One of the biggest music events of the year, Kendal Calling, has launched a brand new game to help promote environmental awareness ahead of the upcoming festival: it’s called ‘Flappy Tent’.
I wonder where they came up with that one…
On a more serious note, Kendal Calling 2023 runs from Thursday, 27 July and until Sunday, 30 July and while we love gig-goers and the festival culture, in general — it’s something we’ve all grown up privileged enough to be a part of — we all know they can have some bad habits.
Unfortunately, one of the biggest problems festivals face every single year is waste; in particular, tent wastage which seems to be a prevailing bug-bear for most big music events where camping is involved. That’s where ‘Flappy Tent’ comes in.
Obviously based on the old, retro-style and highly-addictive mobile game Flappy Bird from 2013 (yes, a whole decade ago), Kendal Calling’s spin on it is essentially the same premise, only you get points for picking your rubbish as well doing obstacles.
ADVERTISEMENT
The idea was drummed up after the festival organisers and staff helping clean up the day after last year’s festival counted 284 tents left behind, many more of which could have simply come loose and blown away to litter the surrounding area.
However, not only does the game help promote environmental awareness and remind people to tidy up after themselves, but there’s also an added incentive for one lucky sod: Kendal Calling is offering a £200 bar tab at this year’s festival to the first person who reaches a score of 50,000 on Flappy Tent.
ADVERTISEMENT
If only there was this added incentive at festivals in real life, they’d be left spotless every single time!
Flappy Tent might be a fun little game, but it’s also a reminder that we have a duty to look after the North West and Cumbria’s landscape.
The average festival tent ends typically ends up in landfill and will take up to 500 years to decompose and even though the number left behind was a staggering 91.4% decrease on the amount abandoned in 2019, Kendal Calling is rightly looking to eradicate this problem altogether.
Helping lead the charge to make festivals greener and eco-conscious, Kendal Calling has come up with a straightforward pledge they’re asking everyone to stick to as best they can:
ADVERTISEMENT
LEAVE NOTHING BUT MEMORIES — Leave your camp tidy and take your tent home!
PROTECT THE WILDLIFE — Throw your rubbish in the bin
CONSIDER YOUR TRAVEL — Use public transport where possible!
ONLY BRING WHAT YOU NEED — Use resources consciously
MAKE ECO-CONSCIOUS CHOICES — Keep your green impact in mind when at the festival
To help those attending, the organisers themselves have also installed a number of new measures to try and reduce carbon footprint, wastage and improve the Kendal Calling experience:
Festival-goers will be encouraged to tidy their camps before heading into the arena and new Campsite Crew on hand to help festivalgoers keep the Campsites as clean as possible.
Waste and recycling points have increased by 200% to make it even easier to recycle and reduce the amount of waste taken to landfill this year.
The decor team are reusing and recycling prior festival materials rather than using brand-new products; where new materials are required, goods are rented as close to the festival site as possible, utilising local artisans and sustainable materials wherever possible.
The festival has an overall goal of reducing fuel usage from 2022 by 15-20%, using a Power Manager to actively work with stakeholders in advance and onsite to ensure they are being as efficient as possible with energy use.
Increased use of solar, battery and load-on-demand solutions, especially during longer build and break periods, as well as LED lighting solutions wherever possible across the site.
Single-use plastic is BANNED on site so all drinks will be served in recycled or compostable cups, saving on a whole tonne of carbon emissions with every 10,000 cups saved.
Local produce and more vegetarian meals where possible are contributing to 2.5x less carbon emissions than those with meat and a significant reduction on last year’s figures.
Open Kitchen MCR are putting wasted/uneaten food to good use and helping stop it going in landfill.
Kendall Calling’s ‘Leave Nothing But Memories’ campaign
Last but not least, Kendal is supporting industry schemes to improve sustainability all across the festival sector, including carbon reduction with ecolibrium+, partnering with Vision2025 Citizen-Science Festival Waste Data Project ans raising money for Earth Percent, founded by music legend Brian Eno, to help fund environmental charities. Quality stuff.
You can play Kendal Calling’s ‘Flappy Tent’ game HERE but, be warned, you’re about to waste hours upon hours on this thing.
Better still, there are still tickets left for this year’s festival so grab yours now if you don’t want miss out on headliners like Kasabian, Royal Blood, Stockport’s very own Blossoms, Wigan lads The Lathums, Rick Astley and many more.
In fact, whilst you’re at it, you can read our interview with the one and only Rick Astley ahead of his Kendal Calling 2023 show on Saturday, 29 July down below.
Lorde at AO Arena, Manchester – stage times, setlist, tickets and more essential info
Daisy Jackson
Lorde is performing a huge gig at the AO Arena in Manchester this week, as part of her Ultrasound World Tour.
The New Zealand-born singer burst onto the music scene at the tender ages of 16 with her smash-hit single Royals, way back in 2013.
Since then, she’s gone on to break several records with the releases of her four studio albums, and scooped up a handful of GRAMMYs and BRIT awards along the way too.
As well as her gig at the AO Arena here in Manchester, Lorde will also be calling at major UK cities including London, Birmingham and Glasgow.
The tour comes hot off the heels of the release of her latest album, Virgin, which once again topped the Official UK Album Charts.
If you’re heading to see Lorde at the AO Arena, here’s everything you need to know.
Lorde UK tour dates
15 November – AO Arena, Manchester
16 November – The O2, London
17 November – The O2, London
19 November – OVO Hydro, Glasgow
20 November – Utilita Arena Birmingham
Who is supporting Lorde at the AO Arena?
Experimental musician and producer Blood Orange, otherwise known as Devonte Hynes, will be the main support act for Lorde in Manchester.
The British musician has worked with the likes of Florence and the Machine, Mac Miller, Kylie Minogue, and – of course – Lorde, and will be warming up the crowds ready for our headliner.
Also taking the stage before Lorde will be electronic and indie pop star Jim-E Stack, whose solo releases have featured everyone from Bon Iver to Charli XCX.
Tickets for Lorde’s gig in Manchester
Credit: Thistle Brown
At the time of writing, there are just a handful of random tickets left for Lorde’s gig.
These are priced between £48.60 and £161.30.
Otherwise, your best bet is to look at resale tickets from a reputable site.
Stage times for Lorde at AO Arena Manchester
The AO Arena hasn’t yet confirmed the exact stage times for Lorde, but has said that doors will open from 6pm with a start time of around 7pm.
At other shows, Lorde has typically arrived on stage at around 9pm.
You can roughly expect stage times to be as follows:
Doors 6pm
Jim E-Stack 7pm
Blood Orange 8pm
Lorde 9pm
Keep an eye on the AO Arena’s socials for the latest.
Aitch’s brief statement as Moston rapper heads into the I’m A Celebrity jungle
Daisy Jackson
Manchester rapper Aitch is officially taking party in this year’s series of I’m A Celebrity… Get Me Out of Here.
The rumoured line-up had been swirling for days as stars were spotted touching down in Australia ahead of the ITV series restarting for 2025.
And now I’m A Celebrity has officially revealed its line-up, which includes MOBO and Brit Award-winning Aitch, Ruby Wax, Martin Kemp, and Jack Osbourne, to name a few.
Aitch has said on his final post on Instagram before he disappears into the Australian bush that he’s ’bout to go f*ck up the jungle the Manchester way’.
He wrote: “I’ve made songs with most people I grew up listening to, now I’m going on the show I grew up watching.
“Mam this one’s for you. bout to go f*ck up the jungle the Manchester way. Cinnabit.”
Aitch, real name Harrison Armstong, hopes to raise awareness about Down Syndrome while he has the platform of the I’m A Celebrity camp – a genetic disorder his beloved sister Gracie has.
He said: “I feel like I have got this calling to raise awareness for Down syndrome and I feel that’s the perfect place.
“Also, you don’t always want to be stuck in the same world forever. You can branch out and do other things. You don’t have to stick to the code (rap world), because you think that’s cool.
“I did have to cancel some gigs for it. But you are never going to branch out if you do the same thing all the time.”
Joining Aitch in the I’m A Celebrity jungle will be presenter, author and comedian Ruby Wax, who wants the public to see that she’s not as ‘aggressive and pushy’ as her TV persona sometimes seems.
The full I’m A Celebrity 2025 line-up, including Manchester rapper Aitch. Credit: ITV
Also heading in will be Martin Kemp, whose presenter son Roman finished in third place on a previous series.
Martin said: “I’ve had to cancel some jobs, but when Roman was on I’m A Celebrity, I was addicted. I watched it every day and enjoyed it so much. I felt it was now time in my life for an adventure.”
DJ and model Kelly Brook said that she has surprised herself in several ways since being with her husband, including starring on Race Across The World and running the London marathon – now it’s time to see if she can be queen of the jungle.
Jack Osbourne, son of the late, great Ozzy Osbourne, will be starring on I’m A Celebrity and said the hardest thing for him will be being away fro his ‘lots of kids, my wife, and my family still int he wake of my dad passing’.
Also on this year’s I’m A Celeb line-up is former Lionness Alex Scott MBE, who said her partner Jess Glynne thinks she’s ‘absolutely mental’ for signing up for the reality show.
Social media sensation Angry Ginge will be appearing in the Australian jungle this year, saying he’s interested to see how he’ll cope without a phone, having only ever spent a week away from it before.
Joining him is Eastenders star and West End actor Shona McGarty, who is a ‘massive fan’ of the show and is excited for audiences to see what she’s like when she’s ‘completely myself’.
Comedian and radio host Eddie Kadi says he’s been prepping for his stint in the I’m A Celebrity jungle by doing intermittent fasting, but doesn’t know ‘how he will survive’ without flavour.
The final campmate joining Aitch in the I’m A Celebrity jungle is Emmerdale’s Lisa Riley, who finally said yes to ITV ahead of her milestone 50th birthday next year.
ADVERTISEMENT
I’m A Celebrity starts Sunday at 9pm on ITV1, ITVX, STV & STV Player.
The full I’m A Celebrity 2025 line-up
Aitch – Rapper
Ruby Wax OBE – Presenter, author and comedian
Martin Kemp – Actor and pop star
Kelly Brook – DJ and model
Jack Osbourne – TV Personality
Alex Scott MBE – Sports broadcaster and former Lioness
Danny Jones -
14th July 2023 
