Review & Photographs by Andrew Mackenzie Yes, you did hear right! Latitude 2022, and I was lucky enough to have this as my first ever festival. Come check out what went on…..
After arriving and setting up it was rather late so before I settled down Thursday night, I went on an adventure into the main arena and checked this place out at night which can I add was buzzing and busy and lit up beautifully I was very impressed and due to my hunger grabbed a bite to eat from a vendor down at the street feast area which is where the food venders are mainly based pricey but right now I was too hungry to argue. I wondered about and got some of my bearings but headed off to the tent and had a shower (cold as there was no electric yet) and then slept.
Friday
This is where it all began for me, and I was so excited to get out their and shoot. I headed down to the press tent via the much-needed coffee vendors (stopping for one obviously). I had my own plan for what I wanted to shoot and when, and made sure this was ok with the press team, with the ok and my gear charged I headed out regularly stopping off at the press tent to charge or go through my work between acts Over the day I attended 5 different stages getting a good feel of all the ranges of what Latitude had to offer from the BBC Introducing Stage in the woods to the BBC Sounds Stage and The main arena the Obelisk stage. Over the day I photographed 14 acts from Larkin Poe, Rosie Jones, Russel Howard to acts like Maggie Rodgers and the main Friday headliner Lewis Capaldi. I was also able to treat myself to some of the food at the “Street Feast” latitudes main food vendor area there was another up near the family camping area too. The day ended with shooting four artists: Maggie Rodgers, Caroline Polachek, Lewis Capaldi and Phoebe Bridger's.
Shooting Fridays events was so exciting and seeing how it all works and is set up and how the public love it, it was great to see people being nice and free after a rough 18 months of “covid-19” restrictions this although hasn’t affected Latitude.
Friday ended with an amazing headline act “Lewis Capaldi” the crowd loved every minute of this from his entrance using Backstreet boys “Everybody” track to the end with a small firework display.
Saturday
With all of yesterday’s excitement I kept the momentum going, today was another hot day and I had a rough plan of where I wanted to be and whom I wanted to shoot. so I headed down to the press tent and had coffee and got my kit recharged and sorted and spent that time chatting with others and have plenty of coffee!! A lot of todays work would be in the comedy tent as I had seen a good few artists who I wanted to watch and shoot With gear packed and my rough plan set I set off and spent a good few hours in the comedy tent, shooting, “Maisie Adams”, “The Lost Voice Guy” and other names I took a break grabbed some food and then made my way over to the listening post which was hosting “Jim Parkyn” one of Aardmans senior model creators for the Aardman Academy this was really interesting talk about everything model making.
I headed back to the press tent checked out my schedule, photos and had a chill out, before heading back to the comedy tent as even though he is not my favourite comedian I wanted to see if he had changed… “Frankie Boyle” He was headlining now I’ve seen him before, and he is a good Scottish comedian but some subjects he touches on he can push his boundary. I did manage to say hi to him in passing as I didn’t realise who it was only realising when in the photo pit. He put on a good show from what I saw but didn’t stay too long. I was getting rather hungry and hot, but I headed to one of the food places and grabbed a bite to eat. Food here is rather expensive a meal and drink can set you back about £20pp. After relaxing by the BBC Sounds tent, I went and shot The Shires another band id heard off the radio.
The start of the evening began with one of the most energetic and bouncy sets I’ve ever witnessed and seeing it on a large scale like at a festival was even more insane, “Example” on the obelisk arena. He is a great entertainer and artist with a lively back catalogue of music. He was amazing to shoot and to watch after as I sat in the arena just taking it all in.
Next on was Lil Simz now I wanted to shoot her earlier this year, but couldn’t go, so this was my chance to work with her and she puts on a great show as she’s a rapper, but also influences of grime in her music a truly great show. I headed back to the press tent to sort out my gear and make sure I was all ready and charged for the end of the night and till morning. We all headed out to the main stage for “Foals” but were cut short as we’d been told that it wasn’t the first three songs we would be shooting or allowed to shoot it was the last three. But we went along with this and photographing foals was anything but boring, fast paced and the crowd loved every second of it. They ended their set with “Two Steps” and streamers which where incredible I was going to have a roam around the site for any last photo opportunities but was too tired so headed to sleep as I knew tomorrow would be a long one.
Sunday
Sunday started with me doing a complete pack down before id even got to the press tent at 10 am as I knew I could do everything I need to from the press tent and had done a photo dump last night. Once Id got to the tent it was priority… COFFEE then made sure all my kit was charged as it was dying. I then headed off to a very dusty tent and the Alcove Stage starting with “Three Years Younger” they were overwhelmed at the response the tent was packed for this small undiscovered Suffolk band who were very good and all I can say is the whole tent was dancing, even I had a dance! I then headed to the other 4 stages which I shot at that day, shooting “Dylan”, “Hudson Taylor” even checked out a comedy act who I heard on TV and wanted to go shoot “Reginald D Hunter” who was great fun and whilst photographing he posed just for me which I found funny. My last 4 acts were; “Kay Tempest” whom id heard of spoken about on the radio but was a phenomenal lyricist and artist I then hopped over to the Obelisk Arena to catch a band who I use to listen to with my mum growing up “ Manic Street Preachers” I text my mum saying I was shooting them and she replied saying how cool that was and how proud she was of me which actually brought a tear to my eye. After shooting the great and might “M.S.P” I made a pit stop to freshen up at the press tent before heading to the Alcove Stage to catch a Band I previously wanted to shoot this year but didn’t get the opportunity to ; “Nova Twins” these two were probably the heaviest music id heard over the weekend They blew the roof off that tent and created a dust storm from circle pits and mosh pits I left there in awe and very happy with the added taste of dust in my lungs.
The Finale for me was now to head back over to the other side of the site to get in the pit for the final act of the night “Snow Patrol” I was very tired by this point, but I had enough power to keep going, as a quick review they are amazing live, and the crowd just were incredible so much crowd feedback and energy! They played several new tracks and older tracks which was lovely to hear. I sadly after the three songs rule, I wanted to stay but was needing to get back home.
I can truly say that I had an incredible weekend, met lovely people, and made friends, both camping and working and got the chance to network with some great people. I feel very privileged to be able to work at a festival, that’s relatively big and well known for the first time and it’s given me a real insight of how they work and that I would do this again with a bit more preparation on the camping side. I’ve also been able to expand my personal portfolio massively and I’m not sure where this will take my photography, but I hope for great things.