Latitude Festival: Day Three with Lewis Capaldi, Self Esteem, Peter Hook & The Light and more

Morning breaks on day three of Latitude 2026 after a little rain has finally fallen. How might one like to start Sunday? Disco yoga at The Waterfront? The Wednesday Gang’s ramshackle rockabilly covers at the Trailer Park? Or, for a cobweb-clearing option, perhaps Panic Shack tearing up the Second Stage?

For this reviewer, this publication is back at the Obelisk Arena for Alex James’s Britpop Classical. Of course, there’s plenty of Blur from its renowned bassist and the accompanying London Concert Orchestra, plus a double whammy of both Pulp and Oasis and many other Britpop staples, but the orchestra shines when playing that iconic riff from Bittersweet Symphony. With a couple of guest appearances from Republica’s Saffron for Ready to Go, and Phil Daniels for a delightful blast of Parklife, it’s hard to resist an hour of nostalgia when it sounds this glorious in the British sunshine.

Then there’s Peter Hook & The Light on the Second Stage – unfortunately, sound issues plague the set, which seems to affect his singing as a result, itself way too high in the mix. The former Joy Division and New Order bassist persists, yet even his trademark bass playing is hit and miss. For a set full of indie disco classics like Blue Monday, Transmission and True Faith (with the loudest singalong reserved for Love Will Tear Us Apart), it’s a shame Hook’s performance is uneven.

We return once more to the Obelisk Arena for Self Esteem – opener I Do and I Don’t Care is beefed up for the huge outdoor space, followed by the snarky Mother and Lies before Rebecca Lucy Taylor introduces 69: “Sorry for the children that are here…this is just a song about a simple number.” A Self Esteem set is always a good time, whether one is laughing at the quips, or pogoing along with Cheers to Me. Taylor and her troupe of dancers frequently collapse into fits of giggles, eventually ending I Do This All the Time in a big group hug before shouting, “Thank you, ta-ra,” and they conga off to Shirley Bassey. Feel-good vibes galore.

Now for the Sunday night headliner, closing the weekend as the moon hovers above the main stage. “My name’s Lewis Capaldi, it’s good to be back!” One can’t help but root for the Scottish singer-songwriter and his trademark wit, which is sprinkled liberally throughout the set. “Is everyone here in a good mood?” he asks. “Don’t worry, we’ll soon f**king fix that…” It’s remarkable how his humour counterbalances the weight of his emotionally charged music; Capaldi admits he suffered a panic attack onstage during his previous 2022 Latitude set, leading into The Day That I Die – it’s an especially raw number from his subsequent mental health break, with many grabbing their loved ones for a hug and a teary sniffle. Emotions reach a head by Someone You Loved, with thousands of arms aloft as the crowd drowns out Capaldi, surveying the scene with a look of gratitude and incredulity. A perfect accompaniment to the fireworks exploding above as Latitude 2026 draws to a close.

As with any festival, we initially cursed ourselves for only being one person and not being able to check out everything – that being said, our Sunday was a day filled with familiar songs that ended with an air of satisfaction, feeling like a comforting hug to ease us into heading home after a wonderful weekend. Founder Melvin Benn shared at the start of Latitude 2026 that Henham Park had just been secured for 25 more years of staging the festival; we look forward to seeing it return for more excellent music in this idyllic location.

Gem Hurley
Photos: Courtesy of Latitude Festival

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

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