Latest news with #Latitude
The Independent
2 days ago
- Entertainment
- The Independent
Festival packing list 2025: What to bring to Glastonbury, Reading & Leeds and more
The festival season is officially upon us. Glastonbury kicks off at Worthy Farm at the end of the month, and Reading & Leeds, Latitude and Wireless are all still to come this summer. To ensure you pack everything important (at best, you forget dry shampoo, at worst, your ticket), a thorough checklist is a must. Whether you're pitching up for the weekend, heading to your favourite day festival in the city or flying abroad for a blowout on the beach, your packing list should span beauty, toiletries, camping gear, clothing and more. While most festival essentials are non-negotiable (think tents, toothbrushes, underwear, sunscreen and reliable shoes), others can make your experience much more pleasant (we're talking cordless hair tools, pyjamas, camping stoves and eye masks). To prevent you from being the person in the group asking to borrow everything, the exhaustive list below includes everything you need for your next festival, whether it's an all-day rave or a four-day camping stint. Festival camping Festival toiletries and beauty Toothpaste Toothbrush Make-up wipes SPF for your face and body Aftersun Dry shampoo Deodorant Hand sanitiser Tampons, sanitary towels or period pants Insect repellent Painkillers Hayfever tablets Plasters Cordless hair tools Make-up Festival clothing Wellies (men's, women's) Cowboy boots Walking boots (men's, women's) Trainers (men's, women's) Summer dresses Waterproof raincoat (men's, women's) Jacket Summer hat Crossbody/bum bag Comfortable bra Sweatshirt Pyjamas Miscellaneous Festival ticket Compact mirror Cards and cash Breakfast bars Wine, spirits and cans Snacks Eye mask Ear plugs Phone charger Disposable camera Reusable water bottle Railcard Best festival essentials Best festival tent – Mountain Warehouse holiday six-person tent: £159.99, Securing a spot in our review of the best tents, our reviewer said that this is the best-value tent you can buy, and perfect for a festival. Tester Sian warns that it won't stand up to heavy rain, but her tests found that this tent has 'three separate bedrooms, each of which can fit a double air bed'. Its air vents and mesh door are great for keeping the tent cool in heatwaves, too. In the end, Sian describes it as 'ideal for a family of four sharing in the summer months, or for heading to a festival with friends.' Dubbed the best budget option in our review of camping mats, this Nhowin self-inflating camping mat is described as a bargain for £30. 'This comfortable mat is lightweight (900g) and compact when rolled up,' they said, adding that 'once inflated using the built-in foot pump, it provides an effective bed with a brilliant pillow included.' Plus, poppers enable you to attach another of these mats to one side, to create a double mattress. The best double option in our round-up of sleeping bags, Outwell's sleeping bag is a cosy cocoon for festival season. 'Two zips make it easy to share this roomy bag, which can also be opened up into a full-sized double duvet that's ideal for glamping or for popping in a campervan. Two built-in pillows are a nice place to rest your head,' our tester said. Generously sized and warm enough for use from spring through to autumn, this bag was loved by our reviewer for its price and comfort. When it comes to chairs, you don't need anything too fancy for festival season. This purse-friendly Pro Action model from Argos will easily do the job and is finished in a bold red hue that will help it stand out in the camping field. You want something light and easy to transport, with this offering folding away into a carry bag with a strap. Plus, it boasts a handy built-in drinks holder and was included in our round-up of the best camping chairs. Our favourite budget travel backpack, the Lifeventure waterproof packable bag is just what you need to haul your essentials to a camping festival. 'It's extremely light and squashes up into its very own pouch, but still felt fabulously comfortable, thanks largely to ergonomically contoured shoulder straps and a hip belt,' our tester said. With a durable, waterproof design and 22l capacity, it ticked all the boxes. If you want enough phone charge to find pals, take pictures and look up set times, a good power bank is a must-have, whether camping at the festival or just heading to one for the day. This nifty Belkin model will get you 78 extra hours of battery life with MagSafe-compatible Apple iPhones and Samsung phones. It ensured our phone was never out of battery during a four-day camping stint – plus, up to three devices can be charged at the same time, through two USB-A ports and one USB-C port. Available in three sleek colours, Belkin's pack looks good, too. Considering you'll spend most of the festival outside in the sun, a good SPF is essential. One of our favourites hails from La Roche-Posay, with its anthelios oil sunscreen praised for ticking every box. Including UVA, UVB and long UVA protection, it's suitable for sensitive skin, and it has a non-greasy and lightweight formula. Our tester found that: 'Reducing shine, we found you'll still get a fresh-faced glow minus any sticky or oily sensation, and it keeps you safe from the sun,' our tester added. It's just as important to top up your body sunscreen – and this SPF 50 is our top pick this summer. 'Designed for 'intense conditions,' the white cream is lightweight and absorbs really quickly and beautifully into the skin, offering high, broad-spectrum protection,' our tester said. Used liberally throughout a 10-day holiday during testing, this bottle should contain more than enough to see you through a festival. If you burn, some aftersun will be a godsend mid-festival. Bioderma's formula came out on top in our round-up of the best aftersun, with our tester lauding the lightweight product for its immediate cooling effect. 'Allantoin and ginkgo biloba gel soothe overheated skin, while patented cellular bioprotection technology works to protect your skin against cell damage from UV rays and other stressors,' they said. Keeping your hair fresh between showers at festivals (or if you're not planning to shower at all), dry shampoo is a must-have toiletry. Batiste's formulas are affordable favourites, and its green tea and chamomile bottle earned a spot in our round-up of the best dry shampoos. Our tester loved how affordable this shampoo is and how kind it was on sensitive scalps. Scandi brand Rains has a cult following for its minimalist yet practical rain-appropriate clothing. Its unisex storm breaker boasts a sporty look and extra wet-weather functionality. Complete with a hood and built-in cap, two-way zipper, doubled-welded pockets and elasticated cuffs, the jacket will ensure you're prepared for whatever the weather throws at you this festival season. One of our favourite pairs of wellington boots, these robust Barbour boots offered a 'flexible fit for movement', and the chunky soles provided good grip while walking. 'There's chic Barbour branding throughout, from the tartan pattern inside to the logo running up the back,' our tester said. A solid, stylish and reliable choice for festivals. Infused with vitamin C for a hydration boost, this Garnier mist works to brighten and protect skin from UV rays thanks to SPF 50 protection. It can be spritzed over make-up, leaving your face base undisturbed, making it a hero buy for festival season. Just reapply it every two hours throughout the day to prevent sunburn, which is no real hardship - the mist is refreshing and cools you down. Best festival bag – Uniqlo round mini shoulder bag: £14.90, The bag of the moment, Uniqlo's TikTok-viral crossbody bag is perfect for festival season. Roomy, adjustable, affordable and available in an array of fun colours to make a style statement, the styled-up bum bag is just what you need to carry your essentials around the field. Coming in minimalist black, beige and white finishes or playful yellow, red and green, there's a reason why Lyst named it the hottest product in the world. Waking up hungover in a tent is never fun, but a good sleep mask can make the experience a lot less painful. 'Made from polyester, Soap & Glory's mask has a silky feel that's lovely and smooth against the skin, while the extra-long shape wraps around the head and blocks out almost all of the light,' our tester said. Phone chains are an underrated hero of festival season. This bargain buy means your phone is always in grabbing distance to capture a moment, but also lets you be hands-free to enjoy the music. The discreet design clips features a tether tab that attaches to your phone case and a crossbody nylon cord. If you struggle to get any shut-eye at festivals, make sure to pack some ear plugs for sleeping. Proving you don't have to spend a fortune on good buds, these EarHub plugs impressed our tester. 'These putty-style, soft silicone earplugs are moulded into shape with your fingers and placed over your ear opening (not inserted into the ear canal), forming a sealed covering,' they said, adding that they blocked out sounds better than foam buds. This TikTok-viral cordless hot brush has finally made it to the UK, and it's perfect for festival season. Designed to be super lightweight for on-the-go use, a full charge takes around two hours for around 30 minutes of styling time. Adding volume, smoothing and taming unwashed hair in the camping field, the tool has three heat settings (200C, 180C and 160C). The brush design will work just as well to straighten as it does to add waves (simply twist instead of brushing it through). This top-rated reusable water bottle was praised for being everything you could want in a water bottle, without costing a fortune. It's available in four attractive shades of muted blue, pink, black and grey; it has a carry handle, and the double-walled vacuum construction will keep drinks hot for 12 hours or cold for 24 hours. 'We also love the fact it's not enormous, which makes for easier drinking, and it has a sleek, modern design that makes it look a lot more expensive than it is,' they said. Plus, 10 per cent of each sale goes towards the Life's a Beach charity, which works to eradicate single-use plastic from beaches and waterways. If you want to glam up your festival look, turn your attention to glitter – but make sure it's biodegradable, so it doesn't harm the environment. This Barry M offering is plastic-free and produced from a special film sustainably sourced from plant cellulose, which biodegrades in fresh water.
The Australian
4 days ago
- Business
- The Australian
LAT strikes bedrock anomalies in Finland
Latitude 66 completes RC drilling at the K6 prospect, testing gold-cobalt targets The results confirm the extension of the mineralised gold trend from the K1 deposit to the K6 prospects is about 2.5km Future work at K6E will focus on refining the structural model through detailed mapping and reprocessing of geophysical datasets Special report: A recently completed reverse circulation drilling program at Latitude's K6 prospect has successfully tested gold-cobalt prospective targets, confirming the extension of the mineralised gold trend stretches for 2.5km. The program comprised 12 vertical RC drill holes, totalling 315m, and was designed to test the K6E and K6W prospects. Drilling focused on zones defined by discrete induced polarisation (IP) chargeability anomalies coincident with surface boulder samples returning up to 8.8g/t gold and 0.6% copper. RC drilling intersected zones of anomalous gold, cobalt and copper mineralisation across both targets and confirms the presence of a chargeable source close to surface. The tenor and distribution of mineralisation suggests the intersected mineralisation may represent a distal expression of a more robust, deeper mineralised system. A secondary objective of the program was to evaluate RC drilling as a lower-cost, higher-productivity alternative to diamond core drilling for early-stage exploration in the Finnish environment. RC drilling, though uncommon in European terrains, achieves significantly faster drilling rates and is about half the cost of comparable diamond core drilling. Latitude 66 (ASX:LAT) believes the drilling at K6E and K6W demonstrated the effectiveness of the RC drilling technique for shallow testing and confirmed its suitability for rapid first-pass exploration across the broader KSB project area. LAT managing director Grant Coyle said the trial of RC drilling has proven successful at the flagship KSB project in northern Finland, where RC drilling is not widely used outside of mine development drilling. 'This is an exciting step forward in improving efficient early-stage drilling that has the potential to accelerate exploration and resource growth for the KSB project,' Coyle said. 'The results from this program have provided valuable information to understand the characteristics of mineralisation and will guide our future follow up work on the K6 Prospect area nearby to the K1, K2 and K3 deposits.' Location of drill areas K6E and K6W. Pic: LAT What else is happening? Future work at K6E will focus on refining the structural model through detailed mapping and reprocessing of geophysical datasets to further understand the interpreted fold hinge and associated lithological contacts. This next phase of exploration will aim to determine whether the down-dip chargeability anomaly corresponds to a more robust zone of mineralisation and to assess the broader mineral potential of the K6 corridor. This article was developed in collaboration with Latitude 66, a Stockhead advertiser at the time of publishing. This article does not constitute financial product advice. You should consider obtaining independent advice before making any financial decisions.
Irish Examiner
4 days ago
- Entertainment
- Irish Examiner
Doing the right thing: Pillow Queens on putting principles before success
The last time you'll have seen indie outfit Pillow Queens perform, the likelihood is that you'll have seen a quartet, not a trio. The darlings of the Irish musical scene – fans include James Corden, Phoebe Bridgers and Damien Dempsey – have entered a new phase of Pillow Queendom, one in which three sets of eyes stare back at me as we speak, not four. Back in November, long-term drummer of the band, Rachel Lyons, decided to step away to pursue another career. Things are amicable, and it's opened up the band to work with another excellent drummer, Darragh Tibbs. But the transition has not been easy. 'We were four from the very beginning,' band member Sarah Corcoran says. 'And like, a really tight-knit four as well. So, yeah, it's definitely been a weird transitional period, but it feels good that we get to keep going. In many ways, it would have been easier to just call it a day. And it was sort of like a series of long conversations, like, do we keep going? And we're like, yeah, this is still bringing us joy, so like, let's keep going. I think when we get to releasing another album, it will start to feel a bit more normal. But because it's kind of… just happened in the grand scheme of Pillow Queens, we're still getting used to it.' The band, co-lead vocalists/bassists Pamela Connolly and Sarah Corcoran and guitarist Cathy McGuinness, has steadily grown in power since their inception in 2016, with their first gig, a dog rescue benefit, announcing their presence on the Irish scene as an authentic force for good. They joined forces from other bands when they decided they wanted to perform as a singular, queer outfit. But this presence tended to backfire when presented to a national audience. 'It used to annoy us [that we were always considered the queer band] because it became the focus, so the music wasn't the focus anymore,' Corcoran says. 'But at a time when the regression of rights for trans people is happening… we're happy to be out and proud, because that representation is very much needed.' For some music fans, Pillow Queens became a kind of generational guardian angel, a flash of hope in an era defined by profit over people. They regularly decline opportunities that don't align with their interests, and often pay the price. Have they ever felt like their morals have gotten in the way? 'The only thing that stands out is Bono,' Corcoran smiles. 'I've always wanted to meet him, and now I don't even think I'd say hello,' she adds in response to his silence on the situation in Gaza. Sometimes, these things work out. Like when they pulled out of the Suffolk festival Latitude due to one of their partners, Barclays, being on the Israeli boycott list. (The bank provides financial services to groups which supply defence forces to Israeli soldiers.) Latitude listened, removed the partner, and asked the band to return. 'That was great,' member Cathy McGuinness says. 'They saw the problem, got rid of it, so we said yes.' This isn't the only instance that captures their essence. Back in 2022, when the band was at SXSW, an Irish politician, one who didn't share their views, tried to get in a photo with them. 'We were just like… that's absolutely not happening,' Connolly laughs. (Just one year earlier, the band responded to former Taoiseach Leo Varadkar's resignation post, one where he wished they'd play an event he co-signed, with 'Off you fuck.') 'But it's also a tough one,' Corcoran chimes in. 'Because we were sent off the back of Arts Council funding, and so are we supposed to shake his hand to say thank you for that?' Without resources from groups like Culture Ireland, 'there would be no Pillow Queens,' the band say in unison. 'There are entire tours of ours that could never have happened without even a little bit of Culture Ireland funding,' Corcoran says. 'It's a resource that we should really, really protect. Especially because we can see the outcomes; bands like Fontaines DC, acts like CMAT… they're all people who have probably hugely benefited from touring help.' In the meantime, the band are writing music ('We're getting the cobwebs off'), enjoying being in one place at one time ('No matter how many things are put up against it, culture always finds a way to pierce through in Ireland') as well as working with a record label that doesn't pressure them to TikTokify their music. 'Would we benefit from that? Probably,' McGuinness says. 'Are we being pressured to? No, thankfully.' 'We do understand that it would be hugely beneficial,' Connolly says. 'But if you're writing with the frame of, 'will this do well on TikTok?', the intention of why you're in a band has kind of gone away. So we just kind of try and stick to our guns as much as possible.' Pillow Queens play Forest Fest, Co Laois, July 25-27, joining headliners Franz Ferdinand, Manic Street Preachers and Travis. Tickets are available from Read More Tom Dunne: Rory Gallagher still rocking Cork 30 years after his passing
Yahoo
11-06-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Rockford hydroelectric project aims to power five homes with clean energy
ROCKFORD, Ill. (WTVO) — A Rockford-based company wants to harness the Rock River to produce energy to power homes. Latitude Power of Rockford partnered with design firm Studio GWA to create a pilot project that would use hydroelectric generators to create enough clean energy to supply electricity to five homes. 'Essentially, it takes wasted energy that's either flowing over a dam, or anywhere water is falling,' said Jared Cacciatore, Latitude Power co-founder. Rockford's Fordam dam will soon become the pilot program's test site, where a micro hydroelectric generator will be installed. 'We can take that water, that which is potential energy, and turn it into mechanical energy through a turbine and a generator, and then turn that into, you know, electrical energy,' Cacciatore said. Latitude Power received state funding through Illinois' Climate and Equitable Jobs Act (CEJA) to help develop the project. 'The company here won a nearly $1 million grant to produce hydroelectric power and uses the Rock River to generate electricity, which is a great concept. The Rock River has been a huge asset for this area, so it seems to be the next step in using this asset to generate clean power and provide electricity throughout the area,' said Sen. Steve Stadelman (D-Rockford). Latitude has already done smaller-scale testing, but moving to the Rock River means new challenges. 'It performs pretty, pretty well at the wastewater plant. But this is a new environment. It's a new, you know, there are new challenges. Will it will it be safe from vandalism? Will we be safe from other things we haven't thought of?' Cacciatore said. The company hopes the pilot project will generate enough electricity to power five homes. If successful, it plans to scale up from there. 'We want to help to help Rockford become a beacon of clean energy, a beacon of collaborative community involvement and advocacy for each other and for for the community and for the the greater good for the planet,' Cacciatore said. Once the grant funding is in place, Latitude hopes to have the project done within 18-20 months. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
10-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Pickleball, punchlines, and personal growth: ‘Hacks' stars Megan Stalter and Paul W. Downs on their bond and what's next
When Megan Stalter and Paul W. Downs stepped onto a pickleball court for a recent Gold Derby interview it was a full-circle callback to a fan-favorite scene from Max's critically acclaimed comedy Hacks. In the Season 3 episode, their characters — eccentric talent agents Kayla and Jimmy — hilariously face off against a TV network president played by Helen Hunt in a match that became a standout moment for fans. 'We trained, we had a coach,' Downs said, laughing. Stalter chimed in: 'Yes, I loved our classes.' More from GoldDerby 'That feeling of having a first crush': How Zach Cherry and Merritt Wever made their 'Severance' marriage feel real Brandon Scott Jones on CBS' 'Ghosts': 'I enjoy playing characters that are desperate' Critics hail Celine Song's 'Materialists' as an 'exquisitely made' modern love story - not a 'glossy romantic comedy' The blend of sharp comedy and heartfelt connection has propelled Hacks through four acclaimed seasons, with a fifth officially confirmed. The series follows Deborah Vance (Jean Smart), a legendary comedian, who partners with Ava Daniels (Hannah Einbinder), a young, edgy writer, to revitalize her act. Created by Downs, Lucia Aniello, and Jen Statsky, Hacks has garnered widespread acclaim for its witty writing, emotional depth, and standout performances including 48 Emmy nominations and 9 wins. For Downs, who also serves as co-creator, writer, and director, he says the recognition means a lot to him and the entire cast and crew. 'I think it was really special last season, having the series win, because our show is made by so many people. To share that with everybody was so gratifying, whether it's our cinematographer or a costume designer or a production designer, everybody that makes the show really cares about the show, watches the show and loves the show. For them to feel like they were part of what was recognized by people, it's incredibly gratifying,' he says. While Hacks delivers sharp humor, it consistently engages with deeper themes. 'We feel like a spoonful of sugar helps the medicine go down,' Downs explained. 'Every season does explore something.' Season 4, for example, delves into the changing landscape of television, focusing on Deborah Vance's pursuit of a late-night talk show. Downs adds that the series also centers around characters who don't always fit in. 'I think for Jimmy and Kayla for example, they're outsiders just as much as Deborah and Ava are in the first season. They don't really fit in at Latitude, at this management company. So they leave and strike out on their own to start up their own thing. And Deborah and Ava are both two people who are kind of ostracized to the desert. So the show's really about people who are on the outside and are striving for dignity and doing that through the connection that they have, which is their work, whether that be writing comedy or representing comedy.' HBO Max Still, no matter how big the theme, the emotional center of the series remains with its characters and their relationships. Stalter, whose breakout turn as the wildly unfiltered Kayla has made her a fan favorite, is especially proud of her character's growth. 'She started off being the assistant who's kind of messing up. I feel like now she's secretly saving the day. She's like a secret genius,' she said. 'Their friendship's grown so much. I think it meant so much to Kayla when Jimmy steps in and chooses her, and that's all she's really wanted.' Downs echoed the sentiment. 'They both really care about doing a good job, I think, for each other in a lot of ways,' he said. 'And I love that Kayla is such a free character, which is a lot like Meg. Meg is such a fearless actor and so free.' That admiration carries into their viewing habits, too. 'I'm in a scene, I'm running over to laugh at the scene we just did,' Stalter said. 'I don't have any shame about it. It's so funny. He is so funny. Why wouldn't I want to see it twice?' As they look ahead to Season 5, the closeness among the cast and crew remains central — a bond strengthened through shared hardships, including COVID, the L.A. fires and Jean Smart's heart attack in 2023. 'We've gone through a lot as a cast and a crew. We've definitely gotten closer,' Downs said. Though Hacks has no shortage of Emmys, the cast is just as thrilled by fan responses. 'I've seen so many TikTok edits,' Stalter said. 'I'm tearing up at the fan edits of Deborah and Ava. I'm like, the show is so good. I am crying over the TikTok video.' When it comes to who might win a real-life Hacks cast pickleball tournament, Downs has a few ideas. 'I bet Hannah [Einbinder] would be good. She is very athletic. She was a cheerleader," he said. Stalter chimed in, 'I could see Jean [Smart] being good too. I feel like I'd get intimidated on the court playing against her.' Still, Downs had one final pick: 'Christopher McDonald — he's a great golfer and he plays tennis, too. I bet he'd be really good.' Best of GoldDerby Brandon Scott Jones on CBS' 'Ghosts': 'I enjoy playing characters that are desperate' 'She's got tunnel vision': Wendi McLendon-Covey reveals what she loves most about her character Joyce on 'St. Denis Medical' Marlon Wayans on laughing through tragedy in 'Good Grief' and why social media has made comedy 'toxic' Click here to read the full article.
