My Latitude 2012 - Saturday

Saturday had to be very good indeed to surpass the day before, but the day's line up looked brilliant. The only problem was nearly every band I wanted to see was clashing with another, so as a result I only managed to see 6 bands that day, though I did nip into the comedy tent at some point. Here's what I made of the bands that I saw, and a bit about some of the bands I missed. (links to youtube videos are in blue)


Saturday

I only caught the latter part of Tall Ships' set but what I heard was very good. It was the first band I'd seen on the outdoor Lake Stage and so the feel of it was very different. For a comparatively unknown band they had a very good following in the audience and everyone seemed to enjoy the set. The sound that they made was surprisingly big and complex for only a 3 man band, with some members playing multiple instruments in their set and even within songs. Every part of their songs was strong, not mind-blowing but a darn sight better than a lot of other more established bands' sets that I'd seen.

Tall Ships - Vessels 

I'd seen Sharon Van Etten once before at Brudenell Social Club in Leeds and it was a really revelation and I bought the album from the merch stall straight after the show. Her newest album, 'Tramp', of which she played a lot of in her set, is in my opinion her best and what has got her a lot of recognition recently, having worked with members of The National on that record. Her and her band's performance was brilliant, really musically complex, very compelling and genuine and a lot rockier than on the album, which I felt was an improvement. I think her performance definitely deserved a much higher billing, after all she's had 3 albums and gave a much better performance that say Ben Howard who's only on his debut. But I guess that is the nature of the running order at festivals, the bands of the moment get much better slots.

Sharon Van Etten - Give Out 

My mate had been really looking forward to seeing Josh T. Pearson and beforehand, as I'm not that much of a regular listener of folk and country music, I wasn't exactly blown away. Seeing him live however I was left speechless. His songs were amazing and the combination of his guitar style and his singing helped make a set of effortless, heartfelt class in the Word Arena tent. It was certainly a set of quality over quantity as in his set of about 40 minutes he did only 4 or 5 songs, but each one was better than most singer/songwriters' sets that I'd seen live.

Josh T. Pearson - Woman When I've Raised Hell 

SBTRKT was one of the highlights of my festival. There was a real buzz in the Word Arena when I got there and for good reason. He came on to cheers wearing his customary tribal mask and delivered a great set to a great crowd that was mercifully bereft of any dickheads for a change... The sound was very impressive, particularly the bass which really went right through you and when your ears are used to headphone or stereo level bass, it was a welcome change! I was particularly impressed when I read that he only uses live instruments and live triggers for his songs, which I liked as if it's all programmed there really is no soul or even point to the music live if all you do is stand there and press 'play'. He also worked on a track with another band I like, 'Little Dragon'.

SBTRKT - Wildfire (ft. Little Dragon)

I was only sat near the back of the arena for Laura Marling, but I doubt there would have been a seething crowd of mosh pits if I'd have ventured forward. Try as I might, I've never been able to like her music. I think what my problem is with her is that there are so many other folk artists that do exactly what she does but so much better in my opinion, but hey if she's your thing then by all means ignore me. She does also seem to be quite odd, even among musicians, which may have something to do with the exposure she had at such a young age. Also I find some of her earlier songs a bit in genuine, which is something that my own lyrics have the issue of, which is: What does a 16/17 year old know of things like the darker and more adult sides of life? Admittedly some people have very hard periods of life at that age but I know I haven't and from what she seems to say in interviews neither as she. But maybe I'm being unfair.

Laura Marling - New Romantic 

Elbow had never been a favourite band of mine, mainly due to the fact that every time I heard them, I'd be reminded of 'One Day Like This' being played over an advert raising awareness for starving Ethiopian children, hence why I never play Elbow when I'm eating out of a sense of white European middle class guilt. But anyway, when I saw them live, I was a man converted! It was sweeping, grand, classy music, showing them to be more than worthy of the headline slot. The child within me particularly loved the firework displays in the set, fireworks which were missing from Bon Iver's set the night before. Guy Garvey held the crowd in the palm of his hand and was everything the frontman of a band should be.

Elbow - Lippy Kids 

Bands I wanted to see 

Deap Vally: Two hot women playing rock music, what's not to like? Deap Vally - Gonna Make My Own Money

Of Monsters And Men: I heard a couple of songs of theirs a few years ago and was really happy to see them on the line up, sadly there was a clash and I didn't make it... Of Monsters Ans Men - From Finner

Django Django: Saw them on Jools Holland, wasn't that impressed but everyone who I asked loved them at Latitude, seems I missed out... Django Django - Default 

Zola Jesus: Heard of her through seeing her name on a track by M83 (playing Sunday) Zola Jesus - Night 

The Horrors: They had won a lot of critical acclaim recently and I was really up for seeing if it they were all they were cracked up to be, sadly when clashing with Elbow I probably made the right choice. The Horrors - Sea Within A Sea

Tomorrow was the last day of music so I was ready to make the most of it.

Mason.