Last night, Kelis wowed a packed out crowd at Albert Hall with a show full of R&B noughties pop classics as she brought the party to Manchester.
Appearing ahead of her Glastonbury headline set this weekend, the 42-year-old singer clearly arrived on Peter Street in a party mood – rocking up in a bejewelled version of the millennial fail-safe: jeans and a nice top.
Appearing on stage twenty minutes late to a packed out crowd already champing at the bit, she wasted no time in giving the people what they wanted – diving straight into a set full of hits, her own and some covers.
Tracks like Milkshake, Bossy and Trick Me provided an inescapable soundtrack to my youth, and last night I got to relive it in all its joyful, problem-free glory.
Dancing shoulder to shoulder with my fellow elder millennials on a sweltering Manchester night, I was transported to a simpler time. A time when pop was big, loud, and euphoric, and skinny jeans were still the ultimate fashion staple.
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It was absolutely glorious.
Image: The Manc Group
Image: The Manc Group
It wasn’t long before she dropped Millionaire, her 2003 collab Andre 3000, followed by Caught Out There, memorable for its refrain – “I hate you so much right now” – both taken from album Tasty, a cult hit with fans but not so much with the critics.
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Good Stuff and her Ol’ Dirty Bastard collab Got Your Money weren’t far behind, sending us into fever-pitch excitement far earlier than expected. Bossy, an early doors champion for Gen Z’s ‘bad b*tch energy’, also made a brief appearance – with a verse woven into a medley as big hit followed big hit.
And so it kept going. Her ubiquitous smash hit Milkshake got a refresh with a Wu Tang Gravel Pit mash up, with other hits from the era – Crystal Walter’s Gypsy Woman, Soul II Soul’s Back To Life, and Alison Limerick’s feel good anthem Where Love Lives – getting a reference throughout.
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Then, just when we thought she couldn’t do any more, she dropped Trick Me, and her Sean Paul collab Fire, building things to a fever pitch – so much so that, when it came time for her encore, it did feel a little bit like there wasn’t really anything left to play.
That didn’t stop the crowd stomping and chatting until the gallery floor rattled, though, and she dutifully reappeared.
Kelis has been an R&B and pop icon here for as long as I can remember. Whilst the New York-born singer hasn’t always been appreciated in her home country, it’s no secret that here in Europe we can’t get enough of her.
Image: The Manc Group
Image: The Manc Group
But lately, she has made headlines recently for another reason. Namely, whispers of a romantic entanglement between her and Bill Murray, 72.
Rumours of the unlikely pairing began circulating after the deadpan comedian was spotted at several of her shows, with The Sun reporting that he “watched [Kelis] perform from the side of the stage in London last weekend – having also been spotted at her other recent shows.”
Then, a photograph of the pair started doing the rounds on social media – adding more fuel to the pyre.
Some Manchester music nerds will probably know, though, that the original image was actually of a trio, with media outlets simply choosing to crop out an inconveniently-placed Konny Kon.
The singer herself has since addressed the rumours, sort of, anyway, after replying to a fan comment on her Instagram that asked: “Ma’am would you care to address these Bill Murray allegations?!? Cuz damn [sic]! What he doing with all that?”
Kelis wrote in response: “Lol [sic] no babe, I wouldn’t bother at all.”
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We know you all want to know if we saw him there, and – being honest – we did have a good look from our perch in the gallery. We didn’t spot him, though. And we didn’t spot Konny, either.
Featured image – The MancGroup
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Kendal Calling festival guide 2026 – stages, times, travel, and everything you need to know
Danny Jones
It’s that time again: time to head back up Lake District way and over to the town of Penrith for Kendal Calling 2026.
No, it isn’t technically in Kendal, but it is absolutely mint – so shut your face.
Comfortably one of our favourite festivals of the year and not just one of the best in the North but the entire country, if you ask us, it sells out early every year and never, ever disappoints.
For those of you who are heading to Kendal Calling for the first time or returning for another consecutive year like us, we’ve put together a handy festival guide to steer you through the entire long weekend filled with art, music, culture, and unlimited good vibes.
Now, while we already shared the lineup for this year back in December, this is a good chance to refamiliarise yourself with it if you haven’t already, especially since you’ve not got the confirmed stage splits for Kendal 2026.
Marking its 21st iteration and yet another sold-out edition with one of its best rosters ever – to be honest, it’s been selling out and getting better every year since it first started back in 2006 – the likes of award-winning British favourites Biffy Clyro, Wolf Alice and Two Door Cinema Club lead the lineup.
And that’s just the main stage.
Then you’ve got everyone from Primal Scream and The Coral, Scissor Sisters, Circa Waves and Doves, to The Libertines, The Vaccines, Deaf Havana, Groove Armada, Neighbourhood headliners Keo and SO much more. Find the full breakdown of who’s playing where down below.
Speaking of the stages, there are 11 proper different live music sites this year – not to mention all other smaller tents and pop-ups around the wider festival site which spans roughly 120 hectares.
You can find out a little bit more about each of them here:
Main Stage – Where all the action and big headliners are playing at the northernmost spot.
Parklands – The second largest stage, pretty much smack bang in the middle of the site; there’s also a brilliant Glow takeover by night.
Calling Out – Rounding out the trio of Kendal stages with even more big acts to the west.
Woodlands – Exactly what it sounds like: a cosy stage set within the Lost Eden forest.
Chai Wallahs – Another large tent towards the North East of the site, boasting a variety of genres.
The Soapbox – Just northwest of Parklands, it’s where most of the live comedy is taking place.
Tim Peaks Diner – Named after Salford icon Tim Burgess himself, this little hut is built for more pared-down sets.
Desert Island Disco – Where the electronic scene goes to shine and usher in the late-night fun.
Roots – Built to spotlight emerging talent from across the region, there are gems to be found here.
The Town Hall – One of the newer additions to the festival alongside the official Kendal Calling pub, which first began back in 2023.
Azaadi – Last but not least, there’s the all-new Azaadi stage: a late-night mini venue curated by DJ Bobby Friction, specialising in alt-Desi electronica, global bass, and South Asian sounds following a fantastic debut at Glasto.
And then, of course, there’s Lost Eden out in the neon and fairylit woods, Kendal’s own aforementioned pub, The Stagger Inn; dedicated children’s stages, Oktoberfest and plenty more.
Kendal Calling festival site map
We’ll admit it can take a minute to properly orientate with your surroundings, especially when it’s packed with more than 40,000 people, so with all those different locations to get to grips with, the map always comes in handy.
As always, we’d reccommend downloading copies of it HERE when you save a screenshot of the lineup, for instance, but there will also be printed copies available and being handed out by staff over the course of the weekend.
Until then, this should do you just fine…
Travel info – how to get there, parking and more
If you’re wondering how to get to Kendal Calling, once again: the festival takes place at Lowther Deer Park in Hackthorpe near Penrith, Cumbria (no, it’s not quite Kendal).
For the sake of ease when it comes to popping the location into the SatNav, the postcode is CA10 2HT.
By car
Located roughly 25 minutes north of its namesake Kendal, you can drive up there via the M6 and south down the A6 from Penrith. You can easily download full directions on Google Maps.
Parking
The general car park is adjacent to the general campsites, but BE AWARE, the further away you park, the longer the walk up that hill – and it is a big one, we’re afraid.
Also, pre-warning, you must bring any alcohol purchased from outside the festival site up on the first trip up to your pitch. We found out the hard way…
Hoping to encourage people to carpool and ride share where possible, with Kendal remaining a dedicated and environmentally-conscious event (see their ‘Leave Nothing But Memories’ mission statement, for example), there is a charge for parking separate from festival admission.
Passes can be purchased online in advance for £24.50, or you can pay on the day for £40, but just like downloading/printing out your tickets prior to entry, we’d obviously advise you plan ahead and get them ready beforehand.
Emperors Field, Great Plains, Deer Lodge and Tangerine Fields all have their own respective car parks, which require specific parking passes as part of campsite upgrade packages. You can see all the options and secure your parking HERE.
The nearest train station to the festival site is Penrith (also known as Penrith North Lakes), which is just a 15-minute taxi journey from the site.
Alternatively, you can hop on the special shuttle bus service that runs from the station to the festival at various points over the weekend. Various services are available from Scotland, Birmingham, London, here in Manchester and across the North West – for example:
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From Birmingham New Street to Penrith (2h31m) — trains every hour
From London Euston to Penrith (3 hours) — trains every 30 minutes
From Glasgow to Penrith (1h21m) — trains every hour
From Edinburgh to Penrith (1h30m) — trains every hour
From Lancaster to Penrith (34 mins) — regular service
From Manchester Piccadilly to Penrith (1h41m) – trains every 30 minutes, change at Preston
Shuttles will run to and from Penrith (North Lakes) Station to Kendal Calling from 10am-18:45pm on Thursday and 8:30am-19:15pm on Friday. They won’t resume again until early Monday, with the final service lasting from 8:30am-13:15pm.
The festival has a dedicated pick-up and drop-off point (PUDO) outside at Green Gate. Follow the road signage as you get closer to the site for directions to the PUDO, which is also where you’ll find the taxi rank alongside our coach drop-off spot – just a short 5-10 minute walk to the wristband exchange too.
By coach/mini-bus
Speaking of coaches, you can find ticket prices for official services from destinations like Manchester, Leeds, Sheffield, and many more places across the UK by the likes of festival veterans, Big Green Coach, as well as National Express right HERE.
Other activities and entertainment on at Kendal Calling beyond the music
Once again, the music is obviously the big draw for the Lowther Deer Park party, but there is tonnes of other stuff to be enjoyed through the course of what we consider a mini bank holiday of sorts.
Last year saw Bongo’s Bingo make its maiden visit to a festival, and then of course there’s the usual Picturehouse cinema with movies on all day and special screenings for the little ones; the annual parade, which shows off all the ribbons and colours of the rainbow cinema, live comedy and lots more.
From live performers, a whole host of fantastic food and drinks traders, freebies up for grabs, and even dedicated accessibility areas such as the Sensory Calm Space, they really do cater to everyone.
You only have to wander into one of the alternative live theatre shows, their silent discos or the famous Lost Eden forest to be transported to virtually any kind of world you could want.
Getting underway from 5pm on Thursday, 30 July and running all the way until Sunday night (and well into the early hours, by the way), Kendal Calling 2026 is finally upon us.
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Judging by the lineup alone and the new additions they’ve brought into the mix, it really is looking like another belter.
In case anyone’s questioning just how much we and so many others across the region love this festival, not to mention all the others who travel from far and wide to enjoy the all-ages extravaganza, you only need to check out our review from last year. Or from 2024 – and the year before that, and the year…
ITV is reviving an iconic music trivia gameshow Name That Tune from the 70s
Emily Sergeant
ITV is set to revive one of the most iconic music-themed gameshows of all time for a new generation.
That’s right – Name That Tune is making a comeback.
Based on the successful US format of the same name, and airing in the UK on its original run from 1976 through to 1987, before being rebooted for the first time by Channel 5 from 1997-98, Name That Tune is being revived for the third time and is set to hit screens on ITV early next year.
If you’re unfamiliar with the premise of the show, Name That Tune sees contestants pitted against each other as their music knowledge is put to the test in a series of fast-paced rounds that featuring tracks from some of the world’s best-loved music artists and bands across every genre, all building towards a nail-biting finale.
Competitors will be tasked with correctly deciphering iconic riffs, melodies and lyrics from some of the biggest songs on the planet.
Set to be presented by Alison Hammond, and with a studio audience singing along, the show’s reboot will invite viewers at home to play from their living rooms, making it the ultimate soundtrack for all generations.
Every round is designed to challenge music enthusiasts by asking them just one simple question – can you name that tune?
“As a massive music lover, my biggest challenge as a host will be trying not to grab the mic and start singing along when one of my all-time favourite tunes comes on,” commented Alison Hammond as she was announced as the host for the reboot.
“And trust me… that will take serious self control.
“I grew up absolutely loving the original show so being part of this now feels like a real full-circle moment. I cannot wait to get into the studio, put the contestants through their paces, and see who really knows their music.”
ITV has told viewers to expect the show to be ‘bigger, louder, and more feel-good than ever’ once it returns in January.
Georgina Pellant -
22nd June 2023 
