This past weekend, The Manc Audio had the honour of going along to one of the North West’s biggest and, for our money, one of the UK’s best festivals in Kendal Calling 2023 and boy did we have an ace time — so, naturally, we wanted to put together a little review.
Spoilers: it was really, REALLY good. To quote the organisers themselves, “There was something very special in the air this year”. They weren’t wrong — you could feel it.
Nestled in a little valley behind the lush treelines of Lowther Deer Park near Penrith and the Lake District, Kendal Calling music and arts festival returned for 2023 quite literally bigger and better than ever, boasting a sellout crowd of 40,000 and some of the best names the weekend has ever hosted.
Started way back in 2006 with less than a thousand people attending, Kendal Calling has not only become Cumbria’s largest festival but a Great British favourite and after going along for the first time, it didn’t take us long to figure out why.
One of the most live music scenic settings you could hope for
Us busy Manc worker bees were still bustling away on Thursday, so we unfortunately couldn’t make it along to see the handful of artists who played the opening night but, luckily, we had a few friends who all went along to confirm it was just as wonderful as it looked.
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With the likes of Scouting for Girls, Gengahr and Black Honey getting things started before the legendary Nile Rodgers & Chic polished off a class first night, the hordes of gig-goers began trickling into the site and by the time we arrived on Friday, the party was in full swing.
As we battled our way up the big hill from our parking spot to the festival entrance (bring a trolley, guys — don’t be muppets like us), we got a second wind when we heard Example playing through the forest and raced to pitch our tent, crack that first tin and start enjoying ourselves.
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But even before we made it to where the music was, we couldn’t help but take in the gorgeous Cumbrian countryside dappled with every colour imaginable — and that was just people’s bucket hats. Seriously though, seeing the sea of tents, flags flying high, music lovers sharing booze and tunes and just generally having a good time was a real antidote after a long week.
Credit: Abbie JenningsCredit: George HarrisonCredit: Tom Martin
The Northerners showing everyone how it’s done
By the time we got into the festival proper, we couldn’t have asked for better timing and a warmer welcome than the wonderful sound of Wigan‘s very own, The Lathums, serenading the packed-out main stage. Dreamland stuff.
That felt like the case throughout the festival, in fact; every hour or so it felt like we were treated to either a Manc band or a nearby North West favourite on one of the nine stages. The crowd felt like it was largely comprised of people from the North too, which gave the whole weekend an added layer of familiarity.
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Be it the Happy Mondays, The Lottery Winners, Mel C or Reverend and the Makers, up-and-coming Manc artist Phoebe Green, the Kaiser Chiefs, Circa Waves or the one and only Rick Astley, just to name a few, there were countless Northern acts to enjoy and it came as no surprise that they smashed their slots harder than anyone.
It was only fitting that probably the biggest moment of the weekend came when the Mayor of Greater Manchester himself, Andy Burnham, surprised everyone on stage by introducing Blossoms for the headline set, celebrating the North and Stockport, specifically, on Saturday night.
Come rain or shine, the British festival spirit was unshakeable
Much to our delight, the sun was shining as well; in fact, we were treated to plenty of it throughout the weekend considering the forecast we were facing on the drive up, and you know what Brits are like when the sun is and they’ve had a beer or two.
Yes, the wind and rain eventually came and made it feel like a proper UK festival — people rushing around after flying tent pegs and trying not to slip on the increasingly muddy walk from the campsite to the arena simply becoming part of the routine — but it was genuinely all part of the fun.
As our new mates from Leigh said during their dynamite set on the main stage, “We don’t mind a bit of rain do we!?”. We didn’t, not one bit, especially when the lineup was stacked with so much talent.
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Putting our regional bias aside, some of our top picks would have to be post-punk outfit DEADLETTER, who were simply insane (we still have the bruises to prove it), the mighty Frank Turner — who joined The Lottery Winners on the main stage in a truly unforgettable moment — The Hunna and, of course, Kasabian because their Friday headline set was absolutely dynamite.
Kendal Calling after dark was quite the experience…
And then came the late-night DJ sets, after parties and all-round craziness that ensued after the headliners finished their respective slots at 11pm, which we’re pretty sure we’ll never be able to fully put into words, so that should give you enough of a hint.
One thing we loved about Kendal Calling 2023 so much was how mixed the crowd was, with people of all different ages and cultural backgrounds turning up to enjoy the festivities. There were so many young families there having the time of their lives and what a way to introduce kids to the festival scene.
However, if you didn’t have little ones to put to bed and fancied staying up until the early hours in a forest lit by neon, multi-coloured lanterns and, or raving in a tent to one of the most unique electronic sets we’ve ever heard by DJ Yoda, you could — it was all there for you.
There was even an acoustic guitarist called Matthew One Man recreating club classics with an acoustic guitar and loop pedal whilst a truly indescribable musical theatre company called the Rimski’s Yard performed around him and some bloke with a big afro shoved a firework up his arse. Yes, of course, we have video evidence:
The truth is, we probably didn’t even scratch the surface when it came to experiencing everything this festival had to offer but based on what we did get to see during our time at Kendal Calling 2023 left a huge impression and we know what we’ll be doing again this time next year.
Wolf Alice announce massive Manchester gig as part of new European tour
Danny Jones
Get ready to lose your marbles, Manchester, because Wolf Alice aren’t just back with more music and a brand new but they’re playing a massive show right here in the city centre.
The beloved British alt and indie rock outfit is one of the most talented groups of musicians to come out of the country in some time, earning countless nods for their debut LP and winning the Mercury Prize award for their sophomore outing back in 2018.
Now eyeing up album number four and having dropped a smash-hit first single, which has already been met with even more acclaim (why break the habit of a lifetime?), they’ve got us even more excited with the announcement of a huge headline date here at the AO Arena.
The Clearing for the amount of limbs in that standing section couldn’t be big enough.
Set to return to Yorkshire later this year as part of the touring cycle for their long-awaited studio comeback, The Clearing, the Wolf Alice Manchester gig is one of a select few UK arena dates confirmed, such as an equivalent over at Leeds’ first direct arena.
The four-piece, fronted by Ellie Roswell, will also be playing a handful of intimate domestic shows.
Due for release on August 29, 2025, we already know the next project is going to be another brilliant entry by the multi-BRIT and NME Award winners.
Written in their native district of Seven Sisters in North London and recorded in LA with Grammy-winning producer Greg Kurstin, the album is being branded a “bold, emotionally rich evolution of their sound.”
“It’s a record that radiates ambition, confidence, and an unfiltered sense of self—arguably their most cohesive and timeless work to date.”
Better still, to help support the grassroots venues that helped them while coming up, £1 of every ticket from this show and other domestic arena shows on the soon-to-be fully confirmed European tour will be donated to fundraising efforts.
What do you make of their new direction?
General admission tickets for Wolf Alice at AO Arena are available on Friday, 23 May from 10am.
It goes without saying that the demand for these things will be massive, so we’d get in that online queue as quickly as possible. The support act(s) haven’t even been revealed yet either.
You can also sort yourself out with exclusive early access by signing up for the AO pre-sale window on Wednesday, 21 May at 5pm; Three Mobile members will have an earlier opportunity also from 10am earlier the same day.
Get ready to grab your tickets for Friday, 28 November HERE.
Swinton’s FREE festival full of live music, food, and ‘family fun’ returns later this month
Emily Sergeant
A popular festival full of pop-up live music, performance, food, drink, and family fun is back in Swinton later this month.
Returning to the Salford town for the third year running at some of Swinton’s favourite venues and well-known locations, Swinton Sounds – which is a collaboration between Salford City Council and From The Other – is all about celebrating the local area and its vibrant community.
Throughout the weekend, local venues will welcome a lineup of Greater Manchester’s best musicians and DJs in a programme curated by the team behind the Sounds from the Other City festival.
Local venues including Swinton Grand Palais, The Swinton Hop House, and The Wobbly Stool, as well as Swinton Square, and the beautiful Victoria Park, are just some of the places residents can head to around town to catch all the action.
Swinton Sounds is back later this month / Credit: Salford City Council
Kicking off on Friday 30 May and running through to Sunday 1 June, Swinton Sounds will launch at the historic Grand Palais with a dancefloor-filling set from Untold Orchestra, with unique takes on dance songs from all the best decades, so expect disco, funk, soul, and lots of shuffle-inducing surprises.
Some of the other stand-out musical performances across the weekend come from the likes of Soul artist Yemi Bolatiwa, Ghana-born, Manchester-raised contemporary guitarist and composer Rory A. Green, and R&B, Gospel, and Neo Soul fusing singer-songwriter Kiké.
Away from the music, festivalgoers will also be able to catch a visually-striking performance piece from the UK’s leading makers and creators of outdoor arts, theatre, and spectacle in the public realm, Walk the Plank – inspired by the nesting birds found around the waterways of Salford.
Throughout the weekend, local venues will welcome a lineup of Greater Manchester’s best musicians / Credit: Supplied
Craft-based family fun will also be provided by Manchester’s Little Artists, while Swinton’s-own Arts Let Loose will be inviting kids to dance and create to music under UV lights.
Clay and craft workshops for the all the family will come courtesy of Clay Life, and Salford Mad Pride will be in town to promote creativity, arts, nature, and community connection for wellbeing, all while celebrating the unique talents of those who struggle with mental health.
If you’re feeling a bit peckish, Fratellis will be providing the pizza, and local bars, The Wobbly Stool and The Swinton Hop House will be running pop-up bars.
Further refreshments will be served from The Hive community hub.
There’ll also be lots of food and family-friendly entertainment over the three days / Credit: Supplied
“Swinton has plenty to celebrate, and has the potential to be one of the best places to live in Greater Manchester,” commented Councillor Jack Youd, who is the Deputy City Mayor at Salford City Council.
“Local people have told us they want to see a more vibrant Swinton, with more going on and more reasons for people to visit and spend their leisure time in the area, so this exciting weekend of activities is part of a programme of events developed in response to that community ambition, and it’s a great opportunity for people to explore the town and experience something new.”
Swinton Sounds will take over Swinton for three days at the end of this month from Friday 30 May – Sunday 1 June, and all events are free to take part in.
Danny Jones -
31st July 2023 
