Rocker spots 'cool' ex-classmate in Latitude crowd

David Matthews was broadcast on big screens either side of the stage after being spotted in the crowd by The Darkness' Justin Hawkins

A Suffolk festival-goer has described the “very surreal” moment he was spotted in the crowd at Latitude by his former classmate-turned-frontman of The Darkness.

David Matthews, 49, watched the Lowestoft-raised group perform at the Henham Park festival on Sunday evening in a crowd of thousands of adoring fans.

During the set the group’s singer and guitarist Justin Hawkins asked whether there was anyone in the audience who had been in his year at Kirkley High School.

Mr Matthews’ screaming friends then caught the musician’s attention before he said: “I remember you. You were one of the cool kids. I wanted to be David Matthews.”

The Darkness performed on the main stage at Latitude Festival on Sunday

The camera crews then zoomed in on Mr Matthews before his stunned expression was broadcast on to the large screens either side of the stage.

“It was random and I had no idea but he did a call-out for people in his class and I didn’t say anything, I just happened to have loud people with me,” he said.

“There were lots of people in that audience, people who were far closer to Justin than me, they just didn’t have loud people around them like I did.

“I am a very shy person so I was looking at him just staring while he was saying things about when we were in school - it was a very surreal situation.

“I would say we were friends, yeah, but it’s getting on for 35 years ago now, so for him to remember me was quite nice.”

Mr Matthews enjoyed himself during The Darkness' set at Latitude Festival

Hawkins remembered Mr Matthews due to his love for the “obscure and unique” band New Model Army when he was a teenager at their school.

Mr Matthews added: “He called me out and said I used to wear a New Model Army T-shirt - that’s when I thought 'he actually does remember and he’s not just saying generic things'.

“It’s nice to see someone doing well for themselves who you kind of know.”

Hawkins and his guitarist brother Dan Hawkins both hail from Lowestoft but were performing at the festival for the first time.

Speaking previously to BBC Radio Suffolk, Dan said it had been a “bugbear” of his they had not played the festival before and he was “really, really pleased” to perform at the event this year.