Some notes on Latitude 2008.

Standing outside the back of the Uncut tent. It’s too crowded to go inside. On stage are ‘Black Kids’. I stand behind the opening for the sound desk – lots of other people stand around me. None of us can see very well. It’s almost completely pointless standing there – we are experiencing the group live in the smallest possible way. In front of me is a black, rubber covered ramp leading up to the sound desk. Behind the desk are various people – technicians I guess and other people connected with the band. Lying on the dirty ramp is a baby – maybe 18 months old – I don’t know, not old enough to walk. She is sprawled on the ramp, shuffling slowly on her belly up and down. She’s filthy. She looks very vulnerable amongst all the feet crowding around. Occasionally a stringy woman with dreadlocks comes out and checks that she’s still there and, I guess, that she hasn’t been trampled on. I have bad thoughts about this woman. I can’t concentrate on the band, I find myself getting more distracted by the baby and the woman. The woman may well have nothing to do with the baby. I don’t know. I’m not really getting much from the gig, I walk away.

On another occasion I’m watching another band, I can’t remember who, inside the tent – but still at the back. There is a tall man nearby who appears to be drunk. He shouted something when the band first came on and lurched forwards. Now he addresses comments directly into the ear of whoever happens to be near him. Some move away, some smile and nod. One woman enters into conversation with him, perhaps not realising how drunk he is. The music is loud and so he has to shout right into her ear. I can see bits of spit flying from his mouth and landing on her ear. She instinctively leans her head to one side, away from his mouth and he moves with her, keeping the distance between his lips and her ear at just a couple of centimetres. She is stuck now with her head at a painful angle and this man shouting into her ear. I don’t notice what the band are doing. I can’t watch anything but this man. I leave the tent.