Kicking off Fortitude’s second day at Latitude was the always endearingly neurotic Simon Amstell in the Comedy Tent.
With his set focused on social conventions and unsurprisingly awkward encounters that Amstell has had, you can see what’s made Simon Amstell so successful; his unabashed approach to revealing his obsessive nature is never not entertaining.
Taking to the truly atmospheric woodland setting on the iArena, Cass McCombs played his brand of anti-genre music which sounded jaw-droppingly meditative and was the perfect sound for anyone looking to chill out in the sun early in the morning. His lyrics sound decidedly deadpan on stage and prove to be just as thought provoking on record.
Fellow American singer-songwriter Conor Oberst sounded equally as complex and poignant on the 6Music Stage. His stories sound wise and are bound together by an unequivocal sense of intimacy. Whether playing songs of Bright Eyes fame, or his solo material, Oberst truly sounds like a master.
West London funk duo Jungle have fever-pitch hype surrounding them and certainly did not disappoint. Every song sounds bombastic and dynamic in the 6Music Tent with their energy bouncing off every corner of the stage. Hit single ‘Busy Earnin’‘ was of course the highlight of the set, but every song from their newly released debut album swaggers with just as much excitement.
Bombay Bicycle Club on the Obelisk Arena was however the highlight of our day. Playing fan favourites from across their whole career, with a heavy emphasis on their latest and first #1 album, it becomes apparent through their sheer enthusiasm for this performance that this a big moment for a truly tremendous band.
Headliner on the 6Music Tent, Royksöpp & Robyn played their only UK Show of 2014 as part of their ‘Do It Again Tour 2014’. Their set was approximately two and a quarter hours long, and each and every minute was just as intense and energetic as the last. Playing tracks from both of their careers as well as the entirety of their mini-album, Royksöpp appear masters of dance on stage and their adult electronica certainly does seem mature and refined; Robyn seems like a popstar that could be on the cover of every glossy magazine if she wanted to. Dancing like a superwoman whilst clad in a ski jacket, Robyn proves that dancing on her own would truly be a spectacle.
With late night entertainment including a spectacular DJ set from Huw Stephens, the fun continues until the early hours in the morning, but Latitude truly is family friendly, so if you’re looking to get some shut-eye early, you won’t have any trouble. Sadly tomorrow is the last day but it’s set to be a spectacular one…