Kendal Calling 2012 | Friday

There’s a certain amount of fear inherent in trying something new. You’re excited, sure, and with a line-up like Kendal Calling’s you know you’ll have a good time. But have you been oversold? Have weeks of hype and anticipation set you up for one colossal fall, that sinking sense of ‘oh, that’s it?’ and the slow admission that things weren’t quite all you’d hoped?

These were the thoughts I silently entertained on the drive to Cumbria, but as we entered Lowther Deer Park and spied a herd of the creatures grazing peacefully in the next field, I was  assured of a magical weekend.

We were still fighting with tent poles (the vintage variety, circa 1985) as Newcastle outfit Maximo Park hit the main stage. The sound was surprisingly clear from our spot in the ‘party’ camping zone, and we paused for a brief impromptu dance session before resuming the battle against our half-pitched home.

The festival has a dream-like quality, owing much to its hideaway Lake District setting. Rumours circulate of a wedding on-site, and you get the feeling it’s the kind of festival folks take to heart. One mother of three said the family alternate years between here and Glastonbury, and Kendal does have that same quirky, wonderland (or is that woodland?) appeal, though on a scale less daunting (and easier on the wallet).

Billed as a ‘live music and contemporary circus extravaganza’, the spectacle that is Slamboree had the Chai Wallahs marquee flailing wildly. Bridging unlikely styles from classical to dubstep, I couldn’t count the performers – a juggler here, two exotic dancers there, oh and a few fire-twirlers if you weren’t impressed already. Punters weary from dancing up a storm took refuge to sway in their seats, and no one seemed to mind the stage getting smokey.

After a serious dose of the avant-garde, House Party just didn’t appeal. We made a beeline for bed armed with freshly steamed chai, curious as to what the dawn would bring.

Kendal Calling 2012 | Saturday

The Travelling Band open Saturday’s main stage, though I don’t mind saying that I’m too busy over at Ginger’s comfort  van to see their show. You’d be distracted too if your other half handed you a double scoop salt caramel and peanut butter ice cream cone, suffice to say it all sounded dreamy. Of the weekend’s playful roaming acts, something called the Sample-ist stand was my pick. Manned by two DJs in labcoats, and another three gents in white coveralls dancing up a storm beside them, the project involved capturing a voice sample from willing passers by (and there were plenty), then distorting it as part of a broadcast soundscape.

I couldn’t miss suited and booted London lot Spector, who got the audience clapping with ‘Friday Night’. From their dress you can tell they mean business, and boy can frontman Fred Macpherson scream! There’s romance in their synth-rock, with one track introduced as “for the lovers. Yeah, I see you in the trees over there.”  

It’s A-grade entertainment when the band breaks mid-set: Macpherson has something unsavoury on his jacket, and needs to brush it off immediately as best he can. Later, and mid-song this time, he produces a comb to deftly fix already slicked-back hair. Spector close to an eager audience with hit single ‘Never Fade Away’. I hope they won’t.

Evening now, and a DJ set from Humanizer has the Glow Dance Tent thumping. Back at the Chai Wallahs stage, a special mention goes to Dizraeli and The Small Gods for their decidedly different hip hop folk. The instrumental ‘Istanbul Express’ transports the (admittedly few) fans assembled to an overland journey in a far away place, and it’s nice to hear the story unfurl.

The masses appear from nowhere for 'Heavy' headliner Dizzee Rascal. Despite signs asking we 'leaf them be', limber fans clamber into trees, vying for a better view. Fresh from his Opening Ceremony showing, Dizzee tells us to "be safe out there”, and I fancy he is talking to those trees. Energetic, the pair (who is that guy with Dizzee all the time?) bounce through 'Road Rage' to new track 'Bassline', a preview from the forthcoming album due out in November. "Make some f*cking noise!" Dizzee commands, and we do.

“He's just a rascal, Dizzee Rascal" chime the crowd, this by far the most attended timeslot of the day. How many artists boast their own them song? After a relatively tame showing in Benicassim, Dizzee is on form, charging through a catalogue of chart toppers including 'Dirtee Disco' and 'You’ve Got The Dirtee Love'. There’s a theme here…In a weekend chiefly devoted to celebrating a shared nonchalance about the start of London's Olympics, Pepper makes a special appearance, joining Dizzee for Olympic collaboration 'Scream'. This particular performance is being filmed, with the promise "You're gonna be famous and sh*t!" 

'Dance Wiv Me' is an obvious favourite, but it’s 'Holiday' for the finish and a glitter gun to boot. Dizzee dubs this an Instagram moment, the crowd welcoming his approval with yet more applause.

An aptly named Happy Slap Boutique is the spot to be by the early hours of Sunday morning, as the resident Happy Slap DJs spin their distinctive breed of Balkan, electro and swing to a heaving marquee. Here as elsewhere at the festival, twinkling fairylights serve to offset anything too hardcore, continuing the carnival theme.

Kendal Calling 2012 | Sunday

New Yorkers We Are Scientists set the standard for audience rapport on the main stage, delivering their upbeat breed of indie rock with a sophisticated sense of humour. Bassist Chris Cain fires off cheeky comedic quips, thanking one girl in a wedding dress “for taking this show seriously.” I roll my eyes when my fellow festivalian muses aloud “I wonder if they are scientists…”, but stop as it dawns that they might be.

The boys match the euphoria of a sunny Sunday afternoon, firing off intelligent tracks like ‘I Don’t Bite’, ‘Rules Don’t Stop’, and the one that made them, ‘Nobody Move, Nobody Get Hurt’. Needing no introduction, the immediate and urgent beat has much of the crowd up on shoulders, and a collective cheer erupts when one (shall we say, heavy-set) man successfully manages to stand atop a friend.

The theme for the weekend’s fancy dress component is fairytales and comic books. Some people have put incredible effort into their look, but it’s apparent that anything goes, like the wedding dress girl (unless she was Friday’s festival bride) or the countless wolves and bunny rabbits dressed in smart tweed suits. James haven’t dressed up when they take to the main stage, but it’s clear the packed-out field award them superhero status. Scheduled for nearly two hours, I tire quickly of the singalong affair, and although they sound in fine form I sneak away, prefering to discover something new.

Under the big top now, and the Calling Out stage is abuzz with talk ahead of Los Angeles act Vintage Trouble. Gracing Kendal Calling for a second year, this four man ‘juke music’ group ooze soulful style. Indeed, the collars, vests, hats, ties, even hairdos aid a welcome departure from the present day.

Belting out songs like ‘Still And Always Will’ and a sexy ‘Nancy Lee’ is gifted front man Ty Taylor. With a mighty voice and fun stage presence, he dips and spins his standing mic, working up a sweat. Mid-set he asks the audience to turn away from the stage – he wants to see us dancing with each other. “Is anybody horny in here?” he shouts, and the tent cries yes.

‘Nobody Told Me’ is a complete change of pace, and Taylor touchingly explains the song is for people in times of struggle. For a band only formed in 2010, these guys are convincing performers. When a pair of underwear is flung on-stage, you imagine this kind of thing is typical, but Taylor announces it’s the first g-string they’ve had. “You go down in history” he smiles, before launching into a tamborine-charged ‘Run Outta You’.

As things wind down (or up, depending who you are) on a massive weekend, Yes Sir Boss play to a handful of revellers on the Chai Wallahs stage, the rest of the festival evidently still singing along to James. An unlikely meld of brass and metal, the group play as if to a full house and those few appreciative fans go mad on the dancefloor.

Kendal Calling 2012 | to wrap

Somewhere between the official line-up and set times, acts like Alpines and Little Comet got lost. Or maybe I was lost – it’s that kind of festival! From the most chilled and intimate sideshows, to fun fair amusements, giant scrabble and a real ale party, there’s a little bit of Kendal for every mood (and a heap more if you’re the ‘I’m-at-a-festival-feeling-avant-garde-now’ type). I never made it to Kendal Calling’s so-called ‘Garden of Eden’. I suspect I was already there.

Click here to view photos from Friday @ Kendall Calling

Click here to view photos from Saturday @ Kendall Calling

Click here to view photos from Sunday @ Kendall Calling

The rain may not have held out for the Olympic Opening Ceremony and concert but the sun definitely made an appearance for the first of the free Olympic concerts in Hyde Park.

The headlining acts scheduled to perform were Welsh singing legend Sir Tom Jones and English singer-songwriter, Newton Falkner.  Unfortunately, due to illness, Sir Tom bowed out last minute, so Pop-Idol winner Will Young, stepped in.  Appearances from rising pop-star Conor Maynard, and smaller and up and coming acts treated thousands of spectators to performances as well.

Not only was the music top quality but it was freely available to the public, and contributed to a fantastic family day out.  Hyde Park was full of food stands ranging from burgers, noodles, to crepes.  In keeping with the Olympics theme, there were stands available for the public to see if they had the nerve, stamina and determination to take part in the BT London Lives’ very own ‘mini Olympics’ with attractions varying from Volleyball, Badminton to a Triathlon!  If sport isn’t your thing, there was also a Cadbury stand, where you could see famous London landmarks being carved from chocolate; a BT Tower were you could preview and play the brand new official London 2012 Xbox game and 3 HUGE screens, that displayed the Olympic events live throughout the day.  Even Gold Olympic medallists, Torville and Dean made an appearance!

The park housed 3 stages full of music.  The bandstand stage showcased performers like John Wean, who performed while audience could chill, sip iced cold drinks, and enjoy the sunshine too.  The BT Vision stage was home for performers Conor Maynard, Ade Adepitan and Liz Johnson.  The main stage featured Will Young and Newton Falkner.  One tip though, if you are thinking of going along over the coming days take a picnic blanket, as seating is very limited and the ground is covered in wood chip, not conducive to comfortable sitting!

To kick start the music on the main stage, Neil Fox introduced humble hippy, Newton Falkner.  He gave a totally captivating performance and amazed his audience with his ability to play guitar and ‘drum it’ at the same time.  He has a talent for making a large open-air audience off thousands feel like a small intimate venue and enthralling his audience with his ‘one-man band’ show.  His charisma shone through, when he played the theme song from Ice Age and Matilda, guaranteeing that this song could make ‘anyone smile’.  His set included all his well known hits including, ‘Write it on your skin’, ‘Dream Catch Me’ and ‘Clouds’, which he got everyone from the audience to sing a long to.  He also performed a number of covers including an impressive version of ‘Teardrop’ by Massive Attack and Queen’s ‘Bohemian Rhapsody’, which the audience chose over Stevie Wonder’s ‘Superstitious’. 

A few hours later Newton Faulkner was followed by Will Young, who was a more than adequate stand-in for Sir Tom Jones.  Any disappointment some members of the audience may have felt, I’m sure were short-lived, as Will Young staged a very entertaining show.  He treated his audience to all his greatest hits that everyone could sing along to including, ‘Changes’, ‘Who am I’, ‘Light my Fire’, ‘Your Game’, ‘Leave Right Now’ and ‘Jealousy’.  Accompanied by a band and backing singers, Young took to the stage like a real showman and delivered an energetic and exciting performance.  During his set, he teased the audience that he had a costume underneath his attire which he would reveal by the end of the show.  Throughout his performance he gradually stripped off, sending the audience crazy and filling Hyde Park full of the screams and cheers to reveal his costume, a vintage style running outfit, to keep with the Olympics and the theme of his video ‘Jealousy’, which he closed his set with.  All I can say is, Will Young is a dark horse and certainly took me by surprise, in terms of live performance.

To sum up, I would recommend the BT London Live festival days to anyone looking for a fantastic fun day out to help them get into the Olympic Spirit.  Not only is there plenty to do, but all the live music is FREE, and some of the biggest music acts around are performing at BT London Live throughout the Olympic period.  What more could you ask for?

Click here to view photos from BT London Live – 28th July

Deep in the heart of the valleys of Herefordshire lies a small farm, a farm belonging to a man they call Noz. But this is no ordinary farm. For one weekend only it transforms into a musical wonderland and becomes Nozstock: The Hidden Valley.

This family-run event is the product of what originated as a small summer barbecue amongst friends. 12 years later and Noz’s farm now invites 5000 members of the public for a music and arts extravaganza.

With the car parking field adjacent to the camping field, and the camping field adjacent to the main arena, that dreaded process of getting luggage from car to campsite could not be easier at Nozstock. Tent sufficiently pitched, it was finally time to crack open our first cider of the weekend and explore the hidden valley of Nozstock.

Greeted by an assortment of fancy-dress outfits, we couldn’t help but smile at the laid back atmosphere of this family run festival. The words eccentric, colourful and quirky immediately sprang to mind upon our exploration of the site, which boasted all sorts of comical signage and hippie artwork.

The 9 stages that form the main arena included 3 main stages, 3 dance areas, 1 comedy tent, 1 theatre tent and a crafts area. Despite being a relatively small festival, there really is something for everyone. Entertainment is provided for the youngsters in the Little Wonderland area, as well as the numerous workshops and theatre shows that occur throughout the weekend. Kids can even challenge each other to a sock-wrestling match in the Enchanted Glade area!

Head on over to the opposite side of the site and find quite a different scene. A converted bull pen forms a 2-stage dance area and a short walk down the “psycho-path” will lead you to the Cubicles – a psychedelic rave stage that hosts tribe of frog. These areas run day and night, so those who are hardcore enough can spend the entire weekend flying high in a rave daze.

Onto the mainstages in the central area, and for Friday’s line-up it appeared that a brass instrument was a compulsory requirement. Ska band after ska band took to the Orchard stage as the crowd danced into the sunny July afternoon. A surprising highlight was ‘By The Rivers’, an unheard of group of teenagers who blasted out some hip-shaking tunes.

As evening fell and the crowd became increasingly merry, more and more joined the party at the mainstage. The penultimate act of the evening, Imperial Leisure, joined in the fancy dress fun of Nozstock and took to the stage sporting animal onesies – although with this years theme being myths and legends they didn’t quite fulfill the brief, but it was a solid effort nonetheless. 

Dreadzone were Friday’s headline act and they certainly drew the crowds to the mainstage. Time seems to have taken a slight toll on the band, who stayed sitting down for the entire performance, but thankfully this had little, if any, impact on their performance. They blasted out classics such as ‘Life, Love and Unity’ and ‘Zion Youth’ and hyped up the crowd for the long night of dancing that lay ahead.

Midnight struck and it was time to get hardcore. Zinc took to the Garden stage as ravers threw out some impressive shapes. Down in the trees at the Cubicles stage the UV lights and hanging butterflies created an incredible psychedelic atmosphere that would leave even the sober members of the crowd in a slight headspin.

Things kicked off again at around midday on Saturday as people slowly dragged themselves out of their hungover state. Toilets were still surprisingly fresh and clean – a feature of Nozstock that certainly deserves some considerable praise. Situated in an undercover section where the toilets line a cosy area of sofas, the toilet experience at this festival is almost a pleasant one! 

Saturday was another warm sunny day, so most chose to bask in the sun and listen to the music throughout the afternoon. Brassroots encouraged audience interaction and managed to bring the crowd to their feet. The introducer of each act also provided great entertainment throughout the weekend by sporting a painted pink boiler suit and filling in gaps by reciting comical monologues. 

Saturday’s highlight, and arguably the overall highlight of the weekend, was The Correspondents. With a reputation for being a great live act, the pair certainly lived up to their status. The eccentric Mr. Bruce sported his usual bizarre attire and threw out some moves that only he could get away with. Expressing nothing but praise for the festival, the band seemed to be enjoying themselves almost as much as the crowd, which helped to enhance what was already a fantastic performance. Their set concluded with a stage dive from Mr Bruce, which left the crowd chanting “one more song” as they exited the stage.

Following this was a surprisingly impressive fireworks display and a bonfire over in the crafts area. The usual “oohs and ahhs” were expressed as the crowd enjoyed what was a pleasant gap-filler between acts on the mainstage.

The Futureheads then brought the Orchard stage to a close, which, although was a decent performance, almost brought a slight downer on the very geed up festival crowd. It was Saturday night and people were ready to party to Andy C – who was to perform an hour later – rather than listen to acapella Futureheads tracks. Through no fault of their own it was a slightly disappointing set, which unfortunately was the result of poor planning on the part of the festival organisers.

Sunday began with a couple of short rain showers, but by midday the skies had cleared and the sun was once again shining over Nozstock. Depsite being the final day of the festival, the energy was still very much alive in most people.

Biscuithead & The Biscuit Badgers were a hit in the afternoon. As their name suggests, the group were completely bizarre, with some members dressed as badgers and others as god-knows what! Their collection of comical songs expressing their love for David Attenbourough, triangles and biochemistry (to name but a few) certainly brought a smile to many faces.

Later in the day, as the weather continually improved to become another scorcher, Jake Bugg was a popular choice at the mainstage. The young acoustic singer was a perfect choice for a Sunday afternoon as the crowd listened intently to his country songs. Unfortunately, the following act, Son of Dave, was cancelled due to his late arrival – but the British train service were apparently the ones to blame for his no-show.

Closing the festival were the Proclaimers, who, at first seemed an unusual choice for the festival, but provided a cheerful sing-along performance. The duo brought Nozstock to its close and rounded off what had been a fantastic weekend in the hidden valley.

The only criticism of the festival was the occasional poor planning of acts on the two mainstages. Artists often performed at the same time, which left long 45-minute gaps between each set, and consequently left little else to see during this time. Luckily, however, the fantastic weather meant that this drawback was extremely minor.

Nozstock has previously been described as Glastonbury in its golden days, a summary which seems perfectly accurate for this little family-run festival (although my non-existence during these golden days may question the reliability of such a conclusion!). The lack of commercialisation is the very charm of the festival, along with its emphasis on local talent and green initiatives. Nozstock boasts a real laid-back vibe and is essentially the epitome of what a music festival originally set out to be.

Click here to view more photos from Nozstock

After a massive Friday night, we were a little lack of sleep but ready to go for what we expected to be another huge day at Global Gathering.  Today sees Chase & Status headline the main arena with Nero, Sub Focus, Ferry Corsten, Above & Beyond, Roni Size and more on the lineup.

With an estimated 55,000 in attendance at this years Global Gathering in Shakespears hometown of Stratford-Upon-Avon, this electronic music festival continues to grow year after year and shows no signs of slowing down.