Marking its 20th year as a festival, the event has gone from hosting the likes of Snow Patrol and Patti Smith at the first edition, to winning the Best Major Festival at the 2017 UK Festival Awards. This year, amassing as many as 135,000 attendees over the weekend, the festival's lineup is as stacked as ever. Here are five music acts that you can’t miss.
Jalen Ngonda
Hot off the heels of supporting Olivia Dean’s The Art of Loving Tour and releasing his second studio album ‘Doctrine of Love’, Jalen Ngonda is revitalising soul and bringing the Motown sound into this generation. The love songs in his repertoire deliver a passionate melody that takes listeners right back to the 60’s. Ngonda’s set will leave listeners full of affection and adoration to be carried through the rest of the weekend.
Just Mustard
Ireland has been showcasing a masterclass in rock debuts over the past decade, and Dundalk’s Just Mustard is the perfect teacher. Formed in 2015, the band debuted with album ‘Wednesday’ in 2018, followed by ‘Heart Under’ in 2022, both receiving high accolades by critics. Their captivating third album, ‘We Were Just Here’, is sure to be on display during their Latitude set, and definitely not to be missed.
DEADLETTER
The Yorkshire-native DEADLETTER are introducing a unique haunting angle to the alternative-rock scene. With their newest album ‘Existence is Bliss’, their blend of heavy percussion with lead singer Zac Lawrence’s evocative vocals exhibits their accomplishments and the depth of their potential. Their promising future will be exemplified at Latitude's Sunrise Arena.
Florence Road
Another example of Irish rock’s incredible prominence are Wicklow natives Florence Road. From posting song covers online to playing on international stages, their rise to fame continues at Latitude Festival. Their charm has skyrocketed the indie-rock band to new heights, and they continue to be on the rise. To see the next big act, catch them on Friday at Second Stage.
David Byrne
Most attendees at Latitude Festival would not miss it, but in case of any hesitations, this one is a must. David Byrne’s sets are not simply a concert, but an experience. Taking the listeners through decades of work, Byrne travels through the spectrum of human emotions with his solo releases and Talking Heads records. This headliner is not a set to blow off.
Latitude Festival is held at Henham Park in Suffolk, from the 23rd-26th July.
Molly Beairsto