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It’s no wonder Kendal Calling sells out every year – it’s one of the most well-rounded festivals in the North

Our love for Lowther Deer Park grows stronger every year.

Danny Jones Danny Jones - 5th August 2024

Another year, another absolutely stunning festival in the fields at Kendal Calling 2024, which also happened to be the 19th consecutive sell-out year – and it really is no wonder.

The massive music, arts and cultural event, along with tens of thousands of festival-goers, descended upon the beautiful multi-coloured, flag-laden valley of Lowther Deer Park to kick off August in style and, naturally, Audio North just had to drive down for another taste of it.

Arriving early on Friday after already seeing the superb scenes on Thursday’s opening night – with the likes of Paul Heaton, Declan McKenna, The Covasettes and more all playing – we were keen to get stuck straight in and we did just that, landing at the main stage just in time to see CMAT.

Start as you mean to go: by waving your cowboy/bucket hat in the air with pride.

Safe to say our day one was pretty packed, ticking off some names that for many might be considered bucket list gigs, not least the likes of Keane, Noel Gallagher and, of course, Dick and Dom (no, seriously, they’re genuinely mint).

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And that’s just the day-time music. From walking around the expansive 3,000-acre national park, sampling far too many of the fantastic food vendors than our waistlines would care to admit, to walking through the forest village and seeing bits of live theatre, comedy and more, there was something different around every corner.

One of the things we love most about Kendal Calling is the all ages crowd, with countless families in fun festival fits, bucket hat-wearing teenagers enjoying their first big live music weekend, plus plenty of older punters still gigging only from the comfort of a camping chair, it all warmed the heart just the same.

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We also had some pretty stunning weather this year, with much warmer temperatures than 2023 and plenty of sunshine throughout to the point that the short spells of spitting rain came as merely a faint and somewhat refreshing little reminder that we were in fact in the Lake District.

Credit: Tom Martin
Credit: Abbie Jennings
Credit: Nat Argent
Credit: George Harrison
A different vibe every few yards.

Once again, Kendal Calling 2024 also had a theme, so it was fun to stumble across hordes of pirates, sailors, sea creatures and pretty much anything related to the ‘High Seas’, not to mention to see the continued committment to being one of the most evironmentally friendly events of its kind.

The ‘Leave Nothing But Memories’ initiative underpins the entire festival’s approach to delviering a good time, from creating carbon neutral productions wherever they can to making the facilities as sustainable as possible, it’s no mean feat given the 40k people that attend each day, let alone the artists and all those beind the scenes.

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This stuff doesn’t go unnoticed either; even in a short chat with our very own Manchester-based music collective The Untold Orchestra, when pressed for an answer on what makes it so special and why the Northern music indsutry is the best, the first thing they did was shout out all the staff making it happen.

Another big higlight for us was watching Gary Neville’s b2b DJ set with The Charlatans frontman and Manc music legend Tim Burgess over at the Parklands stage. The Man United legend may have been a bit shy at first but he definitely grew into things.

As The Manc representatives attending the festival, we particualrly enjoyed this moment…

Last and certainly not least, a special mention simply has to go to Kendal Calling’s after hours scene, where you can potentially have an even better time than you ever would have expected.

We certainly got a great glimpse of it last year but, in all honesty, perhaps we didn’t throw outseves into it as much as we should have. We didn’t make that mistake this time.

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It only takes walking through the aforementioned forest village known as Lost Eden to literally feel transported to some kind of flourescent, kaleidoscopic alternate reality where fantasy and sci-fi seem to merge in a perfect marriage.

Whether you pull on a pair of headphones for the silent disco, stare up at the night sky with a rainbow of streamers hanging overhead, or do we what we did and literally stand mesmerised by the floating Earth for what felt like half an hour, it does feel like some much-needed escapism.

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All in all, it was another incredible year for Kendal Calling, with some incredible perfomances across the whopping 17 stages.

Some of our highlights included Peace, Franz Von, the masterful DJ set from Vookoo inside the Chai Wallahs tent; Manc locals Sugarstone, finally hearing The Streets play ‘Blinding Lights’ live, and being part of a pub quiz hosted by The Lottery Winners at the festival’s flagship pub, The Stagger Inn.

In the spirit of that wonderful name, we can’t wait to do just that again next year and we’ll see you back in the fields come August 2025 – consider that a promise.

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As vibrant and wonderful a world as it looks. (Credit: The Manc Group)

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Featured Images — Nat Argent/George Harrison (supplied)

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A Manc’s guide to Piccadilly East – Manchester’s up-and-coming new neighbourhood

Daisy Jackson Daisy Jackson

Manchester is an ever-evolving beast.

Just when you think the city centre has reached its peak, entire new neighbourhoods with exciting new openings spring up out of the blue. 

Take, for example, Ancoats – just a few short years ago it was more run-down mill than run clubs and martinis, and now it’s a buzzing neighbourhood with a Michelin star and some of the UK’s most respected restaurants and bars. 

The newest contender for the coolest neighbourhood in Manchester is Piccadilly East, a previously overlooked tangle of roads, warehouses and canals just behind Piccadilly train station. 

It’s all change round here though, with loads to see and do to keep you entertained. 

And it’s not all about the food and the drink and the culture and the nightlife (though there is a lot of that) – it’s also about the new homes that have been built here, like The Castings. 

The design-led development has 352 homes, ranging from well-thought-out studios to spacious three-bedroom apartments, some of the best views in the city, and unreal amenities. More on that later. 

For now, this is your essential guide to Piccadilly East. 

Burgerism and Sureshot Brewery / Credit: The Manc Group

Food and drink

Diecast* – The big name in this new neighbourhood is Diecast, a sprawling food, drink and music spot with masses of outside space, 64 combinations of frozen daiquiri, New York-style pizzas, and even retro caravans you can sit in. 

Ramona and The Firehouse* – It started as a teepee serving Detroit-style pizzas slices, and has now expanded into the neighbouring MOT garage, which has been transformed into a glittering party palace serving fire-cooked meats, flatbreads, and pure disco. 

Tariff and Dale* – A long-time favourite in the Northern Quarter, with the sort of natural industrial charm that so many have tried and failed to replicate, Tariff and Dale is known best for its classic cocktails, British beers, and wood-fired pizzas. 

Freight Island – Want to be spoilt for choice for your dinner? Piccadilly East rubs shoulders with Freight Island, a massive food hall and entertainment space that plays host to loads of great traders from across the North West, including the award-winning Burgerism. 

Diecast and Cloudwater Brewery / Credit: The Manc Group

Cloudwater* – Arguably the most well-known craft brewery in Manchester, if not the UK, Cloudwater has its own taproom here in Piccadilly East, where you can sip on delicious beers directly above the brewery itself. 

Track – Another spot where you can drink your beer as close to the source as possible is Track (happily, directly across the road from Cloudwater), which has built a beautiful taproom inside its huge brewery where you can crack open a can while you watch beers being canned in front of you. 

Sureshot – Part of the unofficial Piccadilly Beer Mile (there are a lot of brewers working around here) is Sureshot, a brewery with some of the funniest beer names in Manchester and an excellent taproom too. 

Shopping

Northern Flower* – Want a new little leafy mate for your new pad, or a bunch of flowers to treat a special someone (that special someone could be yourself)? Then Northern Flower is the spot for you. It’s a long-standing florist in the Northern Quarter, a short walk from Piccadilly East.

The Norah Store – Okay this is technically in Ancoats, not Piccadilly East, but the beauty of the new neighbourhood is that it’s very central. The Norah Store sells vintage-inspired womenswear, all designed by female designers and other small independent business owners. 

Literally the entire Northern Quarter – Actually, if you end up living in Piccadilly East you’re incredibly well-placed for some of the best independent shopping in the North West. In the Northern Quarter alone you’ll find vintage shops, boutiques, comic book shops, florists, bakeries, record shops, lifestyle stores, and more.

Northern Flower and The Norah Store / Credit: The Manc Group

Nightlife and hotels

The Warehouse Project – When it comes to nightlife, Piccadilly East is at the heart of quite possibly the most famous clubbing series in Europe – The Warehouse Project. Taking over Depot Mayfield every autumn and winter, it attracts the biggest names in dance, electronic, house and more for several weeks of pure fun. 

Leonardo – Time to rest your weary head? The new Leonardo Hotel has plenty of spacious bedrooms, and is a familiar sight now thanks to its striking Jenga block-style exterior with plants spilling out from every level. 

Dakota – Another hotel in this neck of the woods is Dakota, a luxury spot with phenomenal rooms that’s played host to more than a few celebrities since it opened in 2019 (cough cough, Hugh Jackman…)

Culture

Mayfield Park – One of the best things for locals to do around Piccadilly East is to check out the new Mayfield Park, Manchester’s first new city centre park in 100 years. It was recently awarded a prestigious Green Flag award, with judges saying they had ‘never seen such an outstanding urban park’.

Ancoats Marina – There’s more valuable outside space to be found near Piccadilly East, with Ancoats Marina and all its charms right across the road. You can grab a coffee, a pastry, a wine or a pint, and soak in the waterside views. 

Co-op Live and Mayfield Park / Credit: The Manc Group

Co-op Live – Piccadilly East is walking distance for most people to the brand-new Co-op Live arena, a staggering new music venue that’s already hosted some of the biggest music names in the world, with plenty more to come. 

Events – There are always things happening at all of the places we’ve mentioned already, whether you’re wanting to browse a Maker’s Market, dance into the early hours, or even go to a Batman exhibition (this one has sadly departed but something similar will surely follow).

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Property

The Castings – When it comes to where to live in Piccadilly East, The Castings is a clear favourite. Its apartments have been finished to the highest standards with huge bedrooms with massive built-in wardrobes, well-equipped kitchens complete with top-of-the-range appliances, and stunning living spaces that are flooded with natural light. 

The building also has its own gym, kitted out with Technogym equipment that includes a free weights zone, squat rack, and cardio equipment, or taking on a class in the studio where virtual instructors are available seven days a week. 

Then there’s an on-site home working hub with 12 desk spaces, three private booths, and a bookable meeting room, plus a media room with a huge sofa and 86” TV.

And just off the working hub is one of several roof terraces which looks out over a small but green square below. 

The Castings / Credit: The Manc Group

Transport

The easiest commute in the world awaits you from Piccadilly East, which is (as the name suggests) right beside Manchester Piccadilly and all the many trains that pass through it every day. 

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You’re also very close to key stops on the Metrolink tram stop, bus routes, and are walking distance from all of Manchester city centre. 

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From here, you can hop on one train or one tram all the way to the airport if you want to get further afield. 

*Indicates that The Castings residents can get discounts and perks at these neighbourhood heroes.

Featured Image – The Manc Group

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Manchester Science Festival announces jam-packed full lineup for 2024

Emily Sergeant Emily Sergeant

You can explore the extremes of nature, human capability, and creativity at Manchester Science Festival next month.

In case you missed it, Manchester‘s massively-popular Science Festival confirmed back in January that it would be making a grand return for 2024 later this year, and would be offering visitors the unique opportunity to become a genuine part of history through a wide range of hands-on events and activities when it did.

And now, the full programme for the exciting festival has been released this week – with loads of immersive experiences lined up.

Manchester Science Festival – which is produced and staged at Manchester’s legendary Science and Industry Museum in the heart of the city centre every other year – is one of the UK’s largest and most popular science festivals, and the lineup for 2024 only goes to prove why that is the case, as there’s something for people of all ages to get stuck into.

This year, organisers say the festival is all about “tackling the extremes of our world”.

Visitors will have the opportunity to learn about some of science’s most cutting-edge developments through multi-sensory experiences and hands-on family fun.  

Manchester Science Festival has announced its jam-packed lineup for 2024 / Credit: Science Museum Group

Interactive events will take place throughout the 10 days of the festival, with the Science and Industry Museum itself playing host to a significant majority of them, but other city centre-based hubs like Manchester Arndale also involved.

At the Science and Industry Museum, you can expect incredible immersive artworks with the new installation State of Mind by Squidsoup, which explores the impact of smartphones and apps on our brains, while the major exhibition Injecting Hope: The Race for a COVID-19 Vaccine – which opened at the Museum back in July – considers the extreme challenges faced during the pandemic.

STEM champion, social entrepreneur, and computer scientist, Dr Anne-Marie Imafidon MBE, will join forces with Libby Jackson OBE, who is the UK Space Agency’s Head of Space Exploration, for the first time for a special conversation around AI in Space.

The incredible Arachnobot, a giant spider puppet, will make its way through Manchester Arndale Centre in an “unmissable” and “enchanting” spectacle.

The popular 10-day event is returning to the city next month / Credit: Science Museum Group

Families can also visit fun-filled activity zones at the Museum too, all of which will be looking at the extremes of human performance and our planet.

There’ll be loads of different activities to do throughout the week, including some from fesrtival partners including Natural History Museum, and the universities of Manchester and Salford.

And there’ll be a special science-themed BBC CBeebies Bedtime Story during your visit too.

Ella Wild, who is the Head of Festivals and Events as the Science and Industry Museum, said the Museum is “delighted” that Manchester Science Festival is back with “an unmissable programme packed full of fun” this year.

There’ll be loads of immersive experiences and hands-on activities for all the family / Credit: Science Museum Group

She added that there’ll be lots of “playful experiences designed to ignite curiosity about our world”.

“The festival is a brilliant opportunity to bring together visitors of all ages and interests to be inspired by science in action,” Ella commented, “and it’s a wonderful way to showcase Manchester’s long-standing position as a leader in innovation, so we can’t wait to welcome everyone in October.”

Manchester Science Festival 2024 kicks off on Friday 18 October and runs right through to Sunday 27 October, and tickets are officially now on sale.

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Find out more and grab yourself some tickets here.

Featured Image – Orbie Pullen (via Science Museum Group)

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