Had a fine time at the burgeoning Latitude festival in 2008. Was determined to go again for a day this year, but Friday, Saturday or Sunday? Three to pick from, but wasn't grabbed by any of the headline music acts.

Then I happened to see a weird headline on the local news section of the BBC website:

Radiohead frontman to play Suffolk gig

You what? Apparently, one of my heroes would be making a rare solo appearance at Latitude on the Sunday. Quick, to the ticketing website! Having ordered my ticket that morning, met G. for lunch and told her I'd be off to Henham Park to see Thom Yorke. Ooh, she said, can I come?

11:45am, Sunday 19th July and we're standing in an ever-growing crowd before the magnificent Obelisk Stage. Rain is off and on. Typically it clears up as Mr Yorke's appearance gets nearer.

Naturally, he's very good. If I used the word awesome, I'd deploy it here. Dressed like a hobo, voice like an angel. Interesting mix of stuff from his solo album, a few Radiohead tunes and even a brand new song. He switches from guitar to piano to John Shuttleworth style keyboard. Bless him, he even did a mini encore of two great songs: There There -- "Why so green and lonely?" -- and True Love Waits, which is the definition of loveliness. I nearly cried.

Later that day:

• cabaret: Penny Dreadfuls: silly, funny
• film/music: Samphire Band with Molly Nyman and Harry Escott: classy film scores
• literary: Stuart Maconie with Jonathan Coe: wit with free biscuits
• music: Tricky: wow, what a noise as we watched the sound levels approach 100
• cabaret: La De Dahs: crowd pleasing covers in a 40s stylee
• music: Nick Cave And The Bad Seeds: intense from the get-go
• music: Gossip: big Beth Ditto oh so far away urging security to let the crown through to dance

... and missed Sean Lock, Peter Blake, Saint Etienne, etc. But did manage to find the car in the dark -- almost entirely thanks to G's sense of direction -- and we were off the site within 15 minutes thanks to the festival's vg organisation. Good day all round.