Kendal Calling 2016
With sun shining I pitched up at Kendal Calling on the Saturday morning. With so many great acts on the bill, it was always going to be a busy day and I did my best to take in as many as possible.
Dodgy – 90’s favourites delighted a packed-out Tim Peaks Diner with a mixture of new songs including recent single ‘Are You The One?’ as well as classics ‘Staying Out For The Summer’ and ‘Good Enough’. One word; brilliant!
Cupids – the upcoming band played a blistering set on the House Party stage with closer ‘Money’ leaving the packed tent wanting more.
The Darkness – Justin Hawkins and his band featured early on the Main Stage and commanded a huge crowd.
( The Hives – The Swedish rockers came on the stage determined to fire-up the crowd and arguably put on the performance of the day as singer Per Almqvist leap about the stage. The animated set took me aback and as the band blasted out ‘Walk Idiot Walk’ and the powerful ‘Hate To Say I Told You So’, I thought to myself I will definitely be checking these guys out again when they tour next.)
BMX Bandits – The Glasgow band played a set at Tim Peaks and I caught up with Duglas and Chloe prior to their set.
Kelis – Not really my bag but the R&B megastar both looked and sounded great when she took to the Main Stage.
Madness – The Ska band had a huge number of fans in the crowd and headlined the Saturday night.
Pete Doherty – The Libertine headlined a packed-out Calling Out Stage. Prior to his headline slot, Doherty warmed-up with a surprise set at Tim Peaks Diner. The secret gig was rumoured to be a thank-you for some tea that Tim Burgess sent him. Must have been some good tea!
Donovan – the 60s troubadour closed the Woodlands Stage and pulled a big crowd with many keen to hear ‘Sunshine Superman’ in the month of its 50thanniversary.
Sunday
Sugarhill Gang – The iconic Hip-hip group got everyone in the crowd on their feet and dancing.
The Lightning Seeds – Ian Broudie and his band sounded great on the Main Stage with songs including ‘Pure’ and ‘Life Of Riley’ going down well.
Noel Gallagher’s High Flying Birds – Having noticed the Man City flag hoisted in the artists area earlier on, Gallagher senior had been on my mind since and with many young children in the crowd I was somewhat wishing my own three year was with me for the sing-a-long to ‘Half The World Away’. Noel shared banter throughout with the adoring crowd and heckled one fan who held a sign up advertising their own band, Cloudburst the original rock n’ roll band that stole their name from a B side..ha! The 20 song set included many Oasis classics with fireworks erupting as Noel closed the Main Stage with ‘Don’t Look Back In Anger’. That’s how you close a stage!
Words: Bazza Mills
Twitter: @bazzamills
PH: Bazza Mills
