Entertainment For Lively Minds
The Word Arena
Posted by Mint on 9 March 2010 - 8:20am.
It's finally been confirmed that our favourite magazine is taking over from Uncut as being the sponsors for a stage at the Latitude festival in July. This can only be good news, and will hopefully be a successful venture for the magazine.
Hoping there will be a glut of wonderful bands at the stage, and that Messrs Ellen and Hepworth will be in attendance, and perhaps show their faces at the literary tent for a word or two. See you in July.
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Great festival
Just got better! Uncut were always absolutely hopeless as so called sponsors of the big tent, no coherent musical identity, theme or character. I saw Mark Ellen hosting an interview with Sir Peter Blake on the Sunday morning last year just before the sublime Thom Yorke solo set and he was superb. This was add some real quality to an already terrific event. I'm trying to think who they should get to fill the slots. Most of the acts are probably already known, but late suggestions from the Massive might be possible...
In fairness
to Uncut they had very little input regarding what happened musically there. Hope Word has better luck.
Perfect crossover
My favourite festival meets my favourite magazine/website/podcast/way-of-life. It seems a far more appropriate connection than the Cornbury festival: Latitude is, in many respects, a walk-in version of Word magazine. Albeit one in which most of the population has been de-aged to mid-30s, beards are in the minority and fish and chips costs £6.50 for a small tray.
It always seemed strange that Uncut went to the trouble and expense of sponsoring a stage and then appeared to hae no other obvious presence at the festival. Will Word be a little more visible this year?
Are there any...
...lineup rumours, yet?
Mark Ellen on guitar
Rob Fitzpatrick on sweary vocals, Kate Mossman on harp, Andrew Harrison on drums, Danny Baker on tuba, David Hepworth on bongos & Fraser Lewry on synthemesizer.
Not the original line up then?
It was all downhill after Jude Rogers went solo. I understand Mutya Sugababe is next in line for reviews editor.
Headliners to be announced 7pm tonight
...with the rest of the bill becoming known in instalments.
Ugly Rumours
There are lots of rumours on the net - Lady Ga Ga, Florence ATM, Jarvis/Pulp, Radiohead, Belle & Sebastian.
Please, please, please, not Blur or Gorillaz.
I would WALK to Latitude
to see Belle & Sebastian
Young sir
That's the kind of attitude to Latitude we want to see.
Well, fellow young sir
It appears my prayers have been answered - B&S are headlining
*piercing girlish excited scream*
I'll get my boots
Shanks Pony
Looks like you're walking ...
I thought
this was going to be a thread about a new late night Islington underground fighting den where Word scribes don armour and bundle with nets and curved swords. Mr H sitting on a throne giving the thumbs up n down.
Been playing too much Elder Scrolls: Oblivion on me X Box.....
Oh please let this happen...
I would pay good money to watch this.
Lineup revealed
Headliners: Florence & The Machine (Fri), Belle & Sebastian (Sat), Vampire Weekend (Sun).
I am officialy underwhelmed.
Word Arena: The National (Fri), The xx (Sat), The Horrors (Sun)
Also announced are Rodrigo y Gabriela, The Macabees, Empire Of The Sun and Charlotte Gainsbourg in the Obelisk Arena and Grizzly Bear in the Word Arena.
Tickets available now.
Officially overwhelmed
The headliners are great enough (and an improvement on last year)..with Rod y Gab on the Sunday too.. but the line up in the Word Arena is a dream...Grizzly Bear also.
But better than all is the appearance of Emo Phillips.Wow.
Counting down the days.
Not about the headliners
This is one festival that's not about the headliners.
However, 2 out of the 3 main stage headliners look weak to me. Florence ATM (1 album) and Vampire Weekend (2 albums) are both very dull live. Both seem to be aimed at a particular target audience (middle-class under 25s?). A bit short of material compared to say Pet Shop Boys and Nick Cave last year. I've never seen Belle & Sebastian (lots of albums) live, but really looking forward to it.
The Word could well end up pwning Latitude - The National, The XX and The Horrors. Terrific. Well done, Messrs Ellen, Hepworth or Festival Republic.
Sorry busker but it is really...
It wouldn't be, if The Word/Uncut tent was a credible 'second' arena - but it isn't, unfortunately.
As it stands, this year's headliners are very, very poor and I would not go to the Word tent as an alternative because of a) the sightlines, b) the slope of the tent and c) the lack of capacity, if you paid me.
I'm really, really disappointed this year. I love Latitude but so far, wild horses wouldn't drag me there.
Paul
Are you me?
I could honestly cut and paste your post to state my feelings.
Just goes to show.
Takes all sorts. Horses for courses. One man's meat's another's poison.
I'm going, taking the wife and babies, and hopefully some friends and their families too. I'd see any and all of those acts.
Granted it's family friendly
And I can see what you're saying but at least last year the headline acts were actually established artists even if PSB and Grace Jones had fallen off the radar. I'm afraid FATM and Vampire Weekend with 3 albums between them seem more suited to Children's TV pop programmes than a major UK festival and Belle & Sebastian are not Saturday night headliners.
"It's more than just a music festival..." is all very well and good but let's face it, it is primarily a music festival, I doubt if anyone who is asked "Who's on at Latitude this year?" will reply "Wendy Cope" or "Ducky".
A very, very poor lineup so far in my opinion, I'd already bought tickets but that is no guarantee of my attendance, eBay may be seeing some action nearer the event unless a Thom Yorke style announcement is made.
(as posted on the Latitude forum - not plagiarism, just a different username)
Having slept on it
I'm still disappointed with the headline acts (I could understand it if the Obelisk headliners were the Word headliners, but clearly they are not) BUT I'm now thinking that it might be a good year to explore all the things I tend to pass over in favour of the music - the theatre, the cabaret and the literary stuff.
Or I might just sit out by the picnic tables and get banjo'd on the Scarecrow!
That said, Green Man is looking quite interesting this year...
Paul, you're right
... about the Uncut/Word tent. It really is rubbish. The novelty of the sloping ground (right to left rather than front to back) wears off immediately. Usually some good acts, but very poor sightlines and it's often full of idiots.
I agree that the headliners on the Obelisk are very poor, B&S aside. I've seen both Florence ATM and VW in the past year or so, and - don't believe the hype - both were notably charisma-free live (and I've seen Maximo Park). Also, both seem very lightweight compared to the last 3 or 4 years. Either Festival Republic are trend following, or they're on a more limited budget.
However, for me, it really isn't about the headliners. I go with mates and family, so it's good to wander around and see smaller stuff. Last year, it was more fun 'discovering' the Casio Kids on the Lake Stage or The Phenomenal Handclap Band in the Sunrise than seeing Grace Jones on the Obelisk.
I really do share your disappointment about the Obelisk headliners, but I think the organisers can turn it around as they release the bill bit by bit.
Greenman
it is then.
Nice one
don't think i've seen such a totally fey line-up
Eek
Wish i hadn't booked that time off now. Compared to last year it's very disappointing, oh well...
This happens every year
The initial announcement underwhelms some, then over the weeks the bill fills out and the festival takes shape.
Mind you, I'd purchase sight unseen, given how much I enjoyed the last couple of years.
End Of The Road for me...
End of the Road, 10-11-12 Sept, Dorset.
So far.... Wilco, New Pornographers, Mountain Goats, Low Anthem Iron & Wine Black Mountain, Dengue Fever, Felice Brothers, The Unthanks, plus lots more in similar vein... and I'm holding out reasonable hope for both Dr Dog and Old Crow Medicine Show both booked for Belfast's concurrent Open House Festival.
5,000 capacity (Latitude up to 30k this year, I believe?) and just 20 miles south of me. I won't miss the 500 mile roundtrip to Southwold.