Nina Nesbitt
Some people just seem to get all the talent. Nina Nesbitt tried her hands at gymnastics and modelling before finally settling on music, and what a musician she is! The well toured artist has traversed the country countless times, found herself sharing stages with Coldplay, Stevie Nicks and Snow Patrol and even having the honour of being able to perform the Scottish national anthem at Hampden Park.
The elegant tones of the established artist were a beautiful focal point for all those relaxing at the main stage. The serene set was the ideal way to shake off any hangovers or camping aches to prepare us for a busy Saturday of festival antics
Freddie Halkon
The past year has been truly transformative for Freddie Halkon. The Yorkshire born artist has gone from support slots at the Leadmill to headlining the late great, venue himself in a moment that could very well define the career of the promising young musician. There’s hardly a corner of the festival circuit that you won’t find the one man musical machine, touring tirelessly from Neighbourhood Weekender, to Live at Leeds, to 2000 Trees, to Tramlines and now here today at Kendal Calling.
The youngster was up against it, performing at the same time as The Pigeon Detectives hit the main stage, which only made it more impressive to see his absolutely packed tent belting every tune back at him. When an artist is soaring at this rate it’s hard to see anything other than a main stage appearance in the future for them and I expect nothing less for this talented musician.
The Kites
Next up a rare treat, The Kites are already familiar with huge stages having played the Festival Republic stage at Leeds Festival last year and just this last week on the Main stage at Truck Festival so to have them in such an intimate setting here was extra special.
The serenity of the woods was a perfect spot to soak up some bright alternative music from this rising Yorkshire band. They unsurprisingly attracted a great crowd who were drawn in by the melodious and inviting sounds of the already extremely popular four piece. Whilst the stage wasn’t grand, it offered a beautifully pleasant location to take in the performance and leave a much more unique memory in the minds of those fans who attended, both old and new, and will hopefully live long in the mind of the band who we shared this memory with.
Reverend and The Makers
Reverend and the Makers are no strangers to the indie music scene, nor are they to Kendal Calling. The legends of the noughties indie movement are perfectly at home sharing the main stage with bands they rose alongside or even inspired such as The Pigeon Detectives, The Wombats, Corellas and The Lottery Winners. The outfit that boast a FIFA friendly back catalogue, perfect for appeasing the many football shirt clad fans in the crowd, absolutely smashed their appearance at our humble festival and the entertainment only looked to continue in powerful fashion from here.
Lottery Winners
Perfect to pick up where Reverend and the Makers left off, the modern evolution of the indie-pop movement are taking the charts by storm, already having landed two number 1 albums. Chart success hasn’t been the only noteworthy moment in the rise of The Lottery Winners, they have also been found smashing the support slot for Robbie Williams on his recent tour, no small feat for a band who were playing the Woodlands stage in the not too distant past.
Not only were the four piece a musical pleasure to listen too, they were an absolute joy to spend some time with. Their honest and touching sentiments for performing on such a vast stage to a huge crowd really hit home as it felt that we were really part of a major moment for the band. The celebratory atmosphere continued throughout as the artists just seemed to be having an absolute blast on stage, we had keepy-uppies on stage, a guest appearance from Jon McClure, and vibrant, energetic songs which left plenty of smiles in the evening sun.
The Silver Bars
A sharp turn from the mightily successful Lottery Winners to a band that have plenty of success ahead of them. The Silver Bars are one of Cumbria’s most exciting prospects and it’s understandable why they’ve been hand picked for the Roots stage this year. The curiously lampshade clad Barrovian outfit sport a sound reminiscent of many of the noughties bands that the members would have grown up enjoying, such as the Arctic Monkeys and The Black Keys, yet still delver a very unique final product. The tent was nicely packed out with engaged viewers which was surely a vote of confidence for the growing band and a suggestion they they may be worthy of a greater platform upon their next visit.
Lindisfarne
Given the festivals location, it is unsurprisingly vastly populated by inhabitants of the North East so local legends Lindisfarne were always going to pull a huge support. The Parklands stage was packed to the rafters to see the iconic band with over 50 years of performing experience. It was a real moment as each and every fan belted out “The Fog on the Tyne” back to the band who would have been pinching themselves about the reception they received here. The icons proclaimed “We’re all Geordies” and it sure did feel that way, well… Unless you were a Mackem present.
Fatboy Slim
The day was rounded off by the legend of the DJ scene, Fatboy Slim. A career spanning multiple decades adds up to one hell of a club night in Lowther Deer Park. The show was a mishmash of the artists own chart topping work and plenty of other dance favourites. The bold and energetic set went down a treat, with smoke cannons and streamers to pluck huge cheers out of the grooving masses. The renowned DJ was in fine form, interacting with the crowd and even coming down to the front of the stage to orchestrate some chaos. The set was a fabulous way to finish the second day of our festival and begin a long night of dancing for the hyped up crowd.