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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