The good weather may be gone, but the summertime is still coming, you legally have to start up the barbeque, get an uneven sunburn until you look like a raspberry Cornetto and plan how you’re going to spend the season. Obviously what you do during this time is completely up to you, but supposing you checked out Kendal Calling (2010 Festival Awards ‘Best Small Festival of the Year’) what should you expect?
Possibly the least ‘Rock and Roll’ statement ever was from the mouth of Tjinder Singh of Cornershop way back in 2009 and it went along the lines of “We’ve spent a few days walking in the beautiful lakes”, “Whooo! Yeah! Wait what?”- But that’s what you get at Kendal Calling, it’s not your Glastonbury, Leeds or T in the Park and what it lacks in size it makes up for with what is done with it. The backdrop of rolling hills show Cumbria at its best and beneath your feet is Lowther’s ‘1000 year old deer park’; for the full history please check out the Lowther Estate website. Because of all his though, don’t bring any glass! It’s not allowed what with the risk of it cutting a poor deer- if the film Bambi taught us anything then it’s that all deer should die of the natural cause that is a hunter’s bullet. Also as any grizzled combat trousered and neon t-shirted veteran festival enthusiast will tell you, TAKE WELLINGTON BOOTS! Not trainers, they’ll get wet, or walking boots, they’ll get wrecked and definitely never ever crocs because then you will have to leave all of your friends and go to cry in the welfare tent about owning such ridiculous shoes you stupid faux hippy (rant over). Take wellies.
The Food and Drink
So it’s fairly typical festival food and ‘festival’ here appears to translate to ‘more expensive than buying a functioning plane made from gold, fuelling it, for a year and feeding the pilots caviar and champagne’. Everyone has different survival methods; some just grin and bear the price while re-mortgaging their houses but taking your own food isn’t impossible, as a rule pack easy to munch food and eat early because generally on an evening there is a solid line up of acts and the arena entrance can become a bit of a scrum. Drink is more of a pain, as previously mentioned, no glass is permitted and the drink which you do take in your plastic bottles/ cans/cupped hands can only come as far as the campsite. No alcohol in the arena, which again jacks the price up if you want to have a brewski as you watch the bands but on the other hand you can drink up early at your tent and the organisers reckon that the sale of drinks in the arena subsidises ticket costs for the festivalgoer, so its hard to get too annoyed about.
The Toilets
Yeah… They’re festival toilets so, pardon the pun, they’re a bit crap. However the number one for number twos, and holy grail of festival posh bogs; ‘Poo-topia’ is returning and to be fair catch the normal ones at the right time (just after the hose down) and they are fairly bearable. Water is on tap, sorry again, and there are showers for those classy folks who would rather not stew in their own (or other people’s) juices for the weekend.
The Bands
Without whom you’re just in a field, fine for sheep and ramblers but you need something to hold your attention and prevent you from zoning out. Nowadays it’s very hard to not get bored especially not to get distracted from what your readi- hey, concentrate! Here’s the who’s who of whose doing what. (Subject to change, terms and conditions, small print, ‘a bit of a swapsie’ and bands getting eaten by sheep up
on the fells.)
Who is new?
Tribes, my dictionary says this word means, 1.race 2.subdivision of race of people. Hey dictionary, think you missed out 3. Camden based indie rockers. What? Well maybe you should include proper nouns, and then you can be cool, like Scrabble. Tribes really are worth a listen, the sort of band that everyone seems to be describing as ‘up and coming’. Radio 1 and NME seem to have noticed them as well so they might not stay small for long however unlike a lot of bands at this stage they actually seem to live up to some of the hype. Just cause they come from Camden, don’t let that put you off…
Well I like that whole singer/songwriter vibe which Ed Sheeran does, I just wish I could hear it from someone less ginger; that’s where Benjamin Francis Leftwich comes in. Melodic, guitar driven singing and the poshest name in the music business since the fifth earl of Ponsomby went on tour with his lute in the 16th century.
Who are the Golden Oldies?
Kendal Calling do a special line in amazing acts with a fine vintage, last year Blondie, Echo and the Bunnymen and House of Pain all graced the bill with Ash and Cornershop all having made appearances in years past. Inspiral Carpets are helping fill the category this year. Missed ‘Madchester’ the first time round? These guys are here to breathe life and perform chest compressions on the genre until it lives again. Expect to be singing ‘This is how it feels to be lonely, this is how it feels to be small’ in a field while surrounded by people if seeing them live this summer.
Shed Seven are similarly back to Britpop. A sort of missing link between Oasis and Blur without quite the success of either but you are almost guaranteed to recognise at least one of their songs; unless you stumble into Kendal Calling from off the hills where you have been lost for the past two decades. The band promises some old ‘Chasing Rainbows’ style songs as well as some newer stuff.
Some would say the ultimate festival act and fresh (sort of) from their opening of the Glastonbury pyramid stage in 1994 Dreadzone come to Kendal Calling this year. Expect them to inspire in you a proper festival feeling and create a carnival atmosphere sound smoothie that seems to be made up from more musical genres than you could shake a forest at.
Who’s going to be LOUD?
Craig Charles normally takes the festival out with a bang, a loud bang, and no it’s barely weird that a guy made famous by pretending to be in space and is currently most well known for being on Coronation St should be one of the best loved acts of Kendal Calling. Well maybe it’s a bit weird.
Maximo Park, their song ‘Apply some Pressure’ seems designed for jumping around in the mud to, and its from a reet good northern band, sorted. Expect high energy and tunes you’ll be humming all the way back on the hung-over drive home.
Dizzee Rascal, as the main headliner promises to deliver music of the not quiet variety. The ‘boy in da corner’ will now be a slightly older guy on a stage but still hopefully visiting his old hits, you’d better fix up look sharp for the show, then somebody might ask you to dance wiv me it is going to be bonkers, you might even need a holiday afterward. Feel free to have a moment to laugh heartily. No? That’s
fair enough.
Who is going to be mellow?
I’m putting my money on Benjamin Francis Leftwich again. The most chilled thing to come from York since the Vikings decided that they would put their feet up in the town after all that pillaging. Sweet soulful guitar and vocals will be floating over Cumbria for this set, throw in some sunny weather and a beer and it sounds like a treat.
Also check out Lucy Rose, a beautiful and haunting voice which produces bittersweet lullabies but one to toe tap along with and enjoy. After starting out lending a voice to the Bombay Bicycle Club tracks that send a shiver down your spine her and her guitar look set to conquer all before them on their own.
Who are Kendal Calling favourites?
The Lancashire Hotpots have to top this category. Over the years they have progressed from the smaller tents to the 2011 main stage and their comedy/folk songs are guaranteed to raise a smile from even the gloomiest Goth. Just don’t wander off before the end, generally the highlight is the closing medley, if you haven’t heard a cover of ‘Firestarter’ delivered in a Lancashire accent then what have you been doing with your precious time on this green earth?
And while Dizzee and Dan le Sac V Scroobius Pip are returning to the festival for second visits there are also smaller acts like Dexter Dextrous (weird, but fun rock pop folk jazz reggae funk, oh I don’t know, just listen to them) back for more after a slot in 2009. Dance tent hero DJ Yoda is also playing again, no he is not really Yoda, yes he can convince you that you are having an amazing time with just a sweep of the arm “this is the festival atmosphere you’re looking for”.
Riot Jazz Brass Band also impress, a rich, full, you could even say jazzy sound, they will make you want to, ahem, get your groove on. This is possibly the one band who seem to appeal to everyone, child of two? Get your pa to lift you up so you can enjoy all of those instruments happening and bright lights. Pensioner of 82? They’re going to make you want to throw that walking stick down, dance, clap and cheer like everyone else.
Who should be writing this?
Weird category, weird band name; Police Dog Hogan. A folky, bluegrass band who haven’t quite given up the day jobs, but this could have something to do with Banjo player Tim Dowling writing for the Guardian, Tim Jepson- mandolin, writing for the Telegraph and if you needed a film of the article making James Studholme- vocals, and guitar manages the production company ‘Blink’. Still if they ever do make it big and become famous they can write the biography and make the film in house.
Who you can’t miss?
All of the above would be my answer but sometimes bands clash, so here’s who I will be going through Hell and High water, or more likely just lots and lots of mud, to see this year.
Feeder. ‘Buck Rogers’. Need I say more? Well probably, and though this is just my opinion, and that of all right thinking people, the BEST song by Feeder. Not saying that ‘Tumble and Fall’, ‘Borders’ and ‘Renegades’ won’t be amazing though, Feeder are a band with a back catalogue of absolute anthems.
We Are Scientists. Consistently excellent indie band, slightly silly haircuts, more energy than an annoying child who’s had too much cake.
The Lancashire Hotpots. See above, and if you have kids take them along, they will always remember the band with the funny accent making everybody smile and laugh they just seem to personify the best of Kendal Calling.
Dan le Sac V Scroobius Pip. Performing in both the dance tent and with a full band so you get twice the fun, I hear that they will be ‘bringing the beat’. What makes them standout though is that the lyrics are just about clever enough to join MENSA, it will be interesting to see if they play the song ‘Fixed’, sampling and parodying ‘Fix up look sharp’ though Dizzee is on the night after and so won’t be around to enjoy it. Rumoured to be the best thing live since the Queen rocked out at the Jubilee, make sure you catch them if you’re at KC, they’re more worth it than 100 bottles of L’Oreal.
So there you go, check out the Kendal Calling website for more information and the full line up, and start practicing saying “sorry mate, which of these small identical country lanes should we be driving down?”.
We don't run any advertising! Our editorial content is solely funded by lovely people like yourself using Stereoboard's listings when buying tickets for live events. To keep supporting us, next time you're looking for concert, festival, sport or theatre tickets, please search for "Stereoboard". It costs you nothing, you may find a better price than the usual outlets, and save yourself from waiting in an endless queue on Friday mornings as we list ALL available sellers!
Possibly the least ‘Rock and Roll’ statement ever was from the mouth of Tjinder Singh of Cornershop way back in 2009 and it went along the lines of “We’ve spent a few days walking in the beautiful lakes”, “Whooo! Yeah! Wait what?”- But that’s what you get at Kendal Calling, it’s not your Glastonbury, Leeds or T in the Park and what it lacks in size it makes up for with what is done with it. The backdrop of rolling hills show Cumbria at its best and beneath your feet is Lowther’s ‘1000 year old deer park’; for the full history please check out the Lowther Estate website. Because of all his though, don’t bring any glass! It’s not allowed what with the risk of it cutting a poor deer- if the film Bambi taught us anything then it’s that all deer should die of the natural cause that is a hunter’s bullet. Also as any grizzled combat trousered and neon t-shirted veteran festival enthusiast will tell you, TAKE WELLINGTON BOOTS! Not trainers, they’ll get wet, or walking boots, they’ll get wrecked and definitely never ever crocs because then you will have to leave all of your friends and go to cry in the welfare tent about owning such ridiculous shoes you stupid faux hippy (rant over). Take wellies.
