Latitude 2012 - Saturday

There was lots of heavy rain over night which woke me up a number of times. There was a brief break in the weather allowing a quick trip to the toilet block, to clean my teeth at the water station and have a quick chat with Paul before heading back into my tent as the rain started to come down heavy again.

Now after a quick phone call to the police about my wallet I had the chance to do something I never ever normally get the chance to do - get back into bed and have a morning nap! I know I easily pleased but those couple of hours back in the sleeping bag whilst the rain came down was just bliss!!

The rain finally eased up and with full wet weather gear on it was off to the festival site through the mud for some lunch (very nice pie, mash and mushy peas washed down with a pint of real ale!) whilst sitting at a picnic table watching a band called the Establishment (more info) on the Lake Stage. The Lake Stage is a small stage in the middle of the food and beverage area and features new bands. They were nice enough indie guitar pop to watch whilst having your lunch. From the programme they were from Nottingham and featured a former Notts Forest footballer and managed by another former footballer (Dion Dublin!).

We then went into the Word Arena to see a band called the Smoke Fairies (more info) . The best I can describe them is a delta blues band fronted by two young English Public school girls! All a bit weird and just didn’t work for me.

Then it was off to the main stage to see Baxter Dury (more info) son of one of my all time heroes the late great Ian Dury. He has some of the same mannerisms as his dad and a similar voice but found it all a bit disappointing to be honest as his songs were a bit one paced and average. Oh well!

Back to the Word Arena to see Josh T Pearson (more info) . He is a solo country singer with just his guitar for company. He looks like he is just wandered out of the American wilderness with a huge beard and long hair! The songs were very dark and dripped with emotion and passion. His guitar playing was wonderful. A feel gem after a little bit of a disappointing start to the day musically. He also had a fantastically dry sense of humour. At one point he stopped and looked out at the packed tent and said " wow I don't usually play to this many people [pause] it is usually more"!!! I can’t even start to tell his Willie Nelson joke!

He was followed straight after by someone at the other end of the spectrum - Daryl Hall of Hall & Oates fame (more info). He had a big band with him who were as tight as a knat’s arse as my mate Paul put it! He was every inch the star (he even had his microphone disinfected before he started!!!) and did a very professional spot on set with mostly hits and a couple of new songs. He was joined by Rumer to do a duet on “Sara Smile”. Seeing Daryl Hall was a big treat for me as Hall & Oates were a big favourite of mine in the early 80s and I had never seen them live. I wasn’t disappointed!

Next it was back to the main stage and a spot near the front to see Richard Hawley (more info) . He recently broke his leg and was wheeled onto stage by Guy Garvey from headliners Elbow to huge cheers. He did a great set and for me one of the best of the weekend. Also featured more heavily his guitar playing and showed what a talented and underrated guitar player he is. As with Glen Hansard on Friday he seemed to really enjoy his time on stage although that may have been the painkilling drugs he kept talking about!

With an hour or so to spare before the headliners we decided to have a walk around to areas we hadn't been to so far before. We ended up heading for the I-arena, which is a small stage in the woods that features bands that are up and coming. Before we could get there we had to cross the Sunrise Bridge and we were confronted with a vast army of people coming the other way! Apparently they had just been to see a band called Django Django. According to Paul it was an example of a band that was the right size for the stage when booked but who had got much bigger since and could have easily gone on the Word Arena. The people just kept coming and coming out of the woods, trudging through the mud and across the bridge. Did feel a bit like watching Napoleon’s armies retreat from Russia!

When we did finally get to the I-arena we came across an American female singer going under the name Zola Jesus (more info) . She was a small attractive blonde with a huge voice and songs that definitely were influenced by Siouxsie and the Banshees! A very nice enjoyable late afternoon surprise.

Then it was back to the main arena to see the headliners of the day Elbow (more info) . The clouds had parted and we even had some late evening sun and clear skies! Elbow were very good and really showed how to play a festival headlining set and engage with a large crowd.




After a couple of after show beers we stopped on the Writers Bridge over the lake to watch Olympic projections on a huge fountain stream, a ballerina covered in fairy lights dance across the lake (a board just under the water surface gave the impression of dancing on water) and then an acrobat attached under a large balloon that floated up in the sky up and down the lake. A very cultural end to the evening!

After a quick night cap back at our tents it was off to bed to get some sleep before the final day. Despite the worst weather of the weekend this had been a good day!