Flycasual's Best Of Latitude 2014 - Jungle, Young Fathers, The War on Drugs

I didn't find myself really but I did find myself surrounded by pseudo hippies in obligatory garb back from their two weeks in Goa, rich white kids doing the festival circuit on mummy and daddy's money kicking over bins and Essex women slumming it with their festival chic and expensive wellies! Not to mention a super cell storm in a leaking tent...Apart from that, a beautiful vibe and setting, incredible music and unforgettable memories with sterling company. Thanks TuneDr crew.... 

Uncomfortable viewing...

Jungle - 'Time' (2014)

This was my most anticipated gig, mid afternoon in the sweltering BBC6 music stage. I haven't felt hysterical about an act in quite sometime and with such a distinctive sound, Jungle are without doubt my favourite band of the year. So I'm near the front and slowly it gets more and more crowded as people pile in the venue, the heat rises and somewhat appropriately, it feels like...ehm a jungle. The seven piece do not disappoint despite feverish conditions as they play an energetic set, further cementing my admiration for them. I did get irked at the 'youts' throwing themselves about the mosh pit akin to 'sweaties' at a Cradle of Filth concert, a wholly inappropriate way to behave to 'White Soul' but that probably says more about my age than anything else. Talking of 'White Soul', I jokingly said to Sfw that Jungle were this generation's Curiosity Killed the Cat or Living in a Box or even Hue and Cry, but clearly that'll be doing them a complete disservice. However they did play right after Daryl Hall and John Oats....just saying!

Mosh Pit about to kick off!?

Young Fathers - 'I Heard' (2013)

Latitude Festival Dilemma, who do I see? Damon Albarn, one of my favourite ever artists with a rich history and a diverse array of music or up and coming rappers, Young Fathers, who have been compared to Massive Attack's early days? I'm a big fan and, like Jungle, Young Fathers are a band I've really been excited about. I take the plunge and head off to the atmospheric iArena, a stage set in the middle of the woods, to see Scotland's finest. A bit hit and miss to be honest but a performance as fierce as the surrounding rain storm (which, according to Shell hunter, scuppered Damon's encore somewhat by dispersing the crowd, despite having brought on Graham Coxon as a guest). When they're good they're magnificent, ending in soulful anguish with the brilliant 'I Heard'.

I'm not weeing in there!

The War On Drugs - 'Red Eyes' (2014) Live at Latitude Festival 2014

The line up was fantastic but with so many good bands to see you're never going to catch them all. We had just seen the brilliant Future Islands and were now making the trek back from the iArena to the main stage at the Obelisk Arena to see Tame Impala, probably a 15 minute walk. A distinct sound stops us in our tracks as we pass by the BBC6 Music stage, it's the War On Drugs' 'Red Eyes', one of my favourite songs of the year ever since Old Pa featured it on a TOTW back in March and it was a stunning performance. One of the aspects of Latitude I loved was that despite the inevitability of missing out on artists, you're always going to get to see something due to the positioning of the various stages.

The iArena....Ewoks and Speederbikes just out of shot!

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