REVIEW: Kendal Calling 2013

Friday 26th to Sunday 28th July 2013 - Kendal Calling @ Lowther Deer Park, The Lake District It doesn’t get much more picturesque than a sun-drenched Lake District in late July. Since Kendal Calling settled at Lowther Deer Park in 2009 (following a couple of controversial venue changes), the festival has become a staple of Northern England’s musical calendar. It offers a more spacious, more affordable, but no less hedonistic experience than the UK’s major festivals.

With a site that now welcomes 13,000 people, today’s event is a far cry from 2006 when acts such as Pendulum and British Sea Power played chaotic sets to swelled crowds in Kendal Town Centre. Year on year the event tries to put together a line-up that provides something for everyone with eye-catching headliners, up and coming talent from all over the North, intimate acoustic shows in every corner, and a bill of raucous late-night entertainment that goes on well after the main stage packs up.

After scooping various ‘best small festival’ awards in 2011 and 2012, there is a feel that Kendal Calling organisers have recognised a need up their game once again in 2013. They demonstrated this desire by securing big-hitters like Primal Scream, Public Enemy, and Basement Jaxx, and announcing that there would be a live steam of all three days of this year’s festival for those unable to brave the Lake District’s erratic weather.

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FRIDAY A slightly arduous uphill walk to the festival’s entrance leaves some already breaking sweat with a shower-less weekend ahead of them, but the remoteness of Kendal Calling’s site is something that really adds to the atmosphere. It creates a feeling of other world-ness and detachment that perfectly complements a festival of its size. And then there’s the effect it has on the entertainment itself, although the main stage closes its doors by 10.45pm, Kendal Calling’s distance from civilization means the arena’s staff need not herd revellers back to the campsite straight after the headliners as may be the shameful case elsewhere. Instead partiers are free to clock off when they wish- this makes the exodus gradual and things run just that bit more smoothly.

Attendees almost instantly get a chance to weigh up the site too. As they pass through the turnstiles at the entrance there is a perfect vista of the whole arena and the layout of the campsite from the top of the hill. Camping areas are split into ‘quiet zones’ and family sections further from the main arena, and party areas nearer the arena entrance. It’s clear the organisers are still keen to keep the festival’s demographic as broad as possible

You don’t have to stray far from your tent before bumping into some entertainment either. The campsite’s ‘Village Green’ area plays host to all the amenities needed to ensure happy campers, and is also where to find the Songsmith Solar Stage, showcasing a vibrant bill of the weird and wonderful throughout the weekend.

Once in the main arena the eclectic nature of the festival continues to be manifested through Kendal’s nine stages. Firstly it’s off to one of the larger venues on site in the shape of the Glow Dance Tent. This red and yellow circus style tent hosts a stellar line-up of rising star DJs and visionaries of the dance world. In 2013 it sees visits from legends like Roni Size, Fake Blood, and Grooverider, but kicking things off is Manchester-based producer and Cumbria local boy, Werkha.

Although still only early evening, his infectious fusion of afrobeat, bass, house, jazz, funk, and soul draws newcomers to the tent throughout his one hour set. The title track from his breakthrough EP ‘Cube & Puzzle’ is a standout, and ravers are given taster for a four-hour marathon from Mr Scruff later on, as Werkha spins ‘Get a Move On!’

After leaving the Glow Tent it then becomes clear what stiff competition Werkha had as hip-hop royalty has already taken to the Main Stage in the shape of Public Enemy.

Chuck D and Flavor Flav are joined by the intimidating figures of The SW1 group, and get a massive crowd frenzied as they blast through trademark hits like ‘Bring the Noise’, ‘Don’t Believe the Hype’, and Olympic soundtrack ‘Harder than you Think’. Although the edge of their strong political manifesto has perhaps blunted in recent years, they still know how to put on a thoroughly entertaining show.

A new addition last year, offering a relaxing alternative to the chaos of Public Enemy is the Tim Peaks Diner. The wooden coffee shop at the top of the site is the brainchild of Charlatans frontman and Saturday headliner, Tim Burgess. Kendal Calling visitors have a unique opportunity to get their hands on Burgess’ Tim Peaks range of coffee, and his (strangely named for a man of his age) ‘Totes Amazeballs’ breakfast cereal.

But the real attraction of the Diner is the full bill of music that includes singer-songwriter and reborn Mancunian, BC Camplight, and brand new Super Furry Animals side project, Gulp.

The latter perform a brief yet high-energy set that shocks life into those with their heads stuck in the bottom of an Americano, and wets the appetite nicely for the imminent release of Brian Christinzio’s first album conceived on English soil. There’s only time to get through a handful of songs, but ‘Thieves in Antigua’ and ‘Grim Cinema’ are truly exciting to watch.

Things are brought to an end in flamboyant fashion on Friday as Basement Jaxx close the Main Stage. The crowd is impressive, but the sound becomes rather muffled the further back you get. Some may claim their best days are behind them, but typically danceable renditions of ‘Where’s Your Head At?’ and ‘Bingo Bango’ have the field rocking.

To cap the night off it’s a trip to the festival’s Chai Wallah area. The stage is curated by world music enthusiasts, Global Local. They aim to treat festival-goers to an eclectic bill comprised of live acts and DJs that operate outside the periphery of the pop charts. Securing a four-hour journey through every corner of the musical spectrum courtesy of legendary DJ, Mr Scruff, was always going to be the perfect end to the night. He has those with the stamina in a packed out tent dancing until 3am.

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SATURDAY The hangovers haven’t deterred too many on Saturday as Dutch Uncles play to a healthy looking Main Stage crowd. Their quirky pop songs set up the afternoon well with singles ‘Fester’ and ‘Flexxin’’ proving particular highlights. Reminiscent of an early version of Hot Chip, they wrap things up with a cover of Grace Jones’ mega-hit ‘Slave to the Rhythm’.

Kendal Calling prides itself on an ethos of pushing forward new music, and one of the areas synonymous with this is the Calling Out Stage. This tent towards the upper side of the site carefully handpicks fresh faced artists from all over the UK, but also throws in the odd veteran (headliners include The Lightning Seeds and local heroes, British Sea Power). Saturday afternoon sees Welsh singer-songwriter Sweet Baboo take to the stage.

He competently rattles through tracks from his current album, ‘Ships’. Armed with a three-piece horn section who demonstrate they’re as good a dancers as they are musicians, the set is a most pleasant way to warm up for the evening’s headliners. With tracks that role off the tongue as easily as the infectious ‘The Morse Code for Love is Beep Beep, Beep Beep, the Binary Code is One One’, what’s not to like?

After the fully-furnished House Party Stage gets shaken up by a secret set from Oldham-based rockers Twisted Wheel, it’s then time to bring the tempo down a bit with Main Stage undercards, I Am Kloot. Troubadour frontman, John Bramwell, entertains the crowd with his usual dry wit, but this does not distract from a gorgeous repertoire that sandwiches some of the trio’s classics in between tracks from latest LP ‘Let It All In’.

The Charlatans arrive for the headline set and simply do what they do best- rattle through a set of twenty plus years of hits that a large section of the crowd seem to know every word to. The aforementioned Tim Burgess seems to show no signs of ageing despite being well into forties, an indication The Charlatans could well still be at it in another two decades. They opt to pack in the sing-alongs as opposed to wasting time on drawn-out chat and a protracted encore- a decision that appears to be fully appreciated as ‘The Only One I know’ and ‘One to Another’ contribute to a euphoric climax.

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SUNDAY Saturday night’s torrential downpour may have left a few in a spot of bother (including myself as I discover my notes from the last two days have disintegrated in the canal that dissects the floor of my tent), but spirits are high as the sun reappears and day three is raring to go.

A trip to the Woodlands Stage unearths one of the festival’s real hidden gems. A combination of stripped back acoustic shows and late DJ sets in the most beautiful of surroundings within the trees at the top of the site is a real treat. A quick return to Tim Peaks Diner on the way back through proves a highlight of the weekend as the surreal folk of The Sausage Band combined with a latte and tea flavoured ice cream is the perfect Sunday brunch.

The rain becomes a distant memory and the Main Stage is once again rammed for a much anticipated set from Smiths legend Johnny Marr. Despite constant (and ultimately unfounded) whispers a reformation will one day be on the cards, Marr doesn’t seem interested in shying away from his former band’s work as his set is dominated by Smiths classics.

‘Stop Me…’, ‘Bigmouth Strikes Again’ and probably the biggest sing-along of the festival in the shape of ‘There is a Light…’ take the spotlight away from tracks from his solo album ‘The Messenger’- but there’s not a soul who cares.

The rough-around-the-edges blues rock of Seasick Steve sets things up expertly for Kendal Calling’s finale. A touching moment comes when he picks a young lady out of the crowd to serenade her in front of several thousand people during ‘Walkin’ Man’.

Unfortunately the heavens part once again just before closing act Primal Scream arrive, but it takes more than a bit (ok in this case a hell of a lot) of rain to stop Bobby Gillespie and co putting on a high-octane show. To a greater extent than The Charlatans the night before, they prove the same old hits will just not do as they open with recent single and nine-minute epic ‘2013’.

In general, new album ‘More Light’ gets a good run out alongside bona fide classics like ‘Rocks’ and ‘Movin’ on Up’. ‘It’s Alright, It’s Ok’ is apt as the audience work to prevent their morale from dropping while the Lake District continues to pour.

By the time they sign off there is a general feeling that festival organisers would have struggled to find a more suitable headliner to bring an end to what has been the best kind of party with the best kind of people.

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Words: Patrick Davies Photos: Tom Martin / Ian Taylor / Scott Salt