Latitude Festival 2025 Preview: A Sonic Utopia In The Suffolk Countryside

by | May 20, 2025

As the UK’s summer festival season beckons, few weekends promise the scale, spirit and creativity of Latitude Festival 2025, returning to the lush grounds of Henham Park, Suffolk, from 24th to 27th July. Renowned for blending genre-defying music with bold theatre, cutting-edge comedy, engaging literature, and now even science, Latitude continues to push the boundaries of what a festival can be. And this year, the organisers have crafted one of their most dynamic line-ups yet—an ambitious celebration of both timeless legends and fearless newcomers.

Sting @ Hammersmith Apollo

Sting @ Hammersmith Apollo (Kalpesh Patel)
Sting @ Hammersmith Apollo (Kalpesh Patel)

At the top of the bill, three titans will command the Obelisk Arena, setting the tone for a weekend that blends nostalgia, euphoria and innovation:

Sting, a global icon whose influence stretches from punk and reggae to orchestral pop, will headline with his acclaimed Sting 3.0 project—a stripped-back yet powerful trio featuring longtime guitarist Dominic Miller and Chris Maas on drums. Sting’s set promises a fresh take on The Police classics Roxanne and Walking On The Moon as well as solo hits including the iconic Fields Of Gold and Englishman In New York, blending his rich musical legacy with innovative arrangements, delivered with a renewed raw energy tailored for festival stages.

Fatboy Slim, the master of dancefloor anthems and late-night madness, returns to unleash a high-octane headline set that’s sure to be a Friday night highlight. His legendary Latitude appearance in 2019 set the bar for big beat chaos—2025 promises to top even that.

Norman Cook @ Glastonbury Festival 2024

Norman Cook @ Glastonbury Festival 2024 (John Hayhurst)
Norman Cook @ Glastonbury Festival 2024 (John Hayhurst)

Snow Patrol, ever the emotionally resonant rock stalwarts, mark a return to where it all began. “We performed at the very first Latitude,” the Gary Lightbody-fronted band said. “We’re excited to get back for the third time.” With a back catalogue spanning 25 years, their headlining set promises a sea of voices singing along under Suffolk skies.

Gary Lightbody (Snow Patrol) with Tired Pony @ Barbican

Gary Lightbody (Snow Patrol) with Tired Pony @ Barbican (Kalpesh Patel)
Gary Lightbody (Snow Patrol) with Tired Pony @ Barbican (Kalpesh Patel)

Beyond the headliners, Latitude 2025 packs its bill with iconic names, cross-genre heavyweights and breakthrough acts. Elbow, Basement Jaxx, Clean Bandit, and Sigrid bring a mix of orchestral indie, party-starting house, electro-pop, and Scandi soul to the table.

Elbow @ Glastonbury Festival 2022

Guy Garvey of Elbow @ Glastonbury Festival 2022 (Kalpesh Patel)
Guy Garvey of Elbow @ Glastonbury Festival 2022 (Kalpesh Patel)

French electronica duo Air headline the second stage on Sunday night with a full performance of their seminal debut Moon Safari, while Leon Bridges delivers Saturday’s soulful set, celebrating his fourth studio album Leon.

Leon Bridges @ Glastonbury Festival 2022

Leon Bridges @ Glastonbury Festival 2022 (Kalpesh Patel)
Leon Bridges @ Glastonbury Festival 2022 (Kalpesh Patel)

The Kaiser Chiefs, always a Latitude favourite, return in triumphant form as part of their 20th anniversary celebrations of Employment. Elsewhere, the return of Doves is especially poignant—marking their first major UK festival appearance in years, as they prepare to release Constellations for the Lonely.

Also appearing are:

  • Alison Moyet, Celebrating 40 years as a solo artist, Alison Moyet’s rich contralto voice and synth-pop roots promise a set filled with nostalgia and powerful vocals, with reimagined classics from her album Key
  • Pop maestro Mika, whose theatrical live sets and vocal fireworks will light up the Obelisk Arena. Known for his flamboyant style and operatic vocals, Mika’s return to the UK stage is highly anticipated. With hits like Grace Kelly and We Are Golden, his set promises a vibrant blend of theatrical pop and heartfelt ballads.
  • Storytelling troubadour Billy Bragg, bringing decades of protest songs and political passion. A voice of political conscience and folk-rock fusion, Billy Bragg’s performances are both rousing and reflective. His storied career, marked by activism and storytelling, adds depth to this year’s lineup.
  • Manchester-hailing Pale Waves, consisting of lead vocalist and guitarist Heather Baron-Gracie, drummer Ciara Doran, guitarist Hugo Silvani, and bassist Charlie Wood will bring their flavour of 80s-inspired indie rock and synth-pop with elements of pop-punk to Latitude, fresh from the release of last year’s third LP Smitten.
  • Låpsley, the moniker of British singer-songwriter and producer Holly Fletcher, will deliver her distinctive blend of atmospheric electronic pop and soulful vocals. And ith her upcoming album I’m A Hurricane I’m A Woman In Love set for release in 2025, her Latitude appearance is set to be special

Latitude has always been a tastemaker’s paradise, championing the best of what’s next. Across The Alcove, Sunrise Stage, and Listening Post, a new generation of artists will make their mark:

Post-punk upstarts Lambrini Girls and jazz-infused collective corto.alto headline the Sunrise Stage, alongside eclectic performers like W.H. Lung, Killowen, Honeyglaze, Rosie Lowe, Cliffords, and BÔA.

Lambrini Girls @ Scala, London 2024-06-13

Lambrini Girls @ Scala, London 2024-06-13
Lambrini Girls @ Scala, London 2024-06-13

Rising acts such as the UK’s Eurovision 2025 flag bearers Remember Monday, Amble, Silver Gore, Ellur, TTSSFU, Freak Slug, and Irish indie-rockers Somebody’s Child offer a thrillingly diverse blend of genres, while names like Alessi Rose, NOFUN!, Chloe Qisha and The Wytches are sure to have audiences discovering new favourites in the woods.

These stages continue to be vital testing grounds for emerging voices and new ideas, something Festival Director Melvin Benn describes as “a dynamic celebration of creativity in all its forms.”

Latitude’s famed comedy arena returns in full force, led by a seriously heavyweight bill: surrealist polymath Reggie Watts, national treasure Greg Davies, political satirist Bridget Christie, and favourites like Olga Koch, Jen Brister, and Josh Baulf.

Meanwhile, over in the Bookshop Stage, poetry, prose and performance are elevated through appearances by Brian Bilston, Maya Oppenheim, Sarah McDonald, and collaborators from Faber and the National Poetry Centre. Expect lively debates, intimate readings, and thoughtful dialogue across the weekend.

Latitude 2025 continues to redefine the festival as a place where theatre and performance thrive. Look out for:

  • Bryony Kimmings, whose innovative, genre-blending productions tackle everything from motherhood to grief
  • The award-winning acrobats of Gravity & Other Myths, who bring their immersive piece Ten Thousand Hours To Suffolk
  • A bold new collaboration between Victoria Melody and Mark Thomas, blending theatre, politics and punk performance art

New for 2025: The Cosmic Shambles Forest
Perhaps the most exciting new addition this year is the Cosmic Shambles Forest of Science and Culture—a festival within the festival, curated by Robin Ince and the Cosmic Shambles Network. By day, expect interactive science talks, particle physics, neurodiversity discussions, and museum pop-ups from institutions like the National Physical Laboratory and the Crab Museum.

By night, it transforms into a woodland cinema and countercultural playground, hosting obscure film screenings, podcast tapings, and curious live experiments. “There’s nothing quite like it on the UK festival scene,” says Ince. “It’s a field of vivid creativity under magnificent skies.”

From beat-dropping headliners to mind-expanding talks, poetic mornings to post-punk nights, Latitude 2025 is more than a music festival—it’s a cultural expedition, a weekend of big ideas, small discoveries, and unforgettable moments. As Melvin Benn puts it, “We’ve curated a truly diverse and immersive experience where iconic names meet the boldest new voices. Latitude is where creativity lives and breathes.”

Tickets are available now – and if past years are anything to go by, they won’t last long. Whether you’re dancing in the Obelisk Arena, losing yourself in theatre, laughing until it hurts, or stargazing in the Cosmic Shambles Forest, Latitude 2025 looks set to be a spellbinding adventure from start to finish.

Live: Sting @ Hammersmith Apollo

Luvcat @ Koko (Neil Lupin / neillupin.com)

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Reef @ O2 Shepherd's Bush Empire (Kalpesh Patel)

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Alya (Julia Mayorova)

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Devonté Hynes of Blood Orange @ BST Hyde Park 2019 (Kalpesh Patel)

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