Photo: WENN
Kendal Calling has kicked off, with huge performances from the likes of Rudimental, Ash, We Are Scientists, Catfish & The Bottlemen and more.
The Northern festival began in earnest on Thursday, 28 June as first Ash and then The Charlatans offered a reward for the early birds who braved a slightly soggy start with a fierce one-two punch of 90s guitar rock.
It said a lot about the confidence of the organisers that they could throw in two names most boutique festivals would kill for before the three-day event proper started. But as Friday progressed you could see why they felt they had acts to burn, with huge sets from We Are Scientists and Catfish & The Bottlemen more than filling the gap left by the previous generation’s absence.
Tim Burgess kicked off the day in his Tim Peaks diner by reading from his new book in the late morning, his soothing voice going some way to curing the hangovers he and his band were at least partly responsible for from the night before.
We Are Scientists were the first act to bring real star quality to the main stage. The hair is a little greyer but the fire still burns as strong as ever from the American duos’ stage.
Over on The Woodlands Stage The Lottery Winners treated the uninitiated to a wondrous set of college rock, with rotating vocals showcasing the whole band’s significant talents. A barnstorming ‘It’s Better to Pretend’ prompted the kind of singalong normally reserved for the more established bands.
Choppy, angular guitar and synth lines that would make Ian Curtis blush? An alluring androgynous drummer whose hair would give Brett Anderson in his peak a run for his money? It can only be Teleman! If there were any justice in the world, Lemar would be going out with that girl he fancied and Teleman would be headlining the main stage. As it is they were In the Calling Out tent, but still managed to be the band everyone who saw them was talking about all evening. Songs like Dussedorf are bona fida modern classics, and those who resisted the lure of Catfish & the Bottlemen were handsomely rewarded.
Having said that, very few could resist the laddish charm of the North Walians, as they drew possibly the biggest crowd of the day on the main stage. Beer flew, tears were shed and flesh was burned as revellers lost all inhibitions and threw themselves into their heroes’ world.
Then it was time for headliners Rudimental. You might think they had a tough task playing to a crowd largely raised and nurtured on guitar music, but that would be to underestimate the craft they bring to what they do. Soon no one is thinking about Les Pauls and lager and flinging themselves around to the drum and bass rhythms like so many crazed banshees.
After the main acts the music continued apace, with Shy FX providing an confrontational, security-baiting show in the Glow tent in the early hours. It was good to see such a talent getting the huge crowd he deserves, and a fitting end to a superb day of music.
