With the first wave of artists announced for Kendal Calling in 2025, we take a look back when we had the pleasure of the attending the festival for the first time ever this year.
Based in Lowther Deer Park near Penrith and taking place between 1st-4th August, excited to sink our teeth into the offerings of our first ever visit, myself and Sam Wall from our main live music photography team, packed our bags and headed to the scenic landscapes of the Cumbria in search of live music.
Day 1 - Thursday 1st August
With 1st August being much more of a warm up event to get the crowd in good spirits ahead of the main Friday to Sunday festivities, crowds who had rocked up on Thursday were in for a treat as they were able to enjoy live music from the likes of Beth McCarthy, The Hunna and Declan McKenna.
Music fans wasted no time in making the most of the festival as the site was already beaming with activity - all at different stages of their Kendal Calling experience - some still setting up their tents, others finding the perfect place to pitch up, and others enjoying a nice cool bevy while exploring the main arena.
What makes Kendal that little bit special as a festival is a family friendly atmosphere whereby you have a good mix of families along with friendship groups, couples and everyone in between, united in one place with one common goal to soak up the atmosphere and have fun in the process.
Helping to get the crowds in even more of a good mood, Thursday’s headliner Paul Heaton (known from being in bands such as The Beautiful South). Joined on stage by singer-songwriter Rianne Downey, the pair provides some classic tracks which soon got the crowd singing and dancing along.
Being the first time I have ever seen Paul Heaton live myself, I was just impressed and captivated not just the energy of the set but by the sea of people which crowded near the Main Stage going as far back as the eye can see.
This Kendal audience were showing Paul, Rianne and their live band a whole lot of love, and you could get a real sense that Paul was especially feeling it right back. Classic tracks on the night included the likes of I’ll Sail This Ship Alone, Rotterdam (Or Anywhere), Perfect 10 and Happy Hour.
It was not only about the popular well known hits though, as Paul also took the opportunity to test the waters and showcase his latest song, Fish 'N' Chip Supper, a groovy little number which got a fair few nods of approval from many in the crowd.
With confetti and the crowd buzzing even more, thanks to not just Paul Heaton but also the handful of artists and entertainment on site, it is safe to say that night 1 had started strong, the party vibe of Kendal Calling was officially opened for business, so strap those seat belts in because the fun has only begun!
Day 2 - Friday 2nd August
Still beaming from the evening before, and getting plenty of good rest after the good amount of walking (getting in those all important steps), we headed back to the festival for the main day of music. With the live music starting from midday, it was going to be a busy day for sure, but one where the world is our oyster with so much to explore. Taking the opportunity to find our bearings and work out which artists to check out over a cuppa and a cookie (home made by Sam) we headed out into arena ready to seize the day.
Alfie Jukes
Kicking off day 2, Alfie Jukes takes to the Mainstage ready and raring to go, with a nice energetic vibe helping to welcome in the punters as they gently fill into the Arena. Playing tracks such as Sitting Pretty, Little Omens, Amsterdam and Orange Juice, Alfie just allows the music to do the talking, after all his potential as an emerging artist speaks for itself. Being the first artist to start off the day on the mainstage is a huge responsibility for any artist, but a challenge which Alfie Jukes takes in his stride as he brings his A-Game.
A set of pure confidence and strength - if you were unfamiliar with his music before, well you will no doubt walk away after with a mind curious to find out more. Like many artists this summer, Alfie Jukes is traveling to countless corners of the UK, performing at various festivals up and down the country - he has not just got his festival wings, but he is truly flying. Being able to witness his music at Kendal Calling is definitely which we were grateful to experience first hand.
With so much music to conquer, while Sam was busy snapping away and capturing the spirit of Kendal Calling through a lens, I decided to go out and do a little venturing to see what I could discover too. It may sound like a odd thing to say (trust me there is method to the madness), but I found it so enriching just being able to dip in and out of each tent listening to a couple songs from each performer before moving onto the next. The perfect way I find to get a slice of a little bit of everything, while exposing yourself to as much live entertainment as possible in the process.
Bucket Hat Crew
Heading into the Callout stage, the beats were playing and the audience was groovin along to Bucket Hat Crew. It may have been mid-afternoon, but the beauty of a festival like Kendal Calling is that time is relative, because any time of the day is open for business when you're in the mood to party.
Ruby Joyce
Playing over on the Woodlands stage (probably one of my favorite parts of the whole Kendal arena site (more on that later) I was thankful to be introduced to the music of Ruby Joyce for the very first time, and from what I was seeing it was a very favorable first impression. I may of been completely new to her music, but I just loved her whole stage presence, and as for the songs she showcased plenty of depth, honesty and heart in her song writing. The crowd was a little reserved at first, once Ruby and her live band got the flow going, it didn't take long till they took a few steps forward to get closer to Ruby Joyce. May not seem much to the naked eye, but in such a small gesture or change of posture comes a powerful turning point that all artists long to see, the fusion and bond between audience and artist starting to be formed, giving rise to the dawn of a new chemistry.
Untold Orchestra (Performing Abba)
Making their debut appearance at Kendal (and on the main stage too may I add), Manchester based Untold Orchestra got the crowd singing along at the top of their lungs to the music of ABBA - including smash hits such as Mamma Mia, Dancing Queen and Waterloo. Much more than a band but a collective of incredible souls of every background and ethnicity from all walks of life, with community at the heart of all that they do, they certainly brought the spirit of their roots and the voices and communities they represent to their live performance.
The Silver Bars
Heading over to the Calling Out stage, I stumbled across another band whom until today I had never heard, but that is another plus side to Kendal Calling is how it opens up the gateway to discovering new talent.
Bringing the energy, and representing Manchester, The Silver Bars provided a really impressive and really good chemistry with the crowd especially with the way lead singer Dylan Grafton and the rest of the band make good honest music which lights up the atmosphere. You can enter that tent as a newcomer, and leave feeling like you need more of The Silver Bars in your life.
The Snuts
First appearing at Kendal Calling in 2019, back, stronger and more confident than ever West Lothian band, The Snuts were back at Kendal Calling for another year, but this time playing on the main stage. I have lost count of just how many times I have seen Jack Cochrane, Joe McGillveray, CallumWilson and Jordan Mackay, but they are definitely one of my favorite bands to see live.
Starting their set with Glasgow, Dreams and Hallelujah Moment, it was such a feel good moment to see the way how they took captive of the crowd with everyone being engaged by the fun that Jack and the boys were bringing. A set just over an hour giving out those well known tunes, as well as sharing some of their much more recent material. The Snuts are moving onwards and upwards, with the added bonus of taking their fans, along with the new ones along for the journey.
Agbeko - Chai Wallahs Stage
Taking the opportunity to explore the site of Kendal Calling even more (especially as there are over 17 stages), I decided to head over to the Chai Wallahs stage, a cool but vibrant place to discover some much more unknown and independent artists.
As I popped my head in, I was drawn to the music of collective Agbeko. Describing themselves as an Afrobeat-inspired rock-funk-psych juggernaut from Manchester, Agbeko, led by Ellen Lewis on vocals , surrounded the place with their infectious energy and feel good music.
Day 3 - Saturday 3rd August 2024
Mid way through our Kendal Calling experience and still loving every single moment, we could not wait to see what the day had in store. Kendal is not just about the music, there are other equally important features to it, such as the comedy, the creative art installations, the on site cinema showing everything from Barbie, Indiana Jones, JAWS and more. Trust me when I say this, but Kendal Calling felt like the perfect Utopia of what you could ever want in a festival.
Going with the mentality of Carpe Diem (Seize The Day) I took the opportunity to really get stuck in to the third day.
Russell Howard
Heading to the main stage to start the day with a little touch of laughter, I joined the sea of audiences to see comedian Russell Howard. Usually when I have been to other festivals in the past they tend to put comedians in the spaces and tent in the further corner, but what I like about Kendal Calling by placing comedians like Russell on the main stage, it not only provides the opportunity for everyone to experience a little bit of everything, but also gives comedians to get the recognition they deserve.
If you have ever seen any of Russell Howard’s content, is that he has no filter, he is just himself whether that be appearing on TV or taking his place on a stage. The most authentic version of himself, which I have a lot of respect from.
Taking a honest reflective look at the world, expressing the things which we all know were thinking and making us all laugh in the process.
Heather Small
For many people, from my generation especially, the music of Heather Small and M People has always been present, and is a household name we all recognise in an instant. Very oddly though from all my years of going to gigs, I have never actually had the chance to see Heather Small, but thanks to Kendal Calling 2024 all that was about to change.
You would be wrong to assume that it’s music for an older audience, because the beauty of Heather’s music is it appeals to anyone and crosses generations. Performing an array of well known hits such as One Night In Heaven, Search For The Hero, Moving On Up and of course the iconic song Proud, Heather gave an enriching and powerful performance full of energy which had the whole crowd dancing and singing along.
Thom A Smith
Being from the North East, with any festival or event we go to, we always like to keep a look out for those homegrown artists from our own region. Representing the city of Sunderland, it was brilliant to see Thom A Smith on this Kendal Calling line up, because he is someone who is gaining a lot of attention lately with her energetic live performances and the way he able to make the crowds come alive when you watching him on that stage. I first saw him a year ago, and since then I have just been so impressed at his remarkable journey and growth.
This has been a year of constant achievements, collaborations, and time spent touring up and down the country, with Thom A Smith continuing to push himself and take his music to a new level.
TORS
With a band member down, that did not deter the gents in TORS from putting on a strong performance as music fans huddled into Calling Out stage trying to get as close to stage as possible. Until this year I was not so familiar with their music, so to be able to see them for the first time and hear beautiful tracks such Happy Enough, Amsterdam, Miracle and Only For You was such a special moment.
They sing with raw emotion but in a way which brings a lot of strength to their fans. Even it was your very first time you have ever hear them, anyone could walk in to that tent and really find a sense of resonance with TORS.
PEACE
One of the band’s I was really looking forward to seeing this year at Kendal Calling this year was PEACE. It must have been years since I last saw them, so to see Harry, Sam, Boyce and Doug back again felt like such a nostalgic moment. Back and ready to mean business, the band wasted no time in getting the crowd moving with tracks such as Lost On Me, Money and a popular fan favorite for all those OG Peace fans, Love Sick.
There was also an opportunity for Harry and the guys to share some of their much newer material which seemed to go down well with the audience.
The Streets
After a day of exploring all parts of the Kendal site as possible, everyone quickly headed to the main stage to find themselves a good spot for another iconic name in music who would be headlining the festival, none other than The Streets.
With excitement and anticipation in air, the lights went down as Mike Skinner stepped onto the stage with the opening song, Turn The Page, as some just looked in amazement and others just cheering along. Definitely a great song for setting the atmosphere, as all eyes were locked on Mike Skinner.
The Streets wasted no time in ensuring that he gave the Kendal audience plenty of fun and good music as he continued with tracks to keep people singing along and soaking up the atmosphere with tracks such as Let’s Push Things Forward, a melody of Has It Come to This? / I Wish You Loved You as Much as You Love Him / Wrong Answers Only.
Having performed an impressive 13+ set that took us through on a journey of British hip-hop, it was almost time for the set to come to a close, but not without Mike sharing those classic tunes, Dry Your Eyes and Take Me As I Am helping to end the third day on a high.
Day 4 - Sunday 4th August
After spending the best weekend ever immersed in the world of Kendal Calling it was a sad to wake up knowing that today would be our final day, but that only made Sam and I even more determined to soak in as much of the atmosphere as possible.
While Sam headed out to shoot some pretty awesome live music, I took it upon myself to just explore and dip in and out to as many of the different stages and tents as possible, on the hunt for new music, especially artists I have not seen much before, afterall festivals such as this are the perfect platform for shedding light on those upcoming names too.
Ernie
Heading over to the Woodlands stage (which FYI was one of my favorite areas of the festival especially due to its dreamy chilled vibe), I had the pleasure of checking out the music singer-songwriter Ernie. Ernie who also happens to be from the North East, really drew in the audience and gave us a taster of his great potential with stunning tracks like Pink Headaches and Hold Yr Horses.
Barrioke
With spirits flying high, as I continued to explore the festival site, to take a bit of a break from the live music happening, I headed into Parklands to check out what was going over there, only to find myself stepping in the whacky but fun world of Barrioke (yes you heard right).
Hosted by the Shaun Williamson (the iconic Barry from Eastenders - the fiance Janine Butcher pushed off a cliff), Barrioke is a good way to enjoy a bit of crowd participation as members of the public have the opportunity to take the mic and step to on stage to sing along to their favorite song - Barrioke style. The most surreal thing to witness, but something which just sucks you in a good way. .
Red Rum Club
For so long I have always wanted to see Red Rum Club but for one reason or another I always keep missing the band whenever they are touring the country. However at last the stars were aligned as I was finally able to see a band I have heard so much about. Appearing on the main stage, Red Rum Club led by frontman Fran Doran gave a energetic performance, boosting some much needed good vibes on a Sunday afternoon.
Given that this was the first time I was seeing Red Rum Club I made a bee line to get as close to the barrier as possible to get a good view as possible, because well in a nutshell that is the type of impact Red Rum Club have on you.
Starting strong with Black Cat, the audience was feeding of the energy of Fran, Tom, Michael, Simon, Neil and Joe, which caused a lot of head bopping and shoulder shuffling. As a 6 piece band consisting of guitar, rhythm guitar, bass guitar, drums and trumpet, they are not just any other rock band, they are a band with tonnes of charisma and stage presence - Red Rum Club know how to add plenty of style to their live sound.
Other tracks on the set included Vibrate, their anthemic song Eleanor and Angeline. While their set may have only been just over half an hour, they certainly packed in so much quality which kept the crowds hooked. Ending their set with their track Would You Rather Be Lonely taken from their debut album, Red Rum Club had countless people singing at the top of their lungs. I walked away from that set with a huge smile on my face? Why? Because thanks to Kendal Calling I had just discovered my new favorite band!
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Baby Panna
Back into the serene and tranquil vibes of the Lost Eden, I casually walked just reminiscing about the great weekend, before finding myself at the Woodland stage where I stumbled across the set of Portsmouth hip-hop/rap artist Baby Panna. Again another first for me, but a set I could still nevertheless still appreciate and Baby Panna owned that stage with such confidence.
Pale Waves
Anyone who has followed DARKUS over the years, will know one band close to our hearts having seen their growth from the very beginning is Manchester band, Pale Waves. I was so happy to see them on the line up, because Heather, Ciara, Hugo and Charlie are continuing to thrive with each step they take. I may have seen them so many times but it would be rude to go to a festival and not check out a Pale Waves set - afterall its now become DARKUS tradition haha!
Taking us through their catalogue tracks including Lies, Your So Vain, and ofcourse the old school Pale Wave tracks Television Romance and Honey. With the band releasing their latest album this October, it was also an opportunity for this music hungry crowd to indulge in some of the greatest hits of one of our favourite bands.
Youth Sector
After getting a quick refreshing drink and a bit of sustenance in my system I headed back to the Woodland stage to check out the explosive and engaging set of Youth Sector. They say that first impressions are so important, and for me I was just impressed with their whole dynamic personalities, which added to the charm of their set. I may not have been familiar with their songs, but that did not matter because when they performed tracks such as The Ball, it felt like I had known this band my whole life. Reminding me of the likes of Everything Everything, Maximo Park and We Are Scientists with an added fun factor, I can see good things in store for Youth Sector in the weeks and months to come.
The Lottery Winners
Having immersed ourselves in as much of Kendal Calling as possible, it was almost time for Sam and I to head back on the road back to North East, but not without ending our final day on a high with another personal fave, The Lottery Winners. Hailing from Leigh, Manchester I think for the past couple of years at least the majority of festivals I have attended, I have always managed to drop on by and check out The Lottery Winners - their music subconsciously calls to me like a beacon haha!
Performing tracks such as Worry, Letter To Myself and Sertraline as well as a few fun covers such as Fit But You Know It (The Streets) and The Beatles Hey Jude. The beauty of The Lottery Winners and bands similar to them is that you can go to their set, entering as a stranger, but leaving as a friend, because of the way their music and personality as a band is so unifying where everyone is made to feel safe and welcomed by The Lottery Winners - part of the fam!
Final Reflections
So there have it 4 days of some of the best live music Sam and myself had ever had the privilege being part of. While I felt sad that home time had finally come, I was nevertheless so thankful for all the brilliant things I witnessed.
I discovered so much, and the festival opened my world up to so many fresh and exciting artists. I have had so many standout moments over the years, and in terms of festivals, Kendal Calling will stand out as one of my heartwarming and fondest memories of 2024.
With the Festival celebrating it’s 20th Year Anniversary in 2025, we cannot wait to return, and with the first wave of artists already announced including The Courteeners, Kaiser Chiefs, Prodigy, The Wombats and The Last Dinner Party to name but a few, this is one weekend in the live music calender your definitely not going to want to miss! Roll on Kendal Calling 2025.
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Article By Thushara Chandrasiri, Photography By Sam Wall
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