I am hoping that the predicted mad thunderstorms of Saturday don’t make Latitude too much of a wash-out this year. Luckily there are plenty of tents to go and shelter in. The festival has sold out, so we can expect packed venues and long queues for the loo, but hopefully a buzzy atmosphere. I am excited!

Bands and Artists to watch out for this year:

Sigrid

I think I saw Sigrid at The Great Escape festival a year or two ago. If I’m right it was very poppy but confident. It’ll be interesting to see if either she’s changed or I’m wrong.

Cat Power

Cat Power is just a bona fide legend. 

Loyle Carner

I said this lad would go far. Go back and read my predictions last year if you don’t believe me. Now I get to see how right I was!

Nebula Sun

Sounded interesting so I gave them a quick listen and decided I’d see them before I’d even finished the first track.

Let’s Eat Grandma

My favourite gig two years ago. Let’s see if they’re still as interesting now they might be old enough to vote.

Khruangbin

They sound interesting and they are.

Sons of Kemet

I have a list of things I’ve heard on the radio that I liked. These guys are on it. That’s enough for me!

Gomez

Oh, the nostalgia! Gomez’s debut album was a genuinely perfect one. A highlight of the nineties and my first year at uni., when I saw them last. I imagine I’ll have to put up with lots of stuff from some fifth album I never heard but hopefully they remember us oldies!

Crows

A nice bit of (tempered) anger for a Friday afternoon.

Aurora

She’s mad. She sings like it really matters she she does hand dancing. I think that’s reason enough.

Theatre/Comedy and the rest:

Katherine Ryan

Funny, acerbic feminist and honest comedy from the star of lots of TV panel shows. I have seen her full set before and she is well worth watching.

Nish Kumar

The star of the satirical BBC show, The Mash Report, Nish is a great standup comedian. I saw him recently at the Brighton Comedy Garden, and he pushed all of my anti-Brexit liberal comedy buttons.

Frank Skinner

An oldie but a goodie, I saw Frank Skinner’s comedy recently and he is funny and relevant and more than a little self-depricating.

Frantic Assembly: Sometimes Thinking

I last saw this company do an incredibly memorable show called Stockholm many years ago at the Brighton Festival. They are celebrating 25 years with a special show for Latitude which they are performing twice, and I am greatly looking forward to seeing.

Gary McNair: McGonagall’s Chronicles

Gary McNair did a great show a couple of years ago at Latitude that was challenging and clever, so I would recommend anyone to go and see his new offering. (Which I hope is about Harry Potter, but probably isn’t!)

Hoipolloi

The charming and clever work of Hoipolloi is a frequent guest to the Latitude theatre tent, so I am interested to see what they have to offer this time.

Tiata Fahodzi: Trying to Find me

Black British theatre company Tiata Fahodzi did a moving naturalistic show about masculinity and grief a few years ago that I still remember. One to watch.

The Listening Post – Mark Kermode, Griefacast, The Kingdom Choir

There is a new stage at Latitude this year that is dedicated to the wonderful world that is podcasts. Perhaps designed to make up for the amalgamation of the literature and poetry tents in recent years, I will be interested to see how the format works. Perhaps they will be recording live podcasts, which would be interesting. 

Felicity Cloake (Theatre of Food)

The Theatre of Food is back this year with demos and talks from famous chefs. I hope I get to catch the session from the most patient of food journalists, Felicity Cloake, whose signature style of painstakingly making many versions of the same dish to find the best recipe is both incredible and useful. Yet I wonder how her family feels about eating 6 variations on chicken stew/gooseberry fool/pesto?

Sunday Assembly

If you are an atheist, agnostic or just craving community without dogma, then get up on Sunday morning and seek out Sunday Assembly. Their motto is Live Better, Help Often, Wonder More. Creating community, encouraging enquiry and loving support and charity, this is a feel good way to start your day.