Kendal Calling has announced the line-up for its 2023 festival, featuring massive headline performances from the likes of Blossoms, Royal Blood, Kasabian and Nile Rodgers & Chic.
The beautiful festival takes place in the heart of the Lake District each July, at Lowther Deer Park.
More than 100 incredible acts have been announced today ahead of tickets going on sale later this week.
This year, the festival will welcome huge artists including Kaiser Chiefs, The Lathums, Example, Frank Turner, Circa Waves and Happy Mondays, who will open the show on Saturday.
Kendal Calling’s 2023 bill features some of the biggest names in pop history, like Rick Astley, Melanie C, and Natalia Imbruglia, plus dance music heavyweights like Annie Mac, Mike Skinner and DJ Yoda as part of Glow by Kendal Calling.
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The festival is famed for providing one of the UK’s biggest line-ups in arguably the most beautiful setting, with something geared towards festival-goers of all ages.
Kendal Calling. Credit: Izzy ChallonerKendal Calling. Credit: Tom Martin
This year’s Kendal Calling will take place between 27 and 30 July 2023, with pre-sale tickets going live on Friday 27 January – you can sign up for pre-sale here.
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Kasabian will headline the beloved music event this summer, with frontman Serge Pizzorno performing their big hits like Fire, Club Foot and You’re in Love with a Psycho.
Royal Blood will make their Kendal Calling debut – the Mercury Prize-nominated duo are widely considered one of the best live acts it the world and have previously supported Foo Fighters, Arctic Monkeys and Iggy Pop.
Local lads Blossoms, originally from Stockport, will be pulling the crowds to the main stage with their brilliant indie back catalogue, including songs Charlemagne and Your Girlfriend.
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Nile Rodgers & CHIC will return to the Kendal Calling stage this summer too. Rodgers is a Rock & Roll Hall of Fame inductee, Songwriters Hall of Fame inductee and a multiple Grammy Award winning songwriter, composer, producer, arranger, and guitarist – quite a CV.
Kendal Calling. Credit: Tom Martin
The group are behind Le Freak, the biggest selling single in the history of Atlantic Records, as well as working with Madonna, Sister Sledge, Dianna Ross and David Bowie on their biggest songs.
Nile Rodgers said: “The last time we played Kendall Calling was epic and one of my favourite shows ever. We are excited to be back this year for more good times!”
Representing the noughties indie scene will be Kaiser Chiefs, Wigan’s own The Lathums, and Circa Waves.
Pop star Example, famed for his energetic stage presence, is on this year’s line-up, as is the legendary Rick Astley, along with folk-punk favourite Frank Turner.
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Beyond the live music scene, one of the biggest podcasts in the UK JaackMaate’s Happy Hour Live will have their first-ever festival booking at Kendal Calling.
You can see the full Kendal Calling 2023 line-up poster below
Kendal Calling’s luxury boutique camping village The Deer Lodge will be back, with free parking, clean enviro loos, hot showers, phone charging and its own food and drink stall.
There’s also The Frontier, with Live-In Vehicle options.
Festival Co-Founders Andy Smith and Ben Robinson said: “After an absolutely stunning festival last year, we cannot wait to get back in those fields!
“With Kasabian, Royal Blood, Blossoms, Nile Rodgers & CHIC, Kaiser Chiefs, Rick Astley, Annie Mac – the line-up is looking absolutely stacked. All we need now is a bit of sun and we’ve got the perfect weekend!”
Kendal Calling 2023 pre-sale will start from 10am on Friday 27 January, with general sale from 10am on Saturday 28 January.
Stevie Wonder’s 50th Anniversary Tour at the Co-op Live, Manchester – stage times, setlist, tickets and more
Lydia Mastrolonardo
No we can’t believe it either, THE Stevie Wonder is going to be performing at Manchester’s Co-op Live, on Sunday 8 November, as part of his Songs in the Key of Life – 50th Anniversary Tour.
It’s about to be One Of A Kind evening, honouring one of the most influential albums ever created, including some fan favourites like ‘Isn’t She Lovely,’ ‘Love’s In Need of Love Today,’ and ‘Sir Duke.’
This absolutely legendary singer, songwriter, musician, producer and activist, is largely regarded as one of the most influential and decorated musicians of the 20th century, having sold over 100 million records worldwide. He is one of only three artists in Grammy history to win Album Of The Year three times in his career, as well as having 25 Grammy Awards and an Academy Award in his back pocket.
Wonder is deemed a child prodigy having first got signed to Berry Gordy’s Motown’s Tamla label aged 11 and since then his career rapidly took off gaining well-deserved recognition worldwide.
This show is going to be a once in a lifetime experience for many and one you definitely do not want to miss out on or you’ll be Cryin’ Through The Night. See below for all that you need to know…
Gig Guide | Stevie Wonder at Co-op Live, Manchester
These are the only times that are confirmed, but it’s expected that Stevie will be on stage around 8:00pm.
Can you still get tickets to see Stevie Wonder in Manchester?
Put On A Happy Face – there are still tickets on sale for Manchester!
There are remaining general sale and verified resale tickets being sold on Co-op Live’s website through Ticketmaster. Click HEREto get your last minute tickets.
What songs can fans expect to hear?
The show is part of his Songs in the Key of Life 50th Anniversary Tour, where he performs the album in full, with his own backing band.
Therefore suspected set list should follow the album as follows:
Love’s in Need of Love Today
Have a Talk With God
Village Ghetto Land
Contusion
Sir Duke
I Wish
Knocks Me Off My Feet
Pastime Paradise
Summer Soft
Ordinary Pain
Saturn
Ebony Eyes
Set 2
Isn’t She Lovely
Joy Inside My Tears
Black Man
All Day Sucker
Easy Goin’ Evening (My Mama’s Call)
Ngiculela – Es Una Historia – I Am Singing
If It’s Magic
As
Another Star
Imagine (John Lennon cover)
Superstition
However, the 1976 release also contained with a four-track EP, A Something’s Extra, and it has not been announced whether those four have made it to the set list, so you could be in for a few extras.
How to get to Co-op Live
Tram
For those of you heading to Co-op Live, you’ll be glad to know it’s right next door to a rather famous big blue stadium and its integrated Metrolink stop.
Head along the light blue or orange lines directly to the Etihad Campus or Ashton-under-Lyne, and you can get off the tram literally spitting distance from the arena. You can find the full map HERE.
Trams run frequently on the Ashton-Eccles line to the Etihad stop, with services leaving every six minutes from the city centre and until 1am on Fridays and Saturdays.
Bus
You can find the full list of bus routes HERE, with the one in closest proximity to the venue being the 53 bus, which runs from Cheetham Hill through to Higher Crumpsall, Old Trafford and Pendleton, leaving just a two-minute walk to Co-op Live.
Getting there by car and parking
If you’re driving, there is limited parking available at the venue, but this must be pre-booked ahead of time, and there are designated drop-off areas.
The postcode is M11 3DU, and you can follow the signs towards the wider Etihad Campus as you get closer; directions to the adjacent drop-off points will also be signposted.
Keep in mind that congestion on the roads close to the stadium is expected to gather around two hours prior to any event, so if you are travelling on the road, these are the suggested times they provide on event day, though estimates will obviously vary:
Alan Turing Way (both directions): plan an additional 20 minutes into any journey by road.
Hyde Road (eastbound): expect an additional 15 minutes to be added to your journey.
Mancunian Way (westbound): plan for an extra 10 minutes of travel time.
There are also three park-and-ride facilities near Co-op Live, but be advised that the Velopark and Holt Town stops will be closed post-event to help safely manage crowds:
Ashton West (Ashton line) – 184 spaces and 11 disabled spaces
Ladywell (Ashton-Eccles line) – 332 spaces and 22 disabled spaces
Walk/cycle
Lastly, Co-op Live is only a half-hour stroll from Manchester Piccadilly, and you could even walk along the canal all the way to the front door if you fancy taking the scenic route.
Greater Manchester now also offers the option to hire bikes on the Beryl app, with riders able to locate, unlock, get to their destination and then safely lock up the bike all through an easy-to-use app. There are hire points just near the south-west corner of the Etihad Stadium on Ashton New Road.
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For more information on all travel options, you can check out the enhanced journey planner.
Role Model adds Manchester arena show to world tour after huge demand
Daisy Jackson
Platinum-certified singer-songwriter Role Model has just added a huge Manchester gig to his upcoming world tour.
The star – real name Tucker Pillsbury – had previously only added one single UK date to his Chuck on Tour tour, and that was down in London.
But now Role Model is officially heading north, announcing a massive gig at the AO Arena in Manchester.
The news follows a sold-out run of dates last year, which brought him to the (much smaller) O2 Apollo here.
His star really rose after the release and viral success of his 2025 single, ‘Sally, When the Wine Runs Out’.
And now with a third studio album to his name – Chuck Timely & The Hourglass – Role Model is ready to return to Manchester and London on his 2026-2027 global tour.
The tour will travel across North America before heading overseas, with dates across Europe early next year.
Keni Titus will support Role Model at all dates on the UK and European leg of the Chuck on Tour tour.
Role Model will perform at the AO Arena in Manchester on Sunday 28 February, with pre-sales available on 4 and 5 November before general release tickets go on sale at 9am on Friday 6 November – grab yours HERE.
Daisy Jackson -
25th January 2023 
