After two-evenings of back-to-back action, it was time to get back in the fields for the official second day of Kendal Calling 2025 and today was particularly special – as it was the official day of Kendal Calling’s 20th Birthday!
Along with party hats and cake in the press room, I was also still on a bit of a buzz from The Courteeners headlining on the Friday night, and excited to see what Saturday had on offer – and had a plan to see many of the acts on offer…
First up for us was Nina Nesbitt – who was second up on the Main Stage after Finn Foster opened the day…
Nina Nesbitt on the Main Stage – Kendal Calling 2025 – Photo Credit: Lois Coles
Now I’ve dipped in and out of Nina’s song catalogue in the past, being a fan of tracks like “Luv Me a Little” and a cracking cover of “Girls Just Wanna Have Fun” – originally by Cyndi Lauper, but Nina does do it justice!
It was a short but sweet set, Nina drew in a decent crowd early on, which I reckon is quite the achievement, given that three nights in the fields (four for some!) – there was bound to be some groggy people and sore heads for sure – but Nina has this angelic, soothing voice and her set could have woken anyone out of a rough hangover!
Highlights of the set include “The Best You Had”, “Parachute” and “I’m Coming Home” – and in all honesty, and I will say this about many acts! Nina could have easily had a longer and higher up slot, on either the Main Stage or Parklands stage – it has given me the nudge to listen to more of Nina’s material too!
A perfect start for the Saturday for us!
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Next up were a band I am somehow yet to see, The Pigeon Detectives…
The Pigeon Detectives POV from the Main Stage – Kendal Calling 2025 – Photo Credit: Kendal Calling
I can’t put this lightly, The Pigeon Detectives full on launched into their set, and they wasted no time in getting started, which I thought was surprising, considering that frontman Matt Bowman shared ahead of the set some impressive but painful looking bruises, but you would have had no idea watching them – they quickly turned the set into a big, crazy free-for-all that was quite literally chaos, but in the best way possible.
One thing Kendal Calling has not been short of is energy, BIG energy and The Pigeon Detectives can join that club for 2025, as frontman Matt Bowman was quite literally everywhere, flinging himself around the stage, playing with the mic, as well as jumping around and shouting – which literally never stopped until the very end.
We were treated to some of their big hits like “Take Her Back” and “I’m Not Sorry” – which proved popular with the crowd as they sang back the lyrics and it honestly felt like it had just hit the charts!
That said, what I did like, is that they easily slotted in their newer material, so it didn’t actually feel new, it felt like it had always been part of the setlist – but I think I put that down to their non-stop enthusiasm and energy on stage.
Naturally the biggest highlight for me was “I Found Out” – it was the perfect mix of nostalgia, fun and upbeat – perfect in the sunshine!
They had nothing to prove, but they still played like they were trying to win over the crowd, but it felt like the Saturday really turned up a notch once they took to the stage.
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After The Pigeon Detectives, I took a bit of time to walk round and soak in the atmosphere, as there is SO much to do at Kendal Calling – probably one of the reasons I struggled to choose what to eat, but it was a perfect calm before a mega set from Sheffield’s own, Reverend and the Makers…
The crowd waiting for Sheffield’s own Reverend and the Makers at the barrier of the Main Stage – Kendal Calling 2025 – Photo Credit: Hayley Grice
I was blown away by the amount of people who packed out the main stage to see them – I knew they were popular, but it’s clear they’d become a staple of Kendal Calling over the years.
As the screen dawned the logo, two of the Reverend’s entourage donned in suits brought out flags with the logo on, ready to welcome the band on stage, with frontman Jon McClure bringing on his own marked decorative cloth – and went straight into the music.
Jon McClure – Frontman of Reverend and the Makers on the Main Stage – Kendal Calling 2025 – Photo Credit: Hayley Grice
Reverend & the Makers could honestly host a masterclass in the art of stage presence, from the very first twang of “Bassline”, the entire crowd bouncing like their lives depended on it.
If you had plans to sit in the sun and enjoy the set, frontman Jon McClure had other plans, he encouraged singing, dancing and jumping, telling the crowd to “look after each other, if someone falls down, you pick them up” and then the magic words “From the front to the back, let’s bounce!” and on cue, the crowd did.
Now I’ve seen Reverend & the Makers alot over the years, and to this day, it still baffles me how they and while they’ve not yet broken into thathe headliner status everyone in that crowd and beyond knows that they deserve.
Whilst they initially have a bit of an indie-rock background, in recent years, they’ve dipped their toes into different genres, experimenting with the electronic, soul, rock and indie, to name a few – there is literally something for everyone.
Big tracks included “Shine A Light” – which to Rev retorted “The best song to ever grace the FIFA soundtrack” and I am inclined to agree, other highlights included their new track “Haircut” – which features actress Vicky McClure, sadly no appearance from her today but the song is bloody catchy!
They mixed the setlist up from what I’m used to, and it was a refreshing change, their usual exit song “Heavyweight Champion of the World” sat comfortably in the middle of the set, whilst they ended up closing the set with “Silence is Talking” – which was a fantastic choice, leaving the crowd singing along with “Da, da, da, da, da, da” etc – you get it – and using a trumpet to have a big finale.
Reverend and the Makers bassist Antonia Pooles on the Main Stage – Kendal Calling 2025 – Photo Credit: Hayley Grice
Whilst Jon McClure leads the parade of charisma and energy, his bandmates Laura, Antonia, Tom and Adam are not far behind, giving the crowd some incredible dancing and keeping the clapping and arms raised, all whilst making playing instruments look easy.
Laura McClure with her flawless keywork and vocals that pack a punch, plus Antonia Pooles with flawless bass playing, she made it look that easy I considered taking it up myself! (I’m not, don’t worry!)
On a sunny Saturday afternoon, with a huge crowd fully engaged and singing-along – it was clear that Reverend and the Makers had set the mark for the day and everyone was in the mood to party! It was definitely a turning point where at that moment, the mood changed and shifted up a gear.
I also had the opportunity to catch up with Jon McClure, you can hear our chat very soon, but in the meantime, I’ll leave you with this lovely photo of us both getting into the party spirit…
Reverend and the Makers frontman Jon McClure and RGM’s Hayley Grice getting into the party spirit for Kendal Calling’s 20th Birthday – Photo Credit: Hayley Grice
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Next up was a band that I don’t think needs a lot of introduction to the stage as they seem to be everywhere, both in the UK and internationally, and there’s good reason for it, I’m talking about The Lottery Winners…
The Lottery Winners frontman Thom Rylance on the Main Stage – Kendal Calling 2025 – Photo Credit: Kendal Calling
If I’m being honest, if I said The Lottery Winners smashed it at Kendal Calling 2025, I’d be doing their set an injustice, I’ve seen them once before and they were brilliant then, but they’ve grafted and climbed up the ladder quicker than I ever gave them credit for.
They turned their set into something I never thought I could experience, all of a sudden a huge crowd of strangers felt like a huge group of friends that had known each other for years and frontman Thom Rylance had everyone in the palm of his hand – his style of stage presence is unique, whilst he is a storyteller, he is also incredibly funny, but also incredibly raw and it was a big mix of chaotic, funny and emotional in the best way possible.
It’s evident how much of a loyal following they’ve built, with the crowd singing-along and to some of their hits like “Worry,” and “Let Me Down” – The surprise highlight was when Reverend and the Makers’ frontman Jon McClure popped out to join them for “You Again” – which after their set, which was one big party, that added even more buzz and energy to an already electric atmosphere and pushed it up even further.
In recent months, The Lottery Winners have also been on tour with Robbie Williams, an icon in his own right – which speaks volumes for the bands success in recent years – and the band brought a piece of that back with them, doing a snippet of “Angels” – further bringing the crowd together to sing in unison.
Thom Rylance and Katie Lloyd of the Lottery Winners on the Main Stage – Kendal Calling 2025 – Photo Credit: Kendal Calling
The chemistry between Thom, Kate, Robert and Joe was unmatched so far throughout the day – there is so much love between them and they clearly support each other and their fans do too – and their northern charm, honest communication and love for each other and their fans is evident.
I had an opportunity to catch up with Thom ahead of their set, the interview is coming soon, but he is a very down-to-earth and honest human and what you see on stage isn’t for show, it’s Thom, through and through and that is incredibly admirable.
The Lottery Winners frontman Thom Rylance and RGM’s Hayley Grice – Kendal Calling 2025 – Photo Credit: Hayley Grice
It was going to be tough to beat and if you were at Kendal Calling watching them, not already a fan of The Lottery Winners, I would guess that you probably are now…
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Now it was the big decider, Scouting For Girls or Fat Boy Slim? I’ll make it easy for you, both, definitely both…
Scouting For Girls headlined the Parklands stage on the Saturday and had a criminally shorter set, they definitely should have been on the main stage for somepoint in the day, but there’s always other years… right Kendal Calling?
Scouting For Girls – Guitarist Connor McDonald and Bassist Greg Churchouse on the Parklands Stage – Kendal Calling 2025
Photo Credit: Hayley Grice
Scouting For Girls took over the Parklands Stage for a solid 40-minute set, and as soon as they all bounced onto the stage, frontman Roy Stride declared the audience “The fifth member of Scouting For Girls” – whilst I’ve seen the band so many times I can’t count, and this has always been an element, it ALWAYS feels special.
Now Scouting For Girls are set to go on another tour, but it’s a bit of a celebration this time, as 2025 marks the 15th anniversary of their second album, “Everybody Wants To Be On TV”, and if it’s a party they wanted, it’s a party they got!
Frontman Roy Stride got the crowd going right off with their hit “This Ain’t A Love Song” and he really got the crowd involved, with us all singing the “ooooooh” – not that it stopped any of us anyway! and whilst that set the standard, it was exceeded through every song.
I was made up to hear “1+1” included in the set — Roy even joked about how the record label wanted more hits like “She’s So Lovely” and “Elvis Ain’t Dead,” as it was “feel good pop” but they didn’t have anything like that at the time, and if anything it was “not very appropriate” but they released it anyway and featured on their second album, and is still a true fan favourite.
“Posh Girls” was another highlight; the crowd absolutely loved it, especially when Roy got everyone to point out who was the poshest and least posh group in the audience, which with the mixed ages of the audience, brought a lot of laughs and it was nice to see families, groups of friends and fans all singing along having the best time together.
“Elvis Ain’t Dead” is always an absolute treat, which came a bit earlier than I expected but, there was a little surprise included, as slipped in a snippet of Elvis Presley’s “Can’t Help Falling In Love With You” right before wrapping it up, and it was blended together beautifully.
They wrapped things up with “Raise a Glass” from their latest album, and to the crowd’s surprise, they were filmed by the bands’ team for the upcoming music video, which added another element of inclusion and fun – it was a really nice touch.
Scouting For Girls frontman Roy Stride giving us all a masterclass of how to work a crowd – Kendal Calling 2025
Photo Credit: Hayley Grice
Of course, they closed with fan favorite “She’s So Lovely” sending everyone out of the Parklands Stage with a feel of euphoria and a massive smile – I just wish that “I Was James Bond” had made the setlist — it would’ve been a killer addition, but I guess I’ll have to wait for the tour (Watch this Space!).
I was incredibly lucky to finally meet Scouting For Girls and have a chat with them ahead of the set, and they were bloody lovely – and we’ll be dropping the interview with them soon!
Me and Lois were lucky enough to chat to Scouting For Girls – Roy Stride, Pete Ellard and Greg Churchouse – Kendal Calling 2025
Photo Credit: Hayley Grice
Saturday was already difficult to contend with for fan interaction, but Scouting For Girls delivered one of the best of the entire weekend, as they mixed their big original hits with their newer tunes, whilst including everyone (even those spilling out of the tent) part of the party.
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And now for the big finale, the one that most had been waiting for… Fat Boy Slim…
Fat Boy Slim looking out to the crowd on the Saturday Night – Kendal Calling 2025 – Photo Credit: Nick Brooker – Kendal Calling
Now admittedly I didn’t see all of the set as I wanted to see Scouting For Girls, however, what I did see – I was incredibly impressed.
Despite joining the crowd late – you could feel the buzz amongst the crowd, everyone was up for it, and even those of a tamer disposition couldn’t help but bob their head and tap their feet – myself included.
I can confidently say that Norman Cook (AKA Fat Boy Slim) knows how to put on a show, and he put everyone into a party mode and it was further elevated with the special effects on the big screen.
One of many special effects on the screen of Fat Boy Slim’s set – Kendal Calling 2025 – Photo Credit: Hayley Grice
Naturally he brought out his big hits, which were my highlights in all honesty, “Praise You” and “Right Here, Right Now” were placed brilliantly, and reeled in the last of the stragglers, but of course “The Rockafeller Skank” and “Eat Sleep Rave Repeat” all made the crowd go wild – with each of them landing perfectly.
He also did use his set and space to spread some messages on the screen, with this one seemingly gaining a positive response from the crowd…
Fat Boy Slim on the Main Stage – Kendal Calling 2025 – Photo Credit: Hayley Grice
But for me, the best thing again was the crowd, it was really nice to see a mix of ages enjoying it – pairticularly families jio;parents were introducing their little ones to some of the music they grew up with, it was incredibly heartwarming.
I did get the impression that not everyone was sold, I’ve since seen some conversation about fans disappointed about some older tracks missing rather than mixing up some newer material and songs, but that said, you can’t please everyone.
For the majority, myself included, he seemed to hit the spot and did what he came to do, close the Saturday with one big party in the fields and essentially DJ’ing Kendal Calling’s 20th birthday – a brilliant set and a brilliant closer ahead of a chilled night in the campsites or the silent disco in Lost Eden.
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Overall, a cracking day seemed to be had by all – especially for the official 20th Birthday of Kendal Calling! I was sad it was coming to a close, with one day left of the festival, but so far, it was shaping up to be one long four-day party – and I had high hopes for the final day…
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