Concert News

KENDAL CALLING announces 2021 return

• 26th Mar 2021

Once again opening the gorgeous Lake District to the world, Kendal Calling is set to return in style with a formidable festival weekend. Set for July 29th-August 1st and rich with undeniable moments and heavyweight headliners, the 2021 edition sees a true coming together that festival-goers have been waiting for.

Stereophonics sit as one of the UK’s most successful bands of the past 25 years, scoring number one after number one with their ready-made anthems and euphoric live shows. Led by Kelly Jones, one of the great British songwriters, their headline turn in 2017 stands as one of the greatest in the festival’s history – and with new album ‘Kind’ continuing their run of number one albums at the end of 2019, they were the first band to call to soundtrack Kendal Calling’s 15th birthday celebrations, even if it’s delayed by one year…

There may not be a more perfect headliner for Kendal Calling 2021 than The Streets. An undeniable icon in British music culture, Mike Skinner over the course of nearly 20 years has impacted and shaped the sound of modern life in the UK and beyond. Recognised as one of the best live acts on the planet, his no-holds-barred hit rate of festival anthems brings the fire every single time. From ‘Fit But You Know It’, ‘Don’t Mug Yourself’, ‘Has It Come To This’, ‘Blinded By The Lights’ and ‘Turn The Page’ to the soaring emotion of ‘Dry Your Eyes’, ‘The Escapist’ and ‘Never Went To Church’ – Mike Skinner and The Streets are unrivalled in defining moments in time. Heading to the fields this summer, get ready for the perfect bottle-popping headline celebration that an entire nation has been waiting for. Lock down your aerials.

Expect soaring singalongs to ring out as the returning Supergrass make their Kendal Calling debut, celebrating over 25 years since the Oxford outfit’s Mercury-nominated No.1 debut album release ‘I Should Coco’. Bursting onto the scene with infectious hooks and melodic charm, scooping Brit, Q, NME and Ivor Novello-Awards, the 1995 album marked the beginning of nearly two decades of chart-topping success. Expect a career-spanning Greatest Hits set to be blaring from the rafters as their beloved reunion rolls into Kendal Calling 2021.

Kicking off Kendal Calling 2021 as the special Thursday night headliner, Dizzee Rascal knows how to turn a festival inside-out with a truly ‘Bonkers’ headline display. One of the biggest chart toppers of the century, his ultimate jukebox of pop smashes will go down a storm once again in the heart of the Lake District. He’ll be joined for a special Thursday night toast by pop-blending indie thrivers Sundara Karma and hotly tipped new favourite Alfie Templeman – with more names to be announced.

No birthday party is complete without Craig David presents TS5, serving up a cocktail of big beats and dancefloor-hits like nobody else can. Expect a trip through Craig’s cracking chart toppers, fresh remixes and more for a pumping dance-off that’ll put a doink on a huge weekend.

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Synonymous with iconic festival moments, Kendal Calling 2021 is set to bring the goods with a peerless festival lineup full of festival favourites and unmissable new talent. Stockport’s own Blossoms are ready to kick up a storm when they call into Lowther Deer Park. Longstanding festival favourites, Blossoms’ fabled appearances over the years have tied into their trajectory as one of the nation’s favourite new bands, with latest album ‘Foolish Loving Spaces’ widely recognised as their best to date, get ready to catch Blossoms for a bonafide festival memory in the making.

Indie singalongs? Look no further than The Kooks, set to make their debut appearance at Kendal Calling. With a devoted following across the globe, The Kooks have one of the most formidable back catalogues in British guitar music – with ‘Naive’, ‘Always Where I Need To Be’, ‘Ooh La’ and ‘She Moves In Her Own Way’ just a hint of their singalong favourites. After mammoth shows in 2019, expect Kendal Calling to be in collective cheer when Luke Pritchard & Co come to town this July.

At every turn, Kendal Calling delivers. Honorary Brits, and widely seen as one of the most beloved breakthrough bands of the past few years, DMA’s will continue to take things to new levels with their return to Kendal Calling this July. After an unforgettable landmark night headline London’s Brixton Academy last March, DMA’s cemented their place as a soundtrack to thousands across the UK and beyond – with Kendal Calling sure to be filled with signalong voices. Similarly fresh from storming the UK Album Charts with second album ‘Evering Road’, Tom Grennan returns to Kendal Calling this summer with an emphatic live celebration in the fields. Expect choice cuts from his chart-topping success, as one of the UK’s brightest young artists takes that step up in prime fashion.

Combining festival legends from over the years and the freshest new talent all bringing their own distinct flavour to proceedings, Kendal Calling delivers for all musical stylings. Fresh from scoring a Top 3 Album for sophomore record ‘Who Am I?’, Pale Waves head to Kendal Calling this summer with a blistering mix of pop-rock smashes ready to light up the festival – while Kendal Calling regular Frank Turner returns with a must-view set full of folk-punk tales that have become one with the festival faithful. Equally inspiring mass singalongs is Scouting For Girls, whose buoyant pop smashes ‘Elvis Ain’t Dead’, ‘She’s So Lovely’ and ‘Heartbeat’ amongst others are sure to lift Kendal Calling into sun-kissed jubilance – while ‘Valerie’ hitmakers The Zutons and feverish live heroes The Magic Gang and The Sherlocks are sure to forge their own festival highlights as they take to the Kendal Calling stage. With the funk and soul party atmosphere soundtracked by Craig Charles and breakthrough new indie sensations The Snuts, The Reytons, Lottery Winners, The Lathums, Abbie Ozard and The K’s all primed and ready to go – Kendal Calling is firmly placing its flag into the ground as the definitive festival experience this July.

And let’s not forget… The Lancashire Hotpots. Taking their place as the unofficial Kendal Calling house band once again, it simply wouldn’t be an unmissable weekend in the field without them.

Not just bursting with huge moments from your favourite bands, Kendal Calling’s Glow Tent will be pumping once again with the biggest pop hits and electronic moves. Chart sensation Joel Corry heads to Kendal Calling this summer, with ‘Lonely’, ‘Head & Heart’ and his take on ‘Sorry’ bound to soundtrack euphoric celebration at Lowther Deer Park. Rave icons Faithless (DJ Set) will once again deliver memory after countless memory with a thrilling set in the Glow Tent, while drum n bass icon Andy C will be bursting the tent at its seams with an unstoppable world of electric anthems that’ll have festival-goers jaw-dropped in awe. With a mix of rave greats and thrilling new talent such as 808 State, Low Steppa, Skepsis, Graeme Park, DJ Hazard, Mollie Collins and more all confirmed today – the party is sure to carry on through the night at Kendal Calling 2021.

Speaking about the return of Kendal Calling in 2021, Festival Co-Founders Andy Smith and Ben Robinson said:
“It’s a great feeling to be able to announce the return of Kendal Calling in 2021. Not being able to celebrate together in the fields last year has only heightened anticipation for our return this July with a lineup that truly captures what Kendal Calling is all about. It’s an honour to welcome back The Streets to headline this year’s show, along with Supergrass, Stereophonics and Dizzee Rascal all ready to make new festival memories – as well as massive names like Craig David’s TS5, Blossoms, The Kooks, DMA’s and Tom Grennan to name but a few. It’s sure to be an unforgettable moment stepping back into Lowther Deer Park this July and we can’t wait to have you all join us”.

With many MANY more names set to be announced over the coming weeks and months, Kendal Calling once again stands as an undeniable festival standout this summer – providing the celebratory weekend of glory this summer, full of cherished moments of festival bliss and emphatic memories from start to finish. With stage takeovers from famed label Xtra Mile Records, Earache Records, BBC Introducing In Cumbria and more set to be revealed, alongside Kendal Calling’s unrivalled family lineup, Soapbox comedy stage, emerging House Party stage, cult classic Woodlands stage, eclectic Chai Wallah programme and much much more – Kendal Calling 2021 is heralding the return of festivals with a perfect coming-together you can only find at Lowther Deer Park.

With a vast number of 2020 ticketholders choosing to carry-over their tickets to 2021, a limited number of weekend tickets are now on sale, with fans encouraged to grab their place at the biggest festival party of the summer ASAP.