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Words: Julia Grantham

Kendal Calling -July 2023
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There was a sense of elemental foreboding hanging delicately over Kendal Calling 2023. Seeds were sown for the very first KC back in 2006 and this year, the summer of love looked like it very well
might have been drenched in rain. As I started packing for my two-and-half hour car journey I
couldn’t find my raincoat anywhere and I was worried! How would I survive a rainy four-day outdoor
event if I were to be soaked through and cold to the bone?
Thankfully, a message to my very good friend supplied me with a choice of two waterproof jackets and it only rained lightly on the final two days. Mud? There was mud. Not the band, but only a small amount underfoot. And certainly not enough to restrict any kind of movement from the huge swathes of human traffic dancing, walking, singing, and skipping from tent to stage, cinema to green room and back again.

This year, I hadn’t planned to cover my favourite festival for Popped Music. But when I received a
message suggesting I do, I couldn’t resist. I am so grateful for the opportunity to share my
experience with you, music lover and Popped Music reader! So here it comes. Kendal Calling 2023
through my eyes and ears in my words.

Having arrived and settled into my lovely bespoke yurt with my friend a few miles away (no I never
camp) we drove the short journey and parked up. Walking across the fields, getting our bearings,
and soaking up pre-festival atmosphere on the Thursday evening, felt warm. Not just a warm
summers’ evening, Nile Rodgers and Chic provided a sunny, balmy vibe with their laidback and solid
set of songs that everyone knew. From Madonna to Bowie, Rodgers engaged the crowd with tales of
many of the artists he’d worked with, produced, or written with and as the sky became gradually
darker, and night-time fell, the flowers that had been scattered among the fields, standing tall like
statues and never wavering, lit up, like colourful lanterns.

After a nice long sleep, we headed back to the main stage on Friday and caught Etta
Marcus. Unlike the previous night when I was standing on top of a hill, I had pressed my body
against the metal barrier and looked up. I saw three flowers and I looked at the band. Etta’s tunes
are soulful, wistful and beautifully melodic, having both a sense of poignancy and a delicate touch.
My favourite track was “Nosebleed“. A song about a tragic break-up, looking back and dissecting how it makes both people feel, to love, to lose and to still hang on. It would have been the perfect song to sing in the rain, but Friday was a warm and sunny day.

Meandering through the people, observing more big yellow sunflowers on their clothes, hats and
heads than I’d noticed in previous years, I found my way to the unassuming little wooden hut-cum-
tourist-info-gig-venue that has been known as Tim Peaks diner at Kendal Calling since 2011. Inside
this little place where the coffee flows as warmly as the tunes, I saw Kelley Swinford. She was
tapping her cowgirl-clad foot to her rock-fuelled sassy country-rock tunes. She was wearing a cowgirl hat and a bright yellow t-shirt with the words ‘You can call me darlin’ if you want’, the title of her 2020 album which features a song with the same name. Kelley spoke to and engaged her audience with ease. We sang along and learned a little about her having been in let into her world with her words and music. I think we’re friends now. I’m saving the t-shirt I bought from her for a special occasion and her CD is in my car so I can practise my singing.

Saturday was the day I saw many bands. The Lottery Winners on the main stage was a highlight for
them, their huge fanbase and for me. Having spent many years performing on smaller stages – one year
their tent was so packed out, that people were spilling so far out of it that it was arguably ridiculous
that they hadn’t made it to on the biggest stage until now. I took a video of the crowd. I couldn’t tell
where the audience began and ended. Having done a listening party at Tim Peak’s diner earlier in
the day- an opportunity for them to play their number one album and chat to fans about how their
music was created- now they were on fire, ready to go, and their set was overflowing with enthusiastic anecdotes by the charismatic, funny, and always down-to-earth by frontman Thom Rylance.

I couldn’t resist making Keifer Sutherland on my list of must-see artists over the course of the
weekend. Mostly, I wandered around the festival making up my experience as I went along. But
Keifer was one of only very few that made it onto my priority list. Like many film fanatics, I knew him
from Stand by Me, The Lost Boys and his father Donald Sutherland is another movie star whose films
I love, and I couldn’t resist seeing what he had to offer as a musician, at my favourite music festival.
His tent was packed. It could have been because it was raining heavily, or maybe because people
were curious, like me. Or maybe it was because he was so captivating dressed all in black, with just a
hint of cowboy boots under his skin-tight black jeans. If you didn’t know he was an A list Hollywood
actor, you would think he’d been fronting an Americana rock group all his life. Maybe he was born to
be a rock star!

Tim Burgess’ set followed in The Parklands tent. Here at Popped Music, we’re huge fans of The
Charlatans and Tim Burgess is their frontman. Tim has had a prolific solo career which started back in 2003 and has gathered momentum since 2012. As I was waiting for the music to start, I could see everything being prepared. I saw members of Tim’s family, crew, and I noticed Mark Collins (guitarist with The Charlatans) with his black hood up as if to disguise himself while tuning up. I couldn’t help but notice the neon-coloured rather obtrusive and life-sized gorilla model on stage. Tim walked on to said stage to a steady and eager applause. The tent was packed. I had secured my place directly in front of him. I think nothing of being as far forward as I possibly can at most gigs these days. He opened his set uttering the words ‘Sharon’ with a tender smile across his face. He played a love song: “Yours. To be”. It was lovely, soothing, and peaceful. It set the atmosphere for a meditative and uplifting set. Love seemed to be the main theme throughout his performance, and he dedicated my favourite song of his: “The Doors of Then” to his son Morgan, who was watching just off stage but gazing at his dad throughout.

I’ve seen Tim play solo sets many times before, but this one was different. He seemed so much more relaxed and ‘in the moment’ than I’ve seen him previously. It was every inch a celebration of love and family through his music. He played songs from all four of his solo albums, including “We all Need Love” from his debut, “I Believe”. He ended with: “Here comes the Weekend” from his 2022 album “Typical Music“- a buoyant, melodic, and irresistibly understated dance number, tinged with a little poignancy “I could make you happy, you could make me sad”.

The Charlatans not-so-secret-set was performed at Tim Peaks diner straightaway after Tim’s solo set. I walked straight there with my vegan cherry-red Dr Martens squelching mud as I went. I arrived five minutes before they played a great selection of songs, just the two of them and Mark’s guitar. Playing: “Emilie”, “Here Comes a Soul Saver” and “Just When Your’re Thinkin’ Things Over” was the perfect end to what can only have been a very tiring day for The Charlatans’ frontman.
He closed his Saturday wishing the audience well with the words “Have a great evening,
everyone” before disappearing into the night.

I awoke on Sunday morning knowing that I needed a rest. Having driven various friends to and from
the festival all weekend long and still recovering from the trauma of driving here, there and
everywhere along paths where people seemed almost oblivious to my little peugot’s presence, I
wanted Sunday to be the day where I arrived late and stayed til the end. Still in my pyjamas around
2pm I received a whatsapp from my friends Deja Vega. Would I be available to step in at the last
minute and host their listening party at Tim Peaks? Getting there on time was a mission. I managed
to arrange an escort with the help of my friend, and others helped to quickly prep me and give me a
copy of their latest LP “Personal Hell” to have and to hold as an object of reference and allow me a
little structure to my questions.

After doing my interview, I stayed in Tim Peaks for the rest of the day. Only leaving briefly to wander
around looking for anywhere and trying to find anyone who could supply me with earplugs. I look
after my ears well at gigs now, knowing how devastating tinnitus has been for artists. If you take one
thing away from reading this review: please take care when listening to loud music!
Happy Daze were hosting the day at Tim Peaks and had carefully selected all artists. They’d created
just the most gorgeous poster to accompany the day. I was lucky enough to get one to take home. I
caught three of the acts on my final day of the festival. First up was “Fruit Tones“. A three piece. I
always say there’s nowhere to hide if there’s only three members in a band. I’m glad they weren’t
away hiding that day. I didn’t want their set to end, and I told them. With quick-paced riffs, changing
tempos and catchy melodies, their songs were as interesting as they were pleasing to here. I’m from
Leeds. Our biggest band is The Kaiser Chiefs who were simultaneously playing The Main Stage. I’m so pleased I chose Fruit Tones and I’ve been streaming them ever since.

Tess Parks was the second-to-last artist I saw. My friend from another blog I write for told me to see
her. I trusted him. And I’m so glad I did. The lights had faded, and the room glowed just enough to
see the gorgeous flowers that surrounded her. After her set had finished, I approached her and
asked her politely if I might be able to get a copy of her setlist (which was on the floor beside her).
She wasted no time in picking it up for me, before saying “I don’t like your pin!” I was wearing my
yellow “I’m such an idiot” pin, a piece of merchandise from The Charlatans. Tess’ song “Life is but a Dream” is a current favourite song of mine. If there’s one artist you listen to after reading my review, please make it her. She’s amazing.

Deja Vega finished off my festival and closed Tim Peaks stage for Kendal Calling 2023. I was
expecting them to knock my socks off, to create a huge mosh pit and for people to be spilling out of
the little shed that is Tim Peaks diner. They did all of this, and I even saw cameras poking through
the open windows from outside and people dancing on the grass. It was full to capacity, and they
couldn’t get inside. Their setlist included a favourite of mine: “Mr. Powder” from their debut album
Deja Vega. They also played: “Eyes of Steel” which I think is about not being able to tear one’s gaze
away from what is right in front of that person. Something like that. Or that’s what it means to me in
any case!

After the gig I caught up with the lads, who are fast becoming good friends of mine. Of being back
playing at Tim Peaks, Mike Newton (bassist) had this to tell me: “We felt really nervous going up
against the main stage, but it couldn’t have gone any better for us. We are so proud to headline a
stage at a major festival especially one run by the lead singer of one of our favourite bands. What we
love most about Tim Peaks is that it gives bands a chance”.

Tim Peaks diner is where I spent the most of my time at this year’s Kendal Calling, and it’s where some of my favourite music was played. Going strong since 2011, Tim Peaks has been raising
money for charity since its inception. This year Tim Peaks raised over ten thousand pounds for charity ‘Help Us Help Bands’ which goes towards giving new bands whatever they might need: a rehearsal space, or touring and recording help. It’s brilliant. See you there in 2024?