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    • home » festivals » Kendal Calling » Kendal Calling 2012 » reviews

    Saturday at Kendal Calling is an aural treat

    Kendal Calling 2012 review

    published: Wed 1st Aug 2012

    Dizzee Rascal

    to
    Lowther Deer Park, Hackthorpe, East Cumbria
    £105 for weekend with camping - SOLD OUT
    daily capacity: 8000
    last updated: Thu 19th Jul 2012

    Saturday was a little bit overcast, but I had been warned about the famous changeable Lake District weather, and the warning was right. The weather seemed to change seasons each hour, but that was not going to get in the way of a good old shindig it was mainly a day of chilling on the grass banks at the back of main stage field for me, a beautiful natural amphitheatre surrounded by trees.

    around the festival site

    The Travelling Band started the day, a nice easy listening band that provided a great mellow background soundtrack for a great steak baguette from food stall 'The Butty Boys'. Next on was the very entertaining Juan Zelada, with his folksy blues kick starting the day, bringing people to their feet.

    Little Roy
    Looking down the line-up on the lanyard I soon realised that I probably wasn't going to wonder far from the main stage, and next up was the reggae legend Little Roy. From Kingston all the way to Kendal calling via Seattle with a set including 6 Nirvana covers, making classics such as 'Heart Shape Box' and 'Lithium', sound like the most cheerful of summer reggae anthems, a truly great booking.

    Spector
    A blast from my days studying for my GCSE's was to follow with Dodgy, almost unrecognisable from my distant memories, all it took was to close my eyes and I was transported back to those days of getting the older kids to buy us a bottle of cider again! Belting out 'Staying Out For The Summer' they still sounded note perfect, and brought a lot of smiles and communal reminiscence to many, before Spector dragged the growing crowd back into the current day. Looking like the kids in school who hung around the library crossed with Spandau Ballet, they certainly have a unique look. They also have the material to back up the look, showcasing tracks from their soon to be released debut album 'Enjoy it While It Lasts'. They powered through their stage time with plenty of charisma and banter with the crowd, definitely a name to keep an eye on.

    The View made the short journey down from Scotland to take the next slot, drawing the largest crowd of the day so far they put in a great performance. But, to this day I am sure not one person in the audience had a clue what front man Kyle was saying between songs! Never the less they really hit the spot.

    around the festival site

    As a torrential downpour set in I decided to go and check out the Soapbox stage, the tented comedy stage held me captive for an hour, I was powerless to leave as I was mesmerised by the Raphael Attar Variety Show, the duo had me in stitches with their own distinct brand of abstract comedy.

    Shed Seven
    After the hour I returned back to the main stage where Shed Seven were rolling back the years, bringing a huge dose of 90's Britpop to Lowther Park. Before the set I had forgotten just how many great tracks the Sheds had back in the day, but they all came flooding back, having scored an impressive 15 top 40 singles back in the 90's. The crowd happily sang along for the hour long performance, leaving the stage to the sound of the audience screaming back the chorus from 'Chasing Rainbows', this was one of the moments of the weekend.

    In the following 35 minute period the crowd demographic changed dramatically with most the nostalgic 30 somethings mainly being replaced by the younger sections of the crowd, all prepared to go 'Bonkers' to the man they call Dizzee Rascal. Having seen rascal only 3 weeks before give a slightly disappointing show at Wakestock, tonight was a completely different affair. Dizzee showed exactly why he was in the headline position with a performance worthy of any stage, drawing from his back catalogue including 'Fix up Look Sharp' and his huge collaborations 'Holiday' and 'Heavy' with Calvin Harris and Chase & Status respectively. The beats smashed into the crowd relentlessly like a freight train, leaving the crowd buzzing with a high energy rendition of 'Bonkers' complimented with some impressive pyrotechnics. The main stage closed with a bang, we wandered back towards our tent stopping at Chai Wallahs to sit down out side and enjoy the last 20 minutes of the festival circuit legends that are Dreadzone. They have Chai Wallahs packed to the rafters and 20 deep outside the tent. And true to form they leave everyone crying for more.

    around the festival site
    review by: Jamie Licence

    to
    Lowther Deer Park, Hackthorpe, East Cumbria
    £105 for weekend with camping - SOLD OUT
    daily capacity: 8000
    last updated: Thu 19th Jul 2012


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