Franz Ferdinand set for Latitude

Franz Ferdinand say Latitude is different from other music festivals

The Latitude Festival has officially opened its doors to festival-goers who are descending on the event for its third year running.

Franz Ferdinand headline the first night of the three-day festival, while both Sigur Ros and Interpol will top the bill on the remaining two days.

Started in 2006, Latitude is a fairly new annual music festival which is staged in Henham Park, Suffolk.

It combines elements of music, theatre, art, comedy, cabaret and poetry.

Unlike most music festivals, Latitude is a family orientated affair with a children's play area set up onsite and free entry granted to youngsters accompanied by adults.

Set against a scenic backdrop, the festival is also an environmentally friendly event with revellers encouraged to go green by taking solar powered showers and depositing waste into recycling bins.

Some of the stages are also powered by solar energy.

Laid back

The festival was created by Festival Republic, who are behind the Reading and Leeds festivals, to emulate the laid back feel of European festivals.

"It seems a little bit different," said Franz Ferdinand lead singer Alex Kapranos. "It's seems to have more going on. It's not just a music festival. The bill seems a little more esoteric."

The Glaswegian four-piece, who recently popped up for a surprise appearance on the Park Stage at Glastonbury, also argued that the festival is about more than just music.

Latitude seems to have more going on, the bill seems a little more esoteric Alex Kapranos Franz Ferdinand

"We play festivals all round the world and you get different vibes around them, we always remember the ones that are a little bit different," Kapranos told Newsbeat.

"For example the Exit Festival in Serbia is a little bit odd, a little bit more anarchic than your standard corporate, commercial rock festival.

"It's those sorts of things that pop up in our heads. There's a bit of imagination goes on there, and Latitude, Connect, there's definitely some imagination going into those festivals. The ingredients of a good festival is a bit more than just rock music sometimes."

Headline slot

Other acts due to appear on the bill alongside the main headliners are Blondie, Foals, The Coral, The Mars Volta, Sebastien Tellier, Crystal Castles, Elbow, The Breeders, Death Cab For Cutie, Glasvegas and Buzzcocks.

On the comedy front, Never Mind The Buzzcocks' Bill Bailey and stand up comedians Ross Noble and Russell Howard will also be appearing at the festival.

The Latitude Festival is now in its third year

Kapranos meanwhile, said he is hoping the band will have time to explore the festival site in between performing their headline slot.

He added: "If we get there in plenty of time we usually have a bit of time to wander around the place.

"It's always good I think if you're doing a gig, no matter where you're going, to have a wander about and soak up the atmosphere and get yourself in the mood for the place."