mike (myvillage)

Latitude Festival, Norwich

17-06-2009

1 Review(s)     

Been going to Latitude for the last few years now and it never fails to impress. They've managed to get Thom Yorke to do a solo set this year which should be pretty special and the Uncut Arena and Lake Stage are always top notch for seeking out the up and coming acts and potential next big things.

That's exactly what makes Latitude so great, not just the diversity of the music but the diversity of the entire festival. With comedy, cabaret, theatre, film, poetry, literary and kid's arenas to boot there's always something to do and see and it's perfect for families (decent showers and toilets in the secured family camping area and loads of toys and activities to keep them occupied in the morning until the arena opens!).

I'd recommend getting there early on Thursday if you can though as the campsites do get rammed and can be quite a treck from the car park ... there's normally some cool stuff happening on the Thursday evening to keep everyone entertained as well, so it's worth getting that extra day off work so you don't miss out!

28 days and counting :)

Full venue details      More reviews      Liked by     

Download Festival, Derby

17-06-2009

1 Review(s)     

A Friday afternoon, an unexpected burst of sunshine, the worlds loudest bands and tankers full of Tuborg lager ... what could possibly go wrong?

I went to Download with the sole intention of seeing Faith No More and although the likes of Billy Talent, Limp Bizkit and Korn served well to warm us up at the main stage, the show was well and truly stolen by Patton and co.

Starting out with a cover of "Re-united" (by Peaches & Herb), you knew it was going to be a legendary gig when Mike Patton emerged, hobbling towards the mic on two white sticks, dressed head to toe in red, hair slicked back and that trademark maniacal grin firmly planted on his face.

What followed served as a lesson to everyone who had played before them (and probably most of those who played after) in what truly original, groundbreaking alternative rock music should sound like. Still sounding as fresh today as it did 15 years ago they reeled off monstrous hit after monstrous hit, the band as tight as ever, Patton's voice as unbelievable as ever.

The entire set was delivered with the assuredness of a band and front man who know that they are still one of the best and most influential bands in alt rock. Never afraid to take the piss out of themselves or their fans, it was a privelege to witness. How much do we care about Faith No More ...

Full venue details      More reviews      Liked by     

Latitude | Jul 17-20 2008, The UK

02-04-2009

2 Review(s)     

I've been to Latitude for the past 2 years and despite it getting much bigger in terms of the head count last year, it's still a great relaxed atmosphere .. especially if you're taking kids.

With tickets already bought for this years extravaganza of music, comedy, theatre, dance, poetry and more I'm looking forward to seeing who else is announced over the coming months.



One word of warning though, if you're in the family camping area take a trolley ... it's got great access to the main arena but unfortunately is about a 3 mile hike from the car park. If anything comes close to Arcade Fire headlining in 2007 or Blondie and Seasick Steve in 2008 it'll be worth it!

Full venue details      More reviews      Liked by     

The Via Fossa, Nottingham

30-03-2009

1 Review(s)     

Great location on the canal, which is a unique city centre anomaly in that it's within a stones throw of the train and bus stations but manages not to be full of local weirdos.

This place seems pretty massive, but a lot of it was roped off for a private function when I visited, so it was difficult to tell how far it stretched out. Staff were friendly, really good quick service at the bar even when it started to pack out and I treated myself to a cracking plate of fish n chips from the traditional pub grub menu .. nothing spectacular, just good old satisfying traditional pub fare, freshly cooked and served quickly.

We were in here from about 6pm onwards and it does turn into a bit of a meat market later on, but that could have been more to do with the large function that was going on more than anything else (an 18th birthday party).

Also, the Guinness didn't taste like soap ... see my earlier review of The Waterfront.

Full venue details      More reviews      Liked by     

The Waterfront, Nottingham

30-03-2009

2 Review(s)     

Bit of a weird layout with the stairs up from street level, but the beer terrace overlooking the canal is a decent spot, although it was freezing cold on this occasion so we stuck to the battered comfy sofas inside.

Only issue really is that it was totally dead compared to the other canal side watering holes and we quickly moved on, despite the friendly staff, to find somewhere with a few more people in it that didn't serve Guinness with a soapy aftertaste.

One for the summer methinks.

Full venue details      More reviews      Liked by