Latitude 2018 – Saturday Highlights Part 1

In the afternoon we learnt how to make butter with Felicity Cloake, chanted along with Ibeyi, got swoonsome with Alvvays as well as many more delights from the wonderful worlds of music and arts.

Michael Kiwanuku

The early risers of Latitude are in for a treat as Michael Kiwanuka takes to the Lake Stage for a special performance, which is being filmed as part of an upcoming Danny Boyle and Richard Curtis production .

The crowd need no instruction from Danny Boyle, who introduces the set, to delight in Kiwanuka’s soulful songs as they’re the perfect accompaniment for this gloriously sunny Suffolk morning. Michael treats us to highlights from both his albums, with ‘Black Man In A White World’ and ‘Home Again’ getting the sprawling lakeside crowd quickly rise to their feet.

Kiwanuka’s as always delivers all of his songs with a warmth that could rival that of the sun, with the receptive crowd lapping up every moment of  this pleasant, only at Latitude surprise.

Where’s The F In News

Satirists and comedians have had their fill of topical subjects over the past few months, but by all accounts this week has been a bit of a doozie. So, when Where’s the F in News roll into the Comedy Arena for a recording of the hit Radio 4 show, we knew this would be packed to the rafters – in both topics and audience.

The panel is full of Latitude favourites as Rose Matafeo, Bryony Kimmings, Lauren Pattinson and Eleanor Tiernan take on the lack of female commentators in sport, community support officers in shorts, and even a crow that shouts “y’alright love” at passersby (that’s one for a Google search).

With his trip to these Isles ongoing, naturally conversation is dominated by Trump. The panel even have a go at being his spin doctor for a challenge, though this is a stretch too far for most of them. Eventually the conversation just breaks down to Trump’s hair potentially being a ghost of itself, and that’s just what we like in the Comedy Arena.

Pop Chorus

Inside the BBC Music Stage families are quietly gathered to start the day together with the feel good harmonies of opening act, Pop Chorus.

60 singers from the normally 300 strong local choir captivate the crowd with versions of past and present Latitude acts as well as classic tracks. Previous Latitude secret set favourite, Ed Sheeran, is mashed up with Sam Smith’s ‘I’m Not The Only One’ to get everyone swaying to the sleepy soul.

The choir bravely tackle the tumbling rhythms of  ‘Breezeblocks’ by Sunday night’s headliner alt-J, before teasing the first tear of the day with Snow Patrol’s ‘Run’ with the choir effortlessly emotive melodies heightening the song’s already impassioned pleas.

Rag’n’Bone Man’s ‘Human’ ripples with rousing harmonies and ‘All These Things That I’ve Done’ gets everyone excited for tonight’s Obelisk Arena headliners, The Killers.

Pop Chorus are the audio equivalent of a morning vitamin shot to set you up for the day.

Modern Love: Joel Dommett, Dolly Alderton

Social media, Love Island, post-sex Deliveroo, within about a minute of this panel in The SpeakEasy we’ve already dug deep into just what modern love is all about. Our panel, all authors on books about their adventures (or misadventures) through the minefield of love, have plenty to say on the subject.

Journalist Dolly Alderton is still perplexed about the concept of ghosting (not to mention all of the other terminology) , and the lengths men will go to not have to say another word to her.

Comedian Joel Dommett may be engaged, but the start of his new life began in the most 21st century of ways… his fiancée sent him the cat eyes emoji on Instagram.

Writer Justin Myers feels life is now all about filters. Be they on your photos or in your dating profile to weed out all but the limited few, they make dating structured and provide no happenstance. You know a crowd is in agreement when pockets all around woop at just about everything said!

Felicity Cloake

In a packed Theatre Of Food tent, Guardian  and New Statesman columnist, Felicity Cloake, is enlightening us on how make one of life’s simple culinary pleasures – bread and butter.

Joanna starts by baking a round loaf of Soda Bread and moves onto conjuring up buttery goodness from scratch. As the buttermilk churns in the mixer, Joanna peppers her demo with anecdotes of when her eating and cooking habits were less decadent than today. Like, the time she was at uni and discovered the wonder of melted cheese on chips at the local kebab van and another time when she tried to boil pasta in a kettle.

Like all of the Theatre Of Food talks and demos, Felicity’s talk is both funny and insightful. For example, conjugated linoleic fat is good for you and you can tell how much is in butter by how yellow it is?

As the smell of freshly baked bread wafts for the oven we can’t wait to get home and try to make it ourselves.

Windrush: Movement Of The People

Tackling a vital piece of British history on the Waterfront Stage is no mean feat on a Saturday afternoon, but we had no doubt that the Northern powerhouse that is Phoenix Dance Theatre will be able to pull it off with Windrush: Movement Of The People.

The piece, celebrating 70 years since the arrival of the SS Empire Windrush, chronicles the Windrush era of mass immigration and the communities created up and down the country. While at times there’s so much joy emanating from the river stage, the performance tackles the prejudice of the era and the difficulties that lay ahead with a powerful touch.

Of note, the staging and the costuming capture era after era as we glide through the 20th century. This provides a vivacious visual accompaniment to a soundtrack so meticulously crafted to the journey. An eerie and unfamiliar rendition of ‘God Save the Queen’ perfectly demonstrates the fear of stepping into a new world; while in lighter times Sam Cooke’s ‘Change is Gonna Come’ offers a delicate background to a couple’s intimate waltz.

The set pieces flow through and mesh together a wealth of styles. At times there’s an enormous physicality, sometimes they clown. When all 10 take to the stage, the choreography is a mind-blowing feat of timing and talent.

Mama’s Jerk

Bringing a taste of the Caribbean to Suffolk, with a secret jerk marinade that has been passed down through generations, Mama’s Jerk is a must go for lunch on this equally hot Saturday afternoon. Whether you want a jerk salad or wrap in both chicken and vegan bean cake, you’re sure to get a spicy kick. Paired with traditional fried plantain and jerk chips it’s a real treat for the taste buds. We recommend topping it off with their homemade mango mayonnaise as a must have side.

Ibeyi

Female empowerment, politics and a refusal to be afraid are themes that run through Ibeyi’s set. Twins Lisa-Kainde and Naomi Diaz pound the stage with the presence of a headliner, as they tear through their two exciting albums.

As the twins introduce ‘No Man Is Big Enough For My Arms’, they unearth the story behind asking Michelle Obama if one of her powerful speeches could feature in the track. As the words of the former first lady wash over the crowd, the twins have them firmly in the palms of their hands.

The duo interject their tracks with important statements of intent, as they lead the crowd in a chilling chant of “we are deathless!” over and over again. It seems a shame that the set has to come to a close as the band and crowd are so tightly united together.

Asif Kapadia in conversation with Mark Kermode

We’ve had all sorts of award winners over the weekend, but it’s always a special treat when those on stage are Oscar recipients. During this fascinating and insightful Q&A with film critic Mark Kermode in the Music and Film Arena, the documentary maker Asif Kapadia tells all from a career best known for focusing on the genius of Ayrton Senna and Amy Winehouse with him winning an Academy Award for the latter.

Kapadia details the unique way of documentary making: editing from the very start to eke out the characters to talk to, continually evolving the move over a period of years. He tells stories of how he ended up in F1 owner, Bernie Ecclestone’s bunker to find unearthed footage and how luck struck with filming Amy’s first manager round her kitchen table.

Finishing his so-called “trilogy on fame” and how it affects those locked into it, Kapadia turns his attention to football legend Maradona. After a sneak peek, we learn about his meetings with the superstar and the challenges to create a movie about a man who even his friends call, “the world’s greatest liar”.

Alvvays

Alvvays may be from Toronto Canada, but their music is like blowing pink bubblegum bubbles in the backseat of an open top car, cruising down the Big Sur on summer vacation whilst trying to mend a broken heart.

The pumping beats of ‘Hey’ from their latest album, ‘Antisocialites’, gets the set off to a driving start with the band never taking their foot off the gas. ‘Adult Diversion’ cruises the lane of wistful longing before switching to lanes for the dreamy defiency of ‘Undertow’ and moving over to the fast lane for the jerky surf pop of ‘Lollipop (Ode To Jim)’.

‘Archie, Marry Me’ and ‘Dreams Tonight’ has Alvvays transversing the same terrain as indie pop greats like Camera Obscura and the Vaselines, but it’s always a territory that they always make their own. Closing with the bittersweet ‘Next Of Kin’, everyone in the BBC Music Stage tent is thinking Alvvays, marry me.

Wander back to the blissful surrounds of Henham Park for our Saturday Highlights Part 2 where we’ll share with you our secret set on the BBC Music Stage, Octavian‘s set in the Sunrise Arena, the thrilling headline set from The Killers and many more highlights.

Visit our photo gallery and video gallery for more heavenly higlights from Latitude 2018.