CUMBRIA'S biggest music festival has announced its line-up, bringing some of Britain's most renowned live acts to the region this summer.
Kendal Calling has broken with tradition to announce all of its major acts in one go - with no less than six headliners confirmed to appear at Lowther Deer Park this July.
Indie favourites Stereophonics, Manic Street Preachers, and Franz Ferdinand, singer-songwriter Frank Turner and his band The Sleeping Souls, R'n'B star Tinie Tempah and American music legend Brian Wilson lead the line-up, already shaping up to be the strongest in its 12-year history.
Joining the headliners are troubadour Jake Bugg, Scottish outfit Frightened Rabbit, true original Seasick Steve, indie scene mainstays Editors, punk rockers Slaves, melodic masters Circa Waves, and anthemic alt-rockers Nothing But Thieves. Grime star Lethal Bizzle, Kate Nash, The Hunna, Loyle Carner and veteran Merseyside psych rockers The Coral make for a bill that is already overflowing with major names.
Brian Wilson The 2016 edition of Kendal Calling was another complete sell-out, and once again won Best Medium Festival at the UK Festival Awards.
Stereophonics have headlined some of the biggest festivals in Europe, and they will be making their debut at the Cumbria event.
Bassist Richard Jones commented: "We’ve been fortunate to headline and play at some amazing festivals over the years and it’s an honour to play at Kendal Calling this summer a first for us in the Lake District."
Formed in 1986, Manic Street Preachers have spent the last 30 years making some of the most vital and politically-charged music to ever come out of the UK. They will be a perfect fit for Kendal Calling, which has a strong recent history of staging the biggest indie rock names.
Topping the main stage on the opening Thursday night will be Scottish chart-toppers Franz Ferdinand, who have now been making hit records for the past 15 years, and another highlight is undoubtedly an appearance from Beach Boys co-founder Brian Wilson - returning to the UK one last time to present the Pet Sounds album in its entirety, with special guests Al Jardin and Blondie Chaplin.
No stranger to the fields having played a rip-roaring headlining set at the festival in 2014, Frank Turner & The Sleeping Souls will be returning to co-headline in 2017.
With multiple Brit Awards, arena tours and festival headline slots under his belt as well as having more UK number ones than any other rapper on the planet, Tinie Tempah is considered one of the country’s brightest talents.
Jake Bugg
Kendal Calling founder Andy Smith said: "Drastic times cause for drastic measures, and to that end we’ve gone the whole nine yards.
"We're excited to be welcoming no less than six headliners to the fields this year, including Brian Wilson’s last appearance on these shores. See you in the fields!"
Elsewhere Field Music, Fickle Friends, Honeyblood, Palace, Little Comets, Blaenavon, Shame, The Pale White, Eat Fast, Bad Sounds, Soshe, Reverend And The Makers, Freak, Man & The Echo, Bossy Love, White, The Shimmer Band, Fews, Ardyn, Dead! and Kendal favourites The Lancashire Hotpots are set to appear.
Once again the dance-orientated Glow Stage will be hosting a huge line-up for those wishing to party through the weekend. UK rapper Example returns to the festival to headline the stage alongside house DJ Tom Zanetti, Butterz members Royal-T, DJ Q and Flava D together as TQD, bass duo My Nu Leng, Mike Skinner and DJ sets from London soul collective Jungle and British electronica masters Faithless.
Gotsome, Holy Goof, Barely Legal, Mollie Collins, Star.One and Swindle also join the party with more names still to come.
The eclectic festival line-up will also be bolstered by Mercury Prize nominees The Comet Is Coming, Smash Hi-Fi, Broken Brass Ensemble, K.O.G. & The Zongo Brigade, Holly Holdener, Yumi & The Weather, Honeyfeet, Harleighblu, Sola Rosa, Lost Colours and Ezra Collective.
Additionally, mariachi Morrissey covers band Mexrissey, London African Gospel Choir performing Graceland and Beatlemania make this year’s bill one of the most varied and exciting that the festival has ever hosted.
Set in Lowther Deer Park, this innovative, fan-focused, independent festival will also host four days of arts installations, comedy, gourmet food, children’s entertainment and a real ale festival.
Kendal Calling takes place from Thursday July 27 to Sunday 30, and tickets are available from Friday at 10am via www.kendalcalling.co.uk/tickets
The full line-up so far:
Stereophonics
Manic Street Preachers
Franz Ferdinand
Brian Wilson presents Pet Sounds
Frank Turner & The Sleeping Souls
Tinie Tempah
Editors
Jake Bugg
Seasick Steve
Slaves
Circa Waves
Example
Nothing But Thieves
Lethal Bizzle
Frightened Rabbit
The Coral
Loyle Carner
The Hunna
Kate Nash
Palace
Little Comets
Fickle Friends
Honeyblood
Reverend And The Makers
Shame
Pale White
The Lancashire Hotpots
Blaenavon
Man & The Echo
Eat Fast
Soshe
White
Bossy Love
The Shimmer Band
Freak
Bad Sounds
Ardyn
Fews
Jungle (DJ)
TQD
Tom Zanetti
My Nu Leng
Mike Skinner
Gotsome
Holy Goof
Barely Legal
Mollie Collins
Star.One
Swindle
The Comet is Coming
Smash Hi-Fi
Broken Brass Ensemble
K.O.G & The Zongo Bride
Holly Holdener
Yumi & The Weather
HoneyFeet
HarleighBlu
Sola Rosa
Ezra Collective
Lost Colours
Brix and the Extricated
Don Letts
Chris Hawkins
Tim Burgess
Pete Salisbury
Nico Mirallegro
Brix Smith Start & Steve Hanley
John Kennedy
The Rhythm Method
Francobollo
Wovoka Gentle
The Sundowners
The Pheromoans
Yucatan
Llareggub Brass Band
Song Sung
Daniel O'Sullivan
Purple Stardust
Hellolisa
Tear
Will Orchard
Britpoporama
Sean Sneddon
Paradisia
Everly Pregnant Brothers
Black Label
Denise Johnson
Rory Wynne
Tom 'Mouse' Smith
Hello Operator
Our Fold
Sauce
Cable and the Bay
The Blinders
White Room
Blackwaters
The Cosmics
The Assist
Clint Boon
Dave Haslam
Thomas Turgoose
Gareth Brooks
George Craig
Howling Rhythm & the Howling Horns
Mexrissey
London African Gospel Choir sings Graceland
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