intricate 1930s animated fairytales. It was just about as un-rock n'roll as it's possible to get but the overall effect was utterly captivating.

I went along having only been to Glasto previously, and had a great time overall - Belle & Sebastian and Adam Buxton were my two highlights - but I was genuinely surprised at the amount of completely spannered teens everywhere. I saw far more people being slapped awake by medics and barfing into bushes than I ever have at Glasto. A particular low point was late afternoon on Saturday, when we watched a bunch of teen girls taking hilarious photos of each other posing with a boy who was stretched out on his back in a medically convincing simulation of death. They only feigned concern when we started to try to tap him awake. He eventually shuddered to his feet and lurched into the crowd, eyes pointing in different directions.

My theory is that parents have googled Latitude, seen lots of buzzwords like "middle-class", "poetry", "family-oriented" and "James" and consented to the kiddies going when they wouldn't dream of doing the same for a more mainstream festival.

Mind you, I am also part of the problem, having bought an underage girl a drink. I was being incredibly slow - just thought she really didn't want to miss B&S's Jumping Jack Flash cover. It was only when she and two friends fell on the pint of cider like jackals I realised I'd become a facilitator.

by John Harris about crime at festivals etc
http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2010/jul/21/festival-gentleness-...

I was underwhelmed by the lineup, but that did encourage me and the family to spend more time doing other things than just ticking off bands. I didn't think B&S were outdoor headline material, but I was wrong. I thought they created a fantastic atmosphere. I'd never seen them before but I loved it.

We had a great time (4 parents, 4 kids) and will be back next year. However I agree that Festival Republic have pushed the cost cutting as far as it can go - more people need more facilities, and a lesser lineup will kill the festival. And losing water supply for the second year running is amateurish. The more serious assaults means more lights are needed.
The kids were alright - certainly no worse than I was when I was the same age.

and whilst it wasn't a perfectly organised fest by any means, was thoroughly enjoyable. Deliberated on whether to get tix for this year, and by the time we'd come to a view, they'd sold out. I've been closely following the Latitude forum and there are loads of comments this time around about how unprepared the event seemed to be for the extra 5,000 punters this year, the apalling behaviour of some of the younger attendees, and the inability of the organisers to upgrade facilities for the extra numbers. On balance, I think I'm glad we didn't go. They're arranging a Q&A with Melvin Benn on the website soon and it will be interesting to see how he responds to the comments, as there are quite a few people who've attended for the last 5 years who've said 2010 was their last ever Latitude. It's an obvious balancing act between trying to generate a big enough return from the festival and keeping true to its original aims and objectives, but it does look as though pushing the numbers up to 35k has spoilt it in many ways:

http://forums.latitudefestival.co.uk/m101372.aspx

Highlights are easy
Feeling (to my complete surprise having thought of them as fairly wimpy radio fodder
The brass band track playing when Noah and the Whale came on, and the crowd singing along to Bohemian Rhapsody after the band arrived on stage
Video killed the radio star/White man/You're the one that I want cover versions
Yeasayer

Thoughts. for died and gone to heaven moments you want a band you have not listened to before doing a cover version of a song you quite like but don't adore
Music in the tent always sounds better than music outside. The impact is lost even if you stand close to a band playing outside. Something to do with volume, impact, I don't know
And finally a question. Did Word know what they were getting on the Word stage when deciding to sponsor? Be interested to know, or was it a happy accident that so much was top quality on that stage? We think we should be told......

For the second year running I have come across from Australia primarily to go to Latitude (okay unfortunaely i have some family to visit for justification). Now while we have a plethora of festivals in Australia unless you are under 19 you can tend to feel like some lecherous weirdo uncomfortably hanging around the school playground. I am well into my middle age and there is absolutely no reason to be self conscious at Latitude unless of course you are a lecherous weirdo.

There are so many things i love about Latitude;
Great new and upcoming bands
The friendly crowds
The venue
Some great stage settings
So many alternatives to music if you need a break
Unfortunately I had to do business with the devil to get a ticket

Arguably this is one of the best music festivals in the world for those of us struggling to understand why you need a Facebook page when you can just go down the pub and see your mates. But maybe this crowd mixture is just typical of English music festivals. But it has the added bonus of the arts which I beleive is unique.

I had two short days there on Friday and Saturday (bloody family got in the way)

My highlights from abbreviated viewing in no order were;

Richard Hawley (also sychophantically meeting him in the word signing tent)
Wild Beasts (the falsetto does work)
School of Seven Bells
Holly Miranda
Lost Levels
Lupen Crook
Black Mountain
Spoon (though lost in the sparse mid afternoon crowd of the main arena)

Forgettable;
Empires of the Sun (costumes can't help a plooding performance)
James (I was hoping there was an assasin in the audience)
Hockey (just sad)

Unfortunately missed the likes of The Horrors, Crstal Castles, Dirty Projectors and many more.

Look forward to it next year but hoping the crowd size doesnt increase.

And don't take for granted such a great festival.