Benjamin Clementine

Latitude Festival announce 2018 lineup with The Killers, Solange, Alt J and more

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Latitude Festival have announced the line up for their 13th Edition, which takes place on Thursday 12th – Sunday 15th July 2018 in the stunning grounds of Henham Park, Suffolk. Recently awarded Best Major Festival by UK Festival Awards, Latitude returns with an all-new look for 2018 – a refreshed programme and emboldened vision retaining everything you loved about the festival, but also moving in an exciting new direction that looks to the future.  Tickets are available from here.

 

Grammy-winning singer-songwriter of A Seat at the Table fame Solange performs her first –ever festival headline slot at Latitude in a UK exclusive. It’s been over a year since she released the critically acclaimed album that she has called “a project on identity, empowerment, independence, grief, and healing”.  Since its release she has introduced the work to new audiences as dynamic and daring performance art. Bold, exciting and innovative with a creative energy like no other, Solange crosses and combines artistic genres in a way that most artists wouldn't dare and is the perfect Latitude headliner.

 

Latitude loves a success story, and is famed for breaking new talent and nurturing artists so it’s truly thrilling to host Alt-J as headliners once more. From performing on the Lake Stage in 2012 as an up and coming act, returning to headline the BBC Music Stage in 2013, and then closing the Friday night of Latitude’s 10th anniversary in 2015, we are delighted to welcome them “home” for what promises to be an exciting show – with the possible premiere of brand new material, this one is going to be unmissable.

 

 Alt-J said, “We are over the moon to be returning to Latitude for a fourth time. It's a festival that's nurtured us beyond any other, taking us from the Lake Stage to the 6music Stage and then to headlining in 2015. To do so again is a huge privilege. See you in Suffolk!”

 

The Killers, fresh from the success of chart-topping comeback album Wonderful Wonderful, headline Latitude for the first time. Part-rock show, part-art extravaganza, The Killers, led by charismatic frontman Brandon Flowers, are sure to bring something very special to this year’s line up with much loved hits ‘The Man’, ‘When You Were Young, and of course ‘Mr Brightside’.

 

Latitude has never been just about the music – it’s a culturally enriching experience and this year’s comedy, theatre and arts roster is set to be the festival’s most diverse and forward-thinking yet. Two exciting comedy headliners are both performing at Latitude for the first time, award-winning stand-up and star of BBC Radio 4’s Utopia, Bridget Christie makes a rare festival appearance, while national treasure Harry Hill brings a career’s worth of comedy gold to our stage. Elsewhere on the comedy bill, catch the only comedian co-signed by Drake and Stormzy, Mo Gilligan; Tim Key's new blend of poeticals, talking, spotlights, cables, old school wistfulness, Megadate; viral-video star and news satirist Jonathan Pie; brand new BBC Radio 4 panel show Where’s the F in News; Mock The Week regular James Acaster and rising star Lauren Pattison. There’s much more still to come, so watch this spotlight!

 

Harry Hill said, “I like latitude, I like longitude, but which is better? There’s only one way to find out – play the comedy arena at Latitude! I can’t wait!"

 

Latitude has a reputation for having one of the most eclectic line ups in the UK, and 2018 is no exception: Sadler’s Wells return to Henham Park presenting dance companies still to be revealed, whilst the first shows of the theatre bill include a spectacular headline performance by an international sensation: Recirquel Contemporary Circus: Paris de Nuit will transport the audience to the roaring 30s. Other highlights include Bryony Kimmings previewing her first solo show in 10 years, I’m A Phoenix, Bitch, Lyric Hammersmith presenting How To Fail At Being Perfect, their wise and witty look at through the eyes of forever children, with an all youth cast, and Scottish Dance Theatre, who present Fleur Darkin’s Velvet Petal. Among the very first speakers in The Speakeasy, BBC3 investigative journalist Stacey Dooley will talk about her new book, On the Front Line with the Women Who Fight Back.

 

There’s so much happening at Latitude in 2018, some serious refuelling will be in order, and the festival is upping the grub game. Latitude will become the first major festival to do away with ‘fast food’ with the Arena now catered entirely by Street Food organised by London’s Street Feast.  Explore buzzing street food arenas across the site where festivalgoers can re-fuel, wind down and eat the world without leaving Henham Park. Look out for Fundi’s mighty hand-built ovens for melty, wood-fired pizzas, then dig into crispy cornbread Arepas from Venezuelan street food heroes Petare – don’t forget to order a side of their Cassava Chips topped with fiery salsa. For a mighty, meat-free meal, say hello to Club Mexicana – their vegan To-Fish Tacos and BBQ-Pulled Jackfruit Burritos are NOT to be missed. Also new to Latitude is the Theatre of Food, a fully immersive essential for any foodie – or just your average keen eater – with wild cooking sessions, hilarious and inspiring food demos and, of course, the chance to sample the goods yourself. And if there’s a comedy set or a drum solo while it’s all happening, all the better to heighten your taste senses!

 

Families looking for quality time together need go no further than Latitude’s Enchanted Garden, where they’ll get the chance to make some magic of their own, including VR workshops with top industry creatives, screen printing T-shirts, trapeze and circus skills, and the brilliant Family Socials which pack weekend mornings with family-friendly comedy, live music, dance and theatre. There’s a parent pen for shattered parents who can’t keep up or yoga to unwind! Meanwhile the Kids Area has live shows including AnimAlphabet the Musical, West End Kids, and Comedy4Kids, alongside puppetry, live music, award-winning children’s authors and illustrators on hand to inspire, music tuition, bush-crafts, fun with food and the Wild Science tent. Teens who want to be among their own can head to the Inbetweeners Area with its music, digital, media and fashion workshops, the Access to Music Live Stage including industry Q&A’s, how-tos on gaming, coding and VR. Daredevils can brave the Greenpeace treetop adventures, zip wires and climbing nets. Guaranteed no teenage style will be cramped.

 

 

MUSIC

Æ MAK

Alfa Mist

Alt-J

Alvvays

Benjamin Clementine

Black Honey

Bomba Estéreo

Boy Azooga

Bruce

Clark performing Death Peak Live

Confidence Man

DJ Boring

Eclair Fifi

Fazerdaze

Fickle Friends

Gang of Youths

Hannah Peel with Tubular Brass

Hinds

Ibeyi

IDLES

Jacob Banks

Jade Bird

James

Japandroids

Jessie Ware

Jon Hopkins Live

Juanita Stein

Kalyde

La Femme

Marlon Williams

Meggie Brown

Mogwai

Naaz

Nabihah Iqbal

Object Blue

Octavian

OR:LA

Pangaea

Parquet Courts

Pip Blom

Preoccupations

Rag’n’Bone Man

Sam Fender

Sleeper

Solange

Sorry

Spinning Coin

Superorganism

The Breeders

The Charlatans

The Killers

The Vaccines

Trudy And The Romance

tUnE-yArDs

whenyoung

Wolf Alice

Yellow Days

 

COMEDY

Abigoliah Schamaun

Amusical

Angela Barnes

Bridget Christie

Chortle Student Comedy Awards Finalists

Chris Stokes

Chris Washington

Darren Harriott

David Morgan

David O'Doherty

Fern Brady

Glenn Moore

Gráinne Maguire

Harry Hill

Huge Davies

Jack Gleadow

James Acaster

Jarlath Regan

Jayde Adams

Joe Sutherland

Jon Pointing

Jonathan Pie

Kiri Pritchard-McLean

Lauren Pattison

Lazy Susan

Lloyd Griffith

Lolly Adefope

Lost Voice Guy

Lou Sanders

Luke Kempner

Masud Milas

Mat Ewins

Mawaan Rizwan

Mo Gilligan

Phoebe Walsh

Rhys Nicholson

Richard Todd

Sarah Keyworth

Shappi Khorsandi

Sisters

Steen Raskopoulos

Stevie Martin

Tessa Coates

Tim Key: Megadate

Where's The F In News

 

THEATRE                                                                                                                                                     

Bryony Kimmings: I'm A Phoenix, Bitch (preview)                                                         

David Rosenberg & Glenn Neath: Flight

Dom Coyote: We Can Time Travel

Femme Fatale                                                                                                                                       

Highrise: Lil.Miss.Lady

Lyric Hammersmith presents How To Fail At Being Perfect                                   

Lyric Hammersmith presents The Lost Disc

Mark And Marichka Marczyk: Balaklava Blues

Middle Child: One Life Stand

Nabokov presents Benin City: Last Night

Nele Needs A Holiday: The Musical

Push Things Forward Collective: Nabokov, Middle Child and Not Too Tame         

Recirquel Contemporary Circus: Paris De Nuit

Rosy Carrick: Passionate Machine

Scottish Dance Theatre presents Fleur Darkin: Velvet Petal

Theatre Ad Infinitum: No Kids (work in progress)

 

LITERARY AND POETRY

Hussain Manawer

Luke Wright

Modern Love: Panel discussion with Justin Myers & Dolly Alderton

Ross Sutherland

Stacey Dooley: On The Front Line With The Women Who Fight Back

 

THE CABARET THEATRE

Denim

 

MUSIC & FILM

Nadine Shah

 

WATERFRONT

Sadler’s Wells

House Gospel Choir

 

STREET FEAST

Babek

Club Mexicana

Fundi

Gyoza Guys

Ink

Petare

Up In My Grill

 

THEATRE OF FOOD

Breddos, Nud Dhusia

Yum Bun and Yumplings, Lisa Meyer

 

Courtney Barnett, Benjamin Clementine and more for Somerset House

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Following the success of the sold out festival last year, Summer Series at Somerset House with American Express returns this year for 11 nights from 7 – 17 July 2016.

London's intimate live music festival, set in the picturesque courtyard of Somerset House, will play host to an eclectic and world-class array of headline artists alongside a selection of hotly-tipped emerging acts.

Grammy Award-nominated Hiatus Kaiyote will open the Summer Series with their multi-dimensional polyrhythmic cinematic sound from Australia. The festival brings an array of global acts to London, featuring French musician St Germain and Italian-English singer-songwriter Jack Savoretti. Joining the diverse festival line-up this year are Mercury Prize-winning Benjamin Clementine, duo Paul Heaton and Jacqui Abbott, Everything Everything and Caravan Palace. Last but not least, James Morrison, Courtney Barnett and Laura Mvula will join the line-up to deliver a festival to remember.

The festival will close proceedings with a unique, one-off performance from UNKLE: REDUX. James Lavelle will collaborate with Philip Sheppard to perform an unforgettable finale set against the iconic visuals from Stanley Kubrick.

Year on year Somerset House continues to provide unparalleled programmes, with carefully curated line-ups that celebrate the finest talents on offer. This year’s impeccable line-up further cements Summer Series at Somerset House as one of the must-see festivals for any discerning music fan in London.

Prices:

July 7 HIATUS KAIYOTE – £29.50 / GA Enhanced: £49.50
July 8 PAUL HEATON AND JACQUI ABBOTT – £35.00 / GA Enhanced: £55.00
July 9 BENJAMIN CLEMENTINE – £29.50 / GA Enhanced: £49.50
July 10  LAURA MVULA – £29.50 / GA Enhanced: £49.50
July 11  EVERYTHING EVERYTHING – £29.50 / GA Enhanced: £49.50
July 12  JAMES MORRISON – £35.00 / GA Enhanced: £55.00
July 13  COURTNEY BARNETT – £29.50 / GA Enhanced: £49.50
July 14  CARAVAN PALACE – £29.50 / GA Enhanced: £49.50
July 15  JACK SAVORETTI – £29.50 / GA Enhanced: £49.50
July 16  ST GERMAIN – £35.00 / GA Enhanced: £55.00
July 17  UNKLE: REDUX – £35.00 / GA Enhanced: £55.00

Benjamin Clementine Review

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It’s strange how you come to love the things you love; and stranger still is how protective you become of something you hold terribly, terribly dear.

Benjamin, I first noticed you on TV, you caught me the second I saw you. Your songs spoke of more than pain and love and loss and love again; breaking tired conscripts and song structure, you built something new, captivating me in a way I’d never even thought existed before and you, left, me, wanting, more.

I make no secret of buying my tickets for tonight. I also make no secret that I’m a lucky man who gets guest invites to see more music that any man should but tonight I wanted to be there in your audience, on your homecoming and see you, in the flesh, brought real. And do you know what? Tonight I felt embarrassed Benjamin. I felt we let you down.

You were brilliant, you were humble, you were everything I wanted you to be. You spoke directly to me; songs brought to life better than they ever are on your album. You wore your pain, your hopes, your fears for all of us; looping vocals on a beguiling range, musicality spilling out of your piano and your soul, beating heart on your sleeve. And If I’m honest, I realise this is a transitional period between coming into public consciousness and all of us falling head over heels in love with you, So maybe, just maybe, I shouldn’t feel so disappointed.

I know that everyone here tonight bought their ticket before you won the Mercury Prize and so should have know better. I know you struggled with the overwhelmingness of it all, and that touched every one of us, but tonight we weren’t the fans you deserved but I truly promise you’re going to get so much more from your audience in the future. Hand on heart, we’re going to be singing every word back at you, we’re going to be living and reliving every pain in your sorrow, we’re going to be walking with you through Edmonton, Paris & London and in return you’ll be our song, voice and soul. We just weren’t there in force tonight. And I just so wanted it to be tonight.

There is one thing being a fan of exciting British music, hanging on the coattails of what people say we should be listening to or what is ‘hot for 2016’ is but there is another type a fan reserved especially for you. Tonight we were fan type ‘A’, one that feels like they should be seen to be there rather than one that wants, desperately wants, to ‘be’ there. I, however, am that other fan Benjamin and I will follow you.

I don’t know what the future holds but I really want to be in your company again next year and the one the after that and the one after that and I promise it’s not just me that’s going to love you for so very long. We just need a little time to find strength in number, our own voice and a way to show you our, love, back.

Thank you for a great night. It’s without doubt some of the best in live music I’ve ever seen and heard.  I simply cannot wait to share more of it with likeminded people; reciprocating our understating of your art and showing a willingness to be the audience you truly deserve. We’re coming Benjamin. I just hope that when we arrive, we’re better and you simply remain the same.

Tobin James