Latitude Festival: Day One with David Byrne, The Last Dinner Party, Lime Garden and Bleech 9.3

Once a year, Henham Park in Suffolk is taken over by Latitude Festival, its resident livestock replaced with 45,000 revellers to enjoy a stacked weekend of music and arts. 2026 marks its 20^th edition, and The Upcoming was invited to join the party.

Friday starts with a bang on the Obelisk Arena main stage, as Gok Wan doles out the 90s hits, heard far across the site. Meanwhile, this reviewer begins with Tessa Rose Jackson’s set at the Faber Alt & BBC Introducing stage; nestled amongst the sloping trees, it’s an ideal setting for her ethereal folk music, with her latest album The Lighthouse featured heavily. Jackson’s hypnotic, enchanting vocals, especially on The Man Who Wasn’t There and the gentle Built to Collide, make for a great start to our weekend.

Next is Lime Garden over at the Second Stage (mercifully in the shade). Lead vocalist Chloe Howard’s presence is cheeky yet commanding, while guitarist Leila Deeley makes wearing shades indoors look phenomenal – they’re effortlessly cool, even though they’d probably say otherwise. Cross My Heart stands out with its bratty refrain, while 23 and Clockwork both employ a Krautrock-like groove, swelling and pulsing with a hint of menace. Indisputably, Lime Garden nail their afternoon set.

It’s back to the trees for Bleech 9:3, the latest hot new thing who’ve only released one EP, yet still manage to pack out the Sunrise Arena. They already sound fully formed, with Barry Quinlan’s hollering vocals an arresting lead for their chaotic grunge-tinged sound. There’s an impressive mosh happening throughout, which Quinlan joins in with. By the explosive finale of Ceiling, it’s obvious why they’re on the rise; watch this space.

Up next at the Obelisk Arena is The Last Dinner Party; their last Latitude set was only three years previously on the Sunrise stage, which is promising for Bleech 9.3. Tonight, the beguiling Abigail Morris leads the band through a set of theatrical, bewitching rock as the sun sets. Only two albums in, and they truly do perform like stalwarts of the stage, tackling the crowd of thousands with ease; inevitable closing number Nothing Matters is already a festival classic.

But of course, the name everybody’s been talking about all day is David Byrne for his only UK festival appearance of 2026. Revered for his movement-led performances, his Latitude gig is no different; every dancer and musician (including the drummer) have their routines, with choreography extending to the impressive visuals onscreen. As for the setlist, it’s meticulously crafted to please; from the choppy summery guitars of Nothing (but Flowers) to the anthemic climax of Once in a Lifetime, the Talking Heads numbers invariably go down a treat, yet the solo numbers, like When We Are Singing, are also phenomenal. With all the chaos of modern life, Byrne carries an appreciation for the beauty in it, and reflects that in a life-affirming, joyful set – it’s an utter triumph, sure to go down as one of Latitude’s greatest ever headline shows.

Gem Hurley
Photos: Courtesy of Latitude Festival

For further information and future events, visit Latitude Festival’s website here.

Watch the video for I’m an Outsider here: