Future Islands were a band that I was introduced to by a dear friend Stephen Mellor, who we sadly lost a few years ago. So it seemed rather poignant that their release at the start of 2024 was titled “People Who Aren’t There Anymore”.
When they were added to the line up of Latitude this year, they got scribbled onto my list of bands I’d need to see, having last seen them in 2011 at an ATP Festival at Minehead Butlins, with my friend Mellor.
When first entering the second stage tent, ahead of the set, you’re instantly struck by the synths being high up on a tower. Once the lights dim, the arch under the tower is illuminated and out walk the band from it, to appropriately play The Tower off of the new album.
Then into A Dream of You and Me the closing track from 2014’s Singles, which vocalist Samuel Herring mentioned is written about growing up on the North Carolina coastline.
Herring’s stage presence and hushed vocal style really draw you into his performance, where he really does “perform” the story being told in his lyrics, clutching at the air and pounding his chest with emotion.
They would work their way through 14 songs from five of their seven studio albums, with a few more from their latest release as to be expected.
The penultimate song would be Seasons (Waiting For You) which many may know from the emotive Letterman performance that went viral back in 2014, which really shows Herring’s fantastic almost Ian Curtis like commitment to his live shows.
They would then end the night with a deeper cut, In The Fall, from the 2010 EP of the same name.
More photos and review from the rest of the festival over at Ipswich 24