Preview Positivus 2015

Pick of the pops (and rocks) at this year’s instalment of the Latvian festival.

Words: Ali Shutler
15th July 2015

Having previously played host to the likes of The xx, Sigur Rós, Manic Street Preachers and Muse, Positivus returns this weekend for the ninth time. The festival, situated on the edge of the Baltic Sea in Salacgriva, Lativa, is playing host to an ocean of riches from home and abroad but there’s five acts that should be sitting at top of festival-goers’ ‘must-see’ list.

Charli XCX

Not content with being responsible for the hit of last summer, with six months for the shimmering pop marvels of debut ‘Sucker’ to be absorbed into your psyche, Charli XCX is tasked with closing a stage at Positivus. If there’s one thing we’ve learnt about Charli, she knows exactly how to put on a live show and with the title of headliner looming over her, she’ll use everything in her arsenal to bring the Nordea stage to a powerful close.

Warpaint

As the sun sets on the Lattelecom stage, Warpaint will be bringing their dusky, whispering rock to the masses. You can already feel the goosebumps rising as the band look to dig into their back catalogue and douse Positivus in atmospheric wonder.

St. Vincent

You’d struggle to find an artist as revered as St. Vincent right now, and for very good reason. Fifth album ‘St. Vincent’ connected her to a whole new audience and she’s taken to that spotlight with ease. It’s reflected in her live show and a Sunday evening slot on the main stage has the makings of magic.

Jungle

Friday nights are made for Jungle. From the bounce of ‘Busy Earnin’’ through the skip of ‘The Heat’ until the snap of ‘Time’, Jungle seemed to have written their debut with a field full of people in mind and after a devastatingly good show at Glastonbury, Positivus should see them in their element.

Placebo

No sniggering at the back! While the UK seems to have fallen out of love with Placebo, on the continent, they’re still held in adoration and celebration. Taking their place as headliners, the band have a twenty-year back catalogue to play with and an attentive crowd eager to bask in their off-kilter gloom and whimsy. From the classics to the present-day explorations, this is set to be a triumphant display of what home is missing out on.

There’s more to Positivus than the music though. There’s an Arts and Nature stage, or for those favouring culture of a different kind, a Pizzaland and Jägermeister bar. There’s also the lure of The Baltic Sea. That’s right, enjoy some of East India Youth’s synth-led shenanigans and then you can hop into the sea for a dip. Lovely.

Tags: Ellie Goulding, Festivals, Features