First Aid Kit: "Third time's a charm!" • Interview • DIY Magazine

It’s easy to fall in love with a festival like Latitude, whether it be down to the scenic backdrop, the poetry tent or just the laid-back atmosphere; that’s something that First Aid Kit are happy to agree with.

Set to walk onto the Obelisk Stage for their set imminently, it’s no secret that the Swedish sisters are fans of the festival. “We’re so glad to be here!” offers up Klara Söderberg, “It’s our third time here. Third time’s the charm!”

“I think it’s such a great festival,” continues her sister Johanna, “because there’s so much to do; there’s more than just music, there’s literally, and I remember last time, we did some kind of gymnastics thing?!” “Oh yeah!” remembers Johanna. “That was fun, and we went to the comedy tent as well. It’s just all such a big experience here.”

As for their slot on the main stage, they’re starting off with simple intentions. “We’re just gonna do our thing and have fun,” Johanna says, “and hopefully people in the audience will have fun as well.”

While this summer marks their third time returning to Henham Park, it'll be the first time that they're showcasing their newest album 'Stay Gold' to the crowd. "We're not really a party band," she continues, "so sometimes we feel misplaced at festivals, as I think sometimes we do better in intimate settings, but some of the new songs are quite big so they do work on a stage like this.

"There's always a different reaction to the new songs, and it's cool that people know it already. Some are singing along!"

"It's always such a great thing," adds her sister, touching upon how that never quite sinks in, "and I like playing the old songs too because you can see, with the songs people know, you can see them reacting to it and that's really amazing. It's like, 'Woah, they know our songs! That's crazy!' Sometimes you forget about it and then you just realise all of a sudden, I'm on stage and everyone knows our songs!"

Interview: Sarah Jamieson
Photo: Phil Smithies

Tags: First Aid Kit, Festivals, Features, Interviews