I need to let you into a little secret dear reader, well a few secrets actually. This is the first time that I have ever been to the Latitude Festival. Did I enjoy it? Well you’ll need to read this and the next few posts to find out. Despite attending my first festival in 1975 (Reading and I remember Osibisa and also crawling under the fence to get in for free) this year at Latitude was the first time that I have ever camped at a festival and there have been many. But luckily enough I always had somewhere to stay or could drive there and back. I’ve camped it up a bit at festivals previously though, obviously. In fact this is the first time that I have camped for forty years.
So on to Latitude, why is this post day zero? Well the business end of the festival doesn’t really start until the Friday does it. Myself and my delightful wife Catherine (a.k.a. Catwoman) set out in the morning for what became a five-hour drive having packed our tent, which was potentially among the biggest on site and far too many wet wipes and books! Thursday was largely an orienteering day where we discovered the delights that the festival site would hold for us in the next few days. We were invited here by our great friends Rachel and Andy who have been regulars at Latitude for at least five years. We were joined by a wider group of fabulous people in addition; Mac, Allie, Sarah, Rachel (another one), Jo, Claire and Barbara. What a fab bunch of people this lot are, it was a pleasure to be a part of such a great group.
Despite it only being day zero we did get to see some acts. Firstly some incredible dancers. We may have been attracted to see them by the sadly unfounded rumour that they were naked. In fact they were fully covered in silver body suits. The sort of attire that if worn by me would make you think there was a silver blob on site! Catwoman and I ended the evening In The Woods (it was a stage, nothing weird ok). We went to see and listen to Mucho Soul and Size Doesn’t Matter Present the Vinyl Frontier. In effect a DJ sound clash using only vinyl. I had hoped for loads of really old skool 60s and 70s soul, but maybe that came along after we left. But then I did get to hear Warren G‘s “Regulate” again. That tune is now twenty-two years old which I guess means that it really is old skool and I am even older skool! I love this festival so far!
Look out for more posts about my time at Latitude soon!
