W:Grace King

As Latitude Festival returns to Henham Park in Suffolk for its 20 th anniversary and with its first win in seven years (Best Major Festival at the Live Awards, 2025) ASBO spoke to fans celebrating their favourite memories, performances and who they’re
looking forward to seeing this July.

For Chris, this will be his 19 th Latitude (he missed the first one, but none since).

“Latitude has given myself and my friends loads of happy and funny memories.”

Chris (far right) and his friends at Latitude in 2017(I: Chris Pilgrim)

Most notably, “whilst lying in the sun, Jarvis Cocker (of Pulp (obviously)) tread on my hand

“He did apologise,” he adds.

Other, not so painful musical memories of the festival include seeing Portishead as well as Blondie, Christine and the Queens and Yard Act sets perform on the second stage (or as he coins it “the scary tent”) and a lovely chat he had with New York punk
band, Bodega whilst they were walking around the festival.

Latitude was one of a few festivals allowed to go ahead after the Covid-19 lockdown in 2020, not wanting to miss out, Chris was there.

“2020 was very different and a little surreal being a government ‘test event’ after covid, but the feel-good factor was evident all around!”

This year he’s looking forward to seeing; David Byrne (who isn’t), The Flaming Lips and one of our definite ones to watch, self-professed ‘Britain’s best band’, Getdown Services.

Ashleigh, aged 30 and from Norwich, first came to Latitude 10 years ago, since looking back at 2016 is such a trend on socials, what was it like at the festival back then?

“It was very different to how it feels now, but that could be because I was going as a 20-year-old in general camping.

“Now I’m 30, and in family camping.

“It felt smaller to me and was much more like a miniature Glastonbury as they really leaned into popular, at that time, music.”

Ashleigh even got proposed to at the festival, the line up that year was peak millennial optimism with the likes of The 1975 and Mumford and Sons headlining.

Ashleigh told ASBO, “Jasmine Jethwa was absolutely incredible,” when she played the Alcove in 2024.

“My son went over and spoke to her, as he’d been using his kid’s camera to take photos of his set and she loved it – it was very cute!”

Ashleigh’s son might be the youngest gig photographer, and we might need his photography skills for our mag (I: Ashleigh Stevenson)

Another stand out act for her was Kingfishr who performed last year on the mainstage.

“It was really special as my husband and I are big fans of them and have seen them a few times, so that was amazing.”

Latitude is basically part of the family for the Stevensons (I: Ashleigh Stevenson)

As for Ashleigh’s ones to watch this year…

“I have a list of like 40 people I want to see this year.

“But I’m probably most excited to see Tom Odell, Florence Road and Panic Shack.”