Latitude, where posh people go.

[ouchmonkey]

But it's when they expect the festival to change to suit how they've changed that I get pissed off.

But Latitude has always sold itself on that basis - that it's family friendly, that there's author's talks and theatre and comedy and music... that it's not a drunken mudbath like reading or T in the park that music is one of it's elements and it's essentially been created to suit the interests of that crowd.
that seems fair enough to be honest, they shouldn't all be the same you appear to be expecting something they weren't offering...

the time we went it was the kids element (and the impressive line-up that time) that drew us in
and to be honest, they'd done a crap job really of integrating kids into the festival when it seemed the general set-up should have made it easy. I can't help agreeing with some of your criticism too - it's just not a festival for us

I've got mates going for the first time this year, drawn by Kraftwerk and the kid friendliness - i've warned 'em it's dead Middle Class so we'll see what they make of it

 

[marshall]

I think Festival Republic have cunningly catered for their customers’ festival life ‘journey’, from young teen, 14-17 years old (Reading/Leeds) to wanting a bit more variety arts-wise in a miles nicer setting (Latitude). Does that make sound marketing sense?

 

[Tort]

I think Festival Republic have cunningly catered for their customers’ festival life ‘journey’, from young teen, 14-17 years old (Reading/Leeds) to wanting a bit more variety arts-wise in a miles nicer setting (Latitude). Does that make sound marketing sense?

It does! Which is why I detest the whole principle of Latitude. Festivals to my way of thinking are about sponteneity and having a fucking good time and, if at all possible, benefiting charitable concerns in the process. Not marketing to boost fat cat profits.

 

[Firky]

I went to the very first latitude and it wasn't for me, in fact it was one of the worst festivals I have ever been too for many of the reasons stated here (it lacked atmosphere mainly - it was like something the National Trust or English Heritage would put on). But in its defence I thought the standards of cleanliness were the best of any festival I have been too and there was plenty of room when camping - at least 5ft between tents. I don't think it ever set out out to be a proper full on music festival, but a family festival where for people who don't want to spend a weekend inebriated with friends. Instead they want a slightly different weekend away in the English countryside with Pimms, poems and a bit of Joanna Newsom to get the Hunters wellies tapping and the jeanos swaying.

TBH I'm all for it. If Latitude attracts all the middle class beans and social worker reggae enthusiasts then good! There's less chance of them spoiling other 'good' festivals and Latitude isn't all that different to a large demographic of posters on this forum if you're honest.

 

[Firky]

it's just not a festival for us

That's about it really. It is like pubs. Some people bizarrely like pubs to have wifi, leather Chesterfields, coffee tables and unpronounceable coffee served in glass tumblers. But some of us just want decent beer, good juke box and a bit craic.

 

[marshall]

So, that wasn't you 'getting down' to Snow Patrol then?

 

[editor]

That's about it really. It is like pubs. Some people bizarrely like pubs to have wifi, leather Chesterfields, coffee tables and unpronounceable coffee served in glass tumblers. But some of us just want decent beer, good juke box and a bit craic.

And drugs. Don't forget the drugs.

 

[Firky]

People don't do drugs at festivals, do they?!

 

[skyscraper101]

But Latitude has always sold itself on that basis - that it's family friendly, that there's author's talks and theatre and comedy and music... that it's not a drunken mudbath like reading or T in the park that music is one of it's elements and it's essentially been created to suit the interests of that crowd.
that seems fair enough to be honest, they shouldn't all be the same you appear to be expecting something they weren't offering...

Exactly. It's supposed to be like that. I rather enjoyed the fact it wasn't Reading or Glastonbury and people weren't there primiarily to get mashup. Though obviously you could if you wanted. To me it was more like Meltdown but in the countryside and over a weekend.

 

[Firky]

I think it was at Latitude I paid £5.50 for a table spoon yoghurt with half a strawberry on the top.

 

[skyscraper101]

I think it was at Latitude I paid £5.50 for a table spoon yoghurt with half a strawberry on the top.

Organic yoghurt and a GM free strawberry I think you'll find.

 

[Johnny Canuck3]

Totally agree with you. Have a look at my post #17 on this thread.

My mention of the 'baby on board' signs was a bit of a joke aimed at people who had been arguing about them on the Brixton thread, that's all.

Ok. I missed the earlier comment...

 

[boing!]

Been a few times on a performer's ticket. It is very middle class, certainly more so than Glastonbury which I still think is actually quite mixed (if you bother to actually go, rather than base opinions on the BBC coverage). The Latitude site is lovely though, and the lineups are often pretty good (Kraftwerk this year!). It's expensive though, doubt I would ever go if I had to buy a ticket.

 

[boing!]

Also, the re-usable cups that you pay a deposit on are actually quite a good idea, seems to help keep the litter down. The fact that they're branded with colourful Latitude logos so people are tempted to pay £2 for a souvenir plastic cup is a bit cynical. But then, the festival is full of posh kids who think nothing of throwing money around, so you can make a tidy profit pulling cups out of hedges on a monday morning and claiming the deposits.

 

[UnderOpenSky]

I think it was at Latitude I paid £5.50 for a table spoon yoghurt with half a strawberry on the top.

Mug

 

[Onket]

I think it was at Latitude I paid £5.50 for a table spoon yoghurt with half a strawberry on the top.

What did they say when you pulled them up on it?

 

[Firky]

Gave me the other half of the strawberry.



TBH I didn't say anything and it may not have been Latitude. I remember wanting something that wasn't fried, carbs, tofu (i.e. the usual festival fodder) and expected to be ripped off but maybe to the sum of £3.

That's why it is better to live on Soreen and take drugs.

 

[Onket]

 

[tommers]

I went to latitude for my stag do. It was a very clean festival. Unlike firky though I got free yogurt every day.

I do remember offering some teenager a bit of mephedrone and him looking at me like I'd just offered to kill his mum. We were a little bit out of place. Lots of families and everything stopped about 1am. Like nothing going on at all. And then about 15 completely munted fellas gurning away.

 

[William of Walworth]

The more I read about Latitude the less I want ever to go!

I've been half tempted by some pretty interesting lineups some years, but the expense was always a killer, as well as the extreme distance from us. And now it looks the offputting aspects outweigh any good ones by a big distance.

I'd be better off getting back to the Cambridge Folk Festival (not been since 2006) -- that's much more up my musical street anyway, though not much better location wise than Latitude would be.

<Crosses Latitude off 'theoretical future fest' list>

 

[sojourner]

teenage girls wearing wellies on dry ground in the boiling hot sun as 'that's what you wear at festivals'.

There were loads of young lasses at Beatherder wearing their wellies, in scorching heat!! they must have actually been in pain - this must be why they did it

 

[Onket]

teenage girls wearing wellies on dry ground in the boiling hot sun as 'that's what you wear at festivals'.

http://www.urban75.org/blog/beautiful-days-2011-around-the-festival-site/

That pic was posted as an example of a good festival.

People will fucking moan at anything.

 

[Sunray]

The more I read about Latitude the less I want ever to go!

I've been half tempted by some pretty interesting lineups some years, but the expense was always a killer, as well as the extreme distance from us. And now it looks the offputting aspects outweigh any good ones by a big distance.

I'd be better off getting back to the Cambridge Folk Festival (not been since 2006) -- that's much more up my musical street anyway, though not much better location wise than Latitude would be.

<Crosses Latitude off 'theoretical future fest' list>

You could always work it for Oxfam but you'd need to have worked for Oxfam before because there are only about 120 stewards at this one and it goes practically before stewarding is open to the public.

 

[William of Walworth]

Hey no worries, I doubt I'd want to put Oxfam under staffing pressure unless the imaginary OxBoss gives me a personal lift from .... West Wales??

Then again I could win some minor lottery cash .... at some point ...

 

[Flipp]

Never been but my perception is that I'd rather shove metaphorical wasps up my ar*e than go to Latitude..

This is the festival I used to observe putting a nominal amount of tickets on sale in Novemberish [for the following year] and then once sold out they would all be available on viagogo for unfathomable prices [up to £2000!!!].. They even had Viagogo as an official 'partner' on their website at one point!!

 

[ibilly99]

Do you get a better class of drugs at posh festivals?

Been twice wouldn't go back but twas alright - Sigur Ros on drone were a revelation and Tom Baxter a guilty pleasure. Primal Scream
did his pre-clean incoherent drug fuelled ramble and had to be pulled off stage and the ubiquitous Marcus Brigstocke riffing as ever off
the Daily Mail - best moment Michael Nyman doing his stuff. Comedy tent rammed and not worth the bother .

Was having a crafty joint with a mate whilst waiting outside the theatre tent to see the late great Ken Campbell
when we heard a posh women declaiming 'why do they think they need to do that - what is missing from their lifes' - put us right off
and made us paranoid for smoking for the rest of the festival.

As it's on sandy soil it just shakes off any rain that rarely gets thrown at it but has been rapes on the campsite.

Jeff Hoon used to go till he was banned by 'Midge' Benn I think - apparently not - once I googled him - he wouldn't last a minute at Glastonbury .
Stasi type security on getting through the gates as well loads of folk getting bladdered on their stash before going in.
Which is where back trousering your spirit 500ml comes in handy. They always look at your
front never behind.
http://forums.latitudefestival.co.uk/m69939.aspx

 

[Gerry1time]

has been rapes on the campsite.

I don't know if there were any on any other years, but the year I went (2010?) there were two reported rapes. However, the following year I was told by a person very close to the investigation that neither of them turned out to have been rapes at all. All very odd.

 

[ibilly99]

From Popbitch and just checked efestival forums and they are correct - all the threads nuked.
How PR doesn't work Pt 332
Latitude festival (the very much not sold-out event happening this week) have cancelled media accreditation for efestivals due to them failing to post a press release at the exact correct time.
So efestivals have responded by deleting all traces of Latitude Fest from their website, and apparently they aren't the only ones....Probably not going to help Latitude with the walk up sales their PR have been set to target.
More interesting will be the knock on effect on coverage of Reading/Leeds fest - also both very much not sold out. With losses on all fronts could Melvin be heading the way of his old mucker Vince into financial oblivion?
Oh, and Camp Bestival are taking out Bus Stop ads (high cost, last gasp step of a very in-need-of-promo event), right across the Westcountry.

neville_bartos 20:18, arf, barf, reply

 

[Firky]

ITV used to pay for all their top bosses go to Latitude for a bit of a coked up weekend.

So I have heard

 

[ska invita]

TBH I'm all for it. If Latitude attracts all the middle class beans and social worker reggae enthusiasts then good! There's less chance of them spoiling other 'good' festivals and Latitude isn't all that different to a large demographic of posters on this forum if you're honest.

was there any reggae on the bill at this?