Kendal Calling 2018 takes place later this month, beginning on Thursday 26th July until Sunday 29th July. For those that don’t know, Kendal Calling is an independent music festival held annually at Lowther Deer Park in the Lake District. It has grown from a two-day, 900 capacity event in 2006 to a 25,000 capacity 4-day music festival, showcasing a wide variety of genres including rock, indie, dance, folk, electro, and many more.
The festival has also recently announced via Twitter that they are one of more than a hundred festivals that have signed up to the Keychange initiative, pledging 50/50 gender balance by 2022, which is pretty great! If you’re interested in finding out more about this year’s lineup, or you’ve already got your tickets and are just reading in anticipation of the event, here’s a closer look at what you can expect from Kendal Calling 2018…
Catfish and the Bottlemen
Catfish and the Bottlemen are a rock band from Wales who formed in 2007 – they have reached number 10 on the UK Albums Chart and display a somewhat classic rock sound. The alternative rock band has grown significantly in popularity during the past couple of years, winning a Brit Award for British Breakthrough act in 2016 and their second album The Ride reaching No. 1 on the UK Albums Chart. On 8th July 2016, Catfish and the Bottlemen played their largest headlining show to date at Castlefield Bowl in Manchester, a physical demonstration of their acclaim. The band’s sound has been likened to that of Johnny Marr and The Cribs and is self-described as “staying inside the box”.
The Libertines
The Libertines are an English rock band, formed in London in 1997. The band played a key part in the garage rock revival in the UK but, after success in the early 2000s and a No. 1 album on the UK charts, the band broke up due to internal conflicts. In August 2010, The Libertines reunited to play a series of shows, including the 2010 Reading and Leeds Festivals, which received a positive response. In 2014, the band officially reformed and released their third album Anthems for Doomed Youth in September 2015. Inspired by bands such as Sex Pistols and The Smiths, The Libertines have been a huge rock influence in the past couple of decades, so it’d be a shame to miss out on seeing them live at Kendal.
Run DMC
Run DMC was an American hip hop group from Queens, New York, formed in 1981, and is considered one of the most influential acts in the history of hip hop culture. They pioneered new school hip hop music and reached many milestones, becoming the first hip hop group to be nominated for a Grammy Award, to earn a platinum record, to have their videos broadcast on MTV, and to appear on the cover of Rolling Stone. They broke down a lot of barriers during the 1980s but broke up after one member quit and another was shot and killed outside his recording studio in 2002, so this reunion seems like an unusual choice to headline a major festival. Hopefully Run DMC will bring nostalgia for guests who were around in the 80s and will introduce younger audiences to hip hop legends.
Haçienda Classical
Haçienda Classical is a unique event that has seen the original DJs behind the Haçienda sound, Graeme Park and Mike Pickering, spin dance classics in harmony with a live orchestra (Manchester Camerata). Originally a series of live shows, the Haçienda Classical was turned into an album in October 2016 by Joy Division and New Order co-founder Peter Hook alongside producer Phil Murphy and pays homage to the FAC 51-era Manchester music scene. The Haçienda Classical live show will see iconic club anthems given an exciting new melodious spin, reviving and reinventing club anthems such as ‘Blue Monday’, ‘Voodoo Ray’, ‘Good Life’ and ‘Ride On Time’. The concept is perhaps strange to some, but you might be surprised by how much you enjoy the new sound. (The Haçienda Classical is only performing on Thursday 26th July).
Just a brief mention of some other notable acts performing at Kendal Calling 2018: grime rapper Bugzy Malone from Manchester, English rock band Ocean Colour Scene, Mancunian indie bands James and Pale Waves, and English alternative/indie band The Sherlocks. You can buy tickets for Kendal Calling 2018 here.
Words by Abby Hilton (@AbbyHilton_)
Keep up to date on all the latest Northern entertainment news by following us on Twitterand Facebook.
