Joining fellow pianists Lang Lang and Rufus Wainright on the Latitude bill is larger than life musical personaChilly Gonzales who will appear in the Film & Music Arena. The Grammy-nominated, classically trained Canadian is not your average pop star. He’s a bone-fide jazz virtuoso, multi-instrumentalist, singer, songwriter, MC and producer who regularly collaborates with the likes of Peaches, Feist and Drake – Chilly is a musician who is impossible to pigeon-hole! Moving on from his early hip hop and electronic albums, 2004 saw the release of his highly praised entirely instrumental album, Solo Piano, and the much anticipated follow up, Solo Piano II, is due out later this summer. Having personally requested to play Latitude this year due to its well deserved reputation as a highlight of the UK festival season, Chilly will be treating audiences to one of his famously comical and musically astonishing live performances…we can’t wait! Van Dyke Parks and Britten Sinfonia will be performing a special show to coincide with the long-awaited reissue of three of Van Dyke Parks' most visionary albums. Performing a career-retrospective set featuring full orchestral accompaniment from Britten Sinfonia, if you don’t know Van Dyke Parks, now is the chance to immerse yourself in a uniquely eclectic and daring landscape. Parks may be best known for penning the lyrics to The Beach Boys’ legendary sixties masterpiece Smile; more recently his arrangements helped shape Joanna Newsom’s epic album Ys. But the true riches of Parks’ talent lie in his first three solo albums, Song Cycle (1968), Discover America (1972) andClang Of The Yankee Reaper (1975).
Staying with the Film & Music Arena Mark Lamarr is presenting his God’s Jukebox, Latitude favourite, hosting a selection of the finest artists from the worlds of Soul, Ska, Reggae, Country, Gospel and Rap. The first of four fabulous additions to the God’s Jukebox bill is none other than Wanda Jackson, the Queen of Rockabilly. Having performed on the Obelisk Arena in 2011, Latitude is delighted and honoured to welcome Wanda back to a more intimate setting. With a career spanning over 50 years, which has seen her collaborate with everyone from Elvis Presley to Jack White, audiences are in for a magical time with an absolute legend. Also performing on the God’s Jukebox bill is Los Angeles singer Gizzelle whose stunning voice recalls 50’s blues, 60’s soul and rhythm and blues; London rocksteady crew The Delegators, who are known for their electrifying live shows; and perennial party starters Big Boss Man will be on hand to get crowds moving with their beguiling blend of soul jazz, boogaloo and sixties grooves. Latitude headliner Paul Weller is a massive fan and with that stamp of approval, expect nothing less than a funky good time.
Stalwarts of the leftfield electronic scene Demdike Stare will also take to the stage in this arena. The duo are known for combining experimental techno, drone and ambient and a range of unusual samples, audiences are in for a sensory onslaught!
Experimental English rockers Sweet Billy Pilgrim will be also be making a welcome debut in the arena tinkering about somewhere between the earthy and the ethereal. Fusing folk, jazz and rock the Mercury Music Prize nominees will be scraping strings and making magical melodies for all to hear.
Yet more exciting music additions have been made to the eclectic Latitude line-up across the site. Appearing on the Obelisk Arena will be Irishman Mick Flannery whose softly-sung gravelly tones have earned him awards at the US Songwriting Competition in Nashville, as well as a platinum-selling album. Additions to the i Arenawill be the UK’s answer to Arcade Fire, seven-piece instrumental alchemists Revere, heralded as one of the country’s best live acts, expect a set full of rousing chamber-pop and epic live visuals. California girls Deap Vally bonded over their mutual love of the blues and rock n roll, and their set at Latitude is highly anticipated following a series of wild live shows in their native LA. London’s hottest new band Splashh have garnered praise across the board for their lo-fi magic, and recent single All I Wanna Do just might be the soundtrack of the summer. Hot off the back of a support slot touring with Latitude headliner Bon Iver is folk trio The Staves –three sisters from Watford whose gorgeous songs feature sublime vocal harmonies. Twin Shadow will be performing at Latitude the same weekend his sophomore LP Confess is released on 4AD. Blending nostalgia and pop with a refreshingly modern sound, it’s on the stage that he really shines. Prepare to be blown away. Finally Gross Magic, the alter-ego of spectral newcomer, Sam McGarrigle, whose static-drenched pop has earned comparisons to Ariel Pink and Perfume Genius will be appearing on The Lake Stage.
The British Academy of Film and Television Arts (BAFTA) will once again give festival-goers the chance to hear from creative talent from the worlds of film and television. On Friday 13 July, the Film & Music Arena will play host to cast and crew from the hit Olympic-themed mockumentary series Twenty Twelve. Also on the Friday, BAFTA award-winning screenwriter Abi Morgan (White Girl, Shame, The Iron Lady) will discuss her career with Edith Bowman in the Literary Salon. On Saturday 14 July, cast and crew from Channel 4 comedy Fresh Meatwill share their favourite moments from the first series of the popular show. On Sunday 15 July, BAFTA presents a screening of Ill Manors, a British urban musical written and directed by Ben Drew (aka rapper Plan B). Innovative short films, including this year’s BAFTA award-winning shorts will screen throughout the festival.
In the first theatre collaboration between Sadler’s Wells, Kneehigh and Theatre Royal Stratford East, extracts from new British Bollywood musical Wah! Wah! Girls! will be performed on the stunning The Waterfront Stage.Set in present day East London, the show tells a story of love against the odds, with music that combines Bollywood hits with contemporary pop-influenced songs. Also joining the Sadler's Wells line-up is French hip-hop dance crew Serial Stepperz, who showcase house dance, a newer hip-hop dance style, devised from the dance floor and born out of club culture. The popular Graduate Fashion Show is all set to return to Latitude’s waterfront and this year it will be hosted by the ultimate “party boy” Jamie Laing from E4’s Made In Chelsea,with models provided by Storm model management this is one event for all you fashionistas. Mike Viry, one of the main dancers in Street Dance 2 has also been added to the Flash Mob set to ignite on Latitude’s floating stage.
In the Theatre Arena The Gate is proud to present 29 year old Iranian playwright Nassim Soleimanpour's utterly original play White Rabbit Red Rabbit, in association with Volcano (Canada), Necessary Angel Theatre Company and Aurora Nova Productions. Each new performance of this drama is performed unrehearsed by a single actor, making it a thrilling and unrepeatable experience*.
Joining the line-up for Latitude’s Literary Arena is legendary performance artist, Penny Arcade. From her beginnings as a teenage superstar for Andy Warhol’s Factory to her groundbreaking 1990’s solo work and latter day reinvention as preserver of the Lower East Side’s oral history, Arcade’s career has seen her push practically every barrier in existence. At Latitude she will present a revival of Bitch! Dyke! Faghag! Whore! the hit show which is equal parts erotic go-go dancing and political provocation. The Royal Shakespeare Companyis coming to Latitude to present what promises to be an unmissable debate, the question will be raised,Theatre: A Place for Protest? Should theatre be a more political art form? Or is the theatricality of the Church a better forum to reflect the new forms of dissent? Austerity vs. Radicalism: can the two ever work together? Join internationally-acclaimed and RSC Playwright in Residence Mark Ravenhill and former Canon of St Paul’s Cathedral Dr Giles Fraser for a lively debate about all things protest…Meanwhile artist, polymath and genius Leonardo Da Vinci will feature in the Literary Arena as cardiothoracic surgeon Francis Wells will take an in-depth look at his Anatomical drawings. Staying with a medical theme, research charity The Wellcome Trustwill present curator and author of the Wellcome Trust’s exhibition Marius Kwint, who will discuss the exhibition and book Brains; The Mind As Matter in conversation with Hannah McGill. McGill was the Edinburgh international film festival’s artistic director until 2010, as well as a critical writer for publications including the Glasgow Herald, Scotsman and Guardian and a published writer of short fiction and drama.
Journalist and broadcaster, John McCarthy, Britain's longest-held hostage in Lebanon during the country’s civil war, returns to the subject of the Middle East with a discussion of his new book You Can’t Hide The Sun: A Journey Through Israel And Palestine. Chris Thorpe, a founding member of Unlimited Theatre and part of the performance company Third Angel, will bring to his show Inventory to Latitude, a story about the chain of circumstances that led to his house burning down. It's a true story that follows the thoughts and lives of some of the people involved in those events. And after-hours, joining the line-up for Robin Ince’s Late Night Revolution will be satirical musicians Jonny & The Baptists. Intelligent Life and Psychologies magazine will host a discussion regarding the impact of Facebook, raising the question “Is Facebook doing more harm than good?” Karl James will be coming to Latitude’s seventh edition, having been to all past six festivals, to interview the author Tim Lott in the Literary Arena. As director of The Dialogue Project most of Karl’s time is spent helping people think together, negotiating and facilitating conversations when the stakes are high.
In the Comedy Arena Perrier Award-winning Irish stand-up comedian David O'Doherty will be keeping crowds amused with his new stand-up comedy show Seize The David O'Doherty. Flying the flag for new talent The Chortle Student Comedy Award will also be dropping by at Latitude’s Comedy Arena. This prestigious award has provided a stepping stone to success for The Inbetweeners' Simon Bird and Friday Night Dinner's Tom Rosenthal. For Latitude eight fresh-faced student comics will be slugging it out to take home a £2,500 prize.
The Film & Music Arena will be screening Don’t Think, a concert film of dance legends The Chemical Brothers’ latest album of the same name. Shot on one night of the Chemical Brothers' headlining set at last year's Fuji rock festival in Niigata, Japan, The Guardian called it "one of the best films about dance music ever made."Legendary director of Glastonbury and The Great Rock And Roll Swindle, Julien Temple, brings his time-travelling voyage to the heart of his hometown London: The Modern Babylon, an epic time-travelling voyage to the heart of his hometown. From musicians, writers and artists to dangerous thinkers, political radicals and above all ordinary people, this is the story of London's immigrants, its bohemians and how together they changed the city forever. The London Short Film Festival will be celebrating its 10th anniversary in January 2013. Here's a chance to see three short film gems from the last festival, Friend Request Pending, Long Distance Information and Disappoint You.
Chris Shepherd is a BAFTA nominated director who blends live action with animation to examine the humorously dark side of life. He's worked on funny shows such as Big Train and Nathan Barley while directing award winners such as Dad's Dead, Bad Night For The Blues and his collaboration with David Shrigley Who I Am And What I Want. For Latitude Chris will be presenting and showing some short films. East End Film Festival will present El Último Elvis, a film about a delusional Elvis impersonator in Buenos Aires, who sacrifices happiness with his wife and daughter in his unstoppable quest for fame plus an introduction from the Director. Rounding off the weekend’s festivities will be Chinese Elvis, winner of the Weakest Link Elvis special! Star of AOL adverts! He's Chinese! He's Elvis! He's Chinese Elvis!
Latitude’s 2012 theme of Pagan To Occupy will come to unforgettable life in the Pagan Parade as it snakes from The Faraway Forest to the Lake, honouring the Sun God. Created for Latitude by theatre company Les Enfants Terribles, it will abound in fire, flesh and freaks as a tongue-speaking minister leads the way, culminating in the ritual burning of the Wicker-Man upon the lake. Get dressed up (or down) and join the parade – bare your soul and your flesh and show you believe! Latitude’s exploration of magic and spiritual worlds will also continue with Silver Sisters and the Silver Threads of Home, The Spirit, The Sorceress and The Soul: three unique women dedicated to answering questions about the greater meaning of life. Revellers at the Saturday night Hoedown in will also be in for a treat from the history of the Wild West, as the privileged task of decorating The Faraway Forest has been awarded to none other than the latter day alter ego of Annie ‘Get Your Gun’ Oakley Phoebe Ann Moses. Searching for Boudica is the story of the renegade warrior queen Boudica and her defiance in the face of the Roman oppressors has captured the public imagination for two thousand years. Her refusal to be bullied by the decadent ruling class made her a folk heroine in her own time, could she now be a symbol of hope in ours? An audio exploration in The Faraway Forest presented by Art Assembly.
Stylist David Hawkins will be creating one-off stunning couture designs especially for Latitude which will be displayed eerily around the trees in the forest inspired by modern day media witch hunting. Artitude is a collective of artists with a wide range of creative skills. The two founding members are Georgia Wisbey and Claire Gendler, both have experience using wide ranging skills and materials and have worked in many different corners of the creative world. With a passion for Art, expression and education they will be sculpting a Goddess out of willow with the help of festival goers, awaiting Latitude’s devotion.
Take a voyage into the imagination with Dave Arthur who will tell stories of mythical folklore for all ages in perfect setting of The Outdoor Theatre. The modern Renaissance man will be telling tales of the magical world of giants, heroes, heroines, fabulous animals, magical artefacts, witches, goblins, creation myths, modern urban legends, Jack Tales, balladry and music. Swing Patrol Tea Dance will get revellers strutting their stuff with Lindy Hop and the like.
After theatrical performances have ended for the day the party continues in The Outdoor Theatre with The Ceilidh Liberation Front who present The Revolution for the Hoedown. Breaking down ceilidh conventions, the CLF will be bringing their wildest of subverted dances and party tunes to fling you across the dance floor, into the bar and back on your feet again. Expect carnival recklessness and festival shamelessness. Featuring musicians, the CLF combines music dance and a good old sprinkling of theatricals to bring this unique experience to the world. Ceilidh music as you've never heard (or seen) it before. DJ Cowboy Mouth and DJ Danni Rock who will be featuring as part of the Country Fayre to keep the frivolities flowing long into the evening. Also appearing will be Sun Of Cash capturing the spirit and sound of the young Johnny Cash when he recorded for “Sun Records” in Memphis – hence the name. The band first got together in 2008 to play at a friend’s wedding, and the response was so positive that they decided to keep it going.
The Literary Salon welcomes Radio 4, join them in the Literary Salon where you can be part of the audience in the recording of BBC Audio Drama North’s new comedy thriller A Little Bit of Latitude. This will be followed by a question and answer session with the writer, cast and crew. Described by The Observer as ‘an outstanding documentary”, Working With Pinter directed by Harry Burton was made for Channel 4 and is an intimate portrait of Nobel Prize-winning British dramatist Harold Pinter, in which Pinter discusses his life and art with Henry Woolf, his oldest friend and collaborator. Torycore will be appearing in the Literary Salon, providing festival goers with an interesting combination of politics and death metal. Inspired by a chance meeting with one of the pioneers of Death Metal, this new piece involves a live and loud band, a pounding nihilistic muddy blurring uncoordinated brutal subverbal deathgrowl and George Osborne’s budget speech 2012. A music beyond protest: Torycore. Do you believe there are no new classic books? Do you think the best sex is literary? Join Emerald Street and Stylist to talk it out in the Literary Salon who will be teaming up with Emma B’s Table Talks to host an evening in the Literary Salon on Thursday. The evening will feature a mix of established and up-and-coming speakers from the literary world plus member of the Stylist and Emerald Street teams. Emerald Street and Stylist love a good debate, so they’re delighted to be involved. Join them for a verbal knees up. Talks start at 8pm.
The latest additions to the line-up for Pandora’s Playground will see comedy performance and theatre art segue into a perfect combination for fun times. The brand new graduates of Circus Space, one of Europe’s leading centres of circus education, will present a spectacular demonstration of their newly-honed skills, with juggling, tumbling and trapeze a-plenty. Further mayhem will come from The Bureau of Silly Ideas, who will bring the inspired madness and controlled chaos they create in the UK’s public spaces to Latitude. In the Steampunk world of Clockwork Watch Victorian values collide with anachronistic technology in an immersive story and participatory experience. The narrative is played out across two graphic novels, interactive promenade theatre and live action role-play.
Over in the Lavish Lounge added to BBC Radio 3’s Late Junction will be bringing a selection of artists for your enjoyment. On Friday invoking the spirit of Ornette Coleman, Bristol-based outfit Get the Blessing prove that jazz-rock is no longer a dirty word, Kazakh-born contemporary classical violinist Aisha Orazbayeva performs music for violin and tape including works by Steve Reich, Iannis Xenakis and her own collaboration with composer Peter Zinovieff; and Congolese rapper Baloji presents his unique hi-energy blend of hip hop and soukous. Saturday features Trio Tekke from Cyprus, who fuse traditional rebetika with reggae into a raw style they call reggetika; from the Appalachians of West Virginia via Brooklyn, Black Twig Pickers with their take on the old-time string tradition; and Sam Lee of London’s Magpie Nest collective brings his six-piece band to perform his own highly imaginative interpretations of English folksong. On Sunday there will be a rare solo set from Stereolab’s Laetitia Sadier; other performers to be announced and we conclude with AU, a virtuosic avant-pop duo from Portland Oregon and recent signing to the Leaf Label.