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.
Bastille at AO Arena – A night of nostalgic throwbacks
Dec Kelly
A night like this – when Bastille took to the stage at the AO Arena – reminds you exactly why live music matters.
It felt like travelling back to our early teens – windows down, speakers up, yelling Bastille lyrics like our lives depended on it. That familiar rush came flooding back the moment we stepped into the legendary AO Arena.
And honestly, the whole experience, from securing tickets through AXS to walking into one of Manchester’s best venues, was seamless and stress-free, setting the tone perfectly for the night.
The band opened with a classic from their debut album Bad Blood. A single orange beam flickered across the stage, almost like a fire dancing in the dark, creating an intimate calm before the storm. Dan Smith’s slow, acoustic rendition of ‘Things We Lost in the Fire’ pulled the entire crowd into silence. It was raw, emotional, and the perfect way to kick off a night dedicated to the anthems that shaped a decade.
From there, the pace picked up. The show unfolded like a living scrapbook of Bastille’s 15 years of music, skipping through albums and eras with effortless precision. Every transition felt like rediscovering a memory of songs we’d forgotten we loved, songs we never stopped playing, and songs that hit harder live than they ever could through headphones. It was a rollercoaster of indie brilliance, nostalgia, and the kind of energy only Bastille can create.
Credit: Bastille at the AO Arena in Manchester
One of the biggest highlights of the night was the VS. (Other People’s Heartache) segment. We genuinely don’t talk enough about what a masterpiece that project is. The band stripped back their setup as two DJ decks rolled out centre stage, transforming the arena into a full-blown Bastille club experience. It was unexpected, refreshing, and showed off the band’s ability to bend genres without ever losing their identity. The lighting, the bass, the crowd reaction everything came together to create a completely different vibe, proving just how dynamic and experimental Bastille can be.
And then came ‘Pompeii’ and ‘Happier’ , two songs that feel almost woven into modern music culture at this point. Hearing thousands of voices echo those choruses back at Dan Smith was genuinely spine-tingling. It’s moments like that when you realise how much Bastille’s music has grown, evolved, and connected with fans over the years. Their audience now spans generations, and you could feel that unity in the room of parents with teens, old fans, new fans, and everyone in between, all sharing the same unforgettable moment.
What also stood out was the atmosphere. There’s something special about AO Arena: the acoustics, the crowd energy, the lights that sweep across the entire venue. Every detail enhances the performance, making even the quietest moments feel grand and the biggest hits feel monumental.
And honestly, the whole experience was made so much easier by AXS. Keeping track of gigs, managing tickets, and discovering upcoming shows is all right there in the app. No stress, no scrambling, just tap, book, go. It’s the perfect way to make sure you’re always one step ahead and never miss out on seeing your favourite artists live.
Last night wasn’t just a concert, it was a reminder of why we fell in love with Bastille in the first place. A celebration of their past, a showcase of their growth, and a promise that they’re not done surprising us yet.
And if this tour is anything to go by, your next best memory might be only one AXS tap away.
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.
Daisy Jackson -
25th January 2023 
