WORLD famous names basked in the glorious Lake District sun as Kendal Calling's main programme got under way.

By Karl Steel

Londoners Rudimental, and one of the UK's best-known indie bands, Catfish and the Bottlemen, were the big draws on the Friday line-up at Cumbria's premier music event of the year.

Following a hugely well-received Thursday bill as a teaser to the main festival - the second year that Kendal Calling has been a four-day event - the second day saw excitement levels turned up a notch.

Highlights on the massive main stage included newcomers The Jacques, reformed Brit band Milburn, and US outfit We Are Scientists, who are due to play an unusual show in Barrow Library later in the year.

But the most talked about band of the weekend have arguably been young Manchester band Blossoms , who headlined the festival's second stage and also played a DJ set and an unannounced acoustic set earlier in the day.

Their upcoming self-titled album is almost certain to chart highly and launch them into the national consciousness this summer.

Frontman Tom Ogden said: "We've just got back from Australia today and we've got three sets to do.

"It seems like a great festival. We are a little more organised this year and they've given us more beer! Miles almost got us kicked out last time for nicking beer, but that's not a problem this year.

"We loved last year, this one's going to be great. Of course, we'd love to go one bigger next year."

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Catfish and the Bottlemen are another indie act that are fit to grace any festival in the world, leading the new breed of British bands. The Welshmen's latest album, The Ride, landed at number one in the UK album charts in May, and naturally their set-list featured plenty of the recent material.

Headline act Rudimental have topped bills at similar events across the country this summer, and clearly have a strong following: around 15,000 people packed into the main stage arena to hear the dance act run through a string of their biggest hits, such as Waiting All Night and Feel The Love.

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A sizeable chunk of the audience departed to see Blossoms on the neighbouring stage, while comedy fans headed in their droves to the Soapbox, where stand-up star Jason Manford was also headlining - making for a packed evening of entertainment.

Kendal Calling has now reached the half-way mark, with many more major acts still to appear in the weekend line-up. Ska veterans Madness are guaranteed one of their biggest audiences in recent years when they headline on Saturday, and ex-Oasis man Noel Gallagher brings his band the High Flying Birds to round out the festival on Sunday night.

Other key acts that will command a big crowd over the next two days will be hip-hop legends the Sugarhill Gang, former Libertines frontman Pete Doherty, and folk troubador Donovan.