Africa Oye Festival 2010 Review and Gallery

A sunny Sefton Park in Liverpool, saw about 20,000 people descend on it for the return of African Oye this weekend, the largest free African music festival in the UK. With music from a wide variety of countries like Senegal, Haiti, Cuba, Jamaica and the UK and a vast selection of food and various stalls selling numerous items from these countries, this festival catered for everyone's taste.

The music was of course the highlight of the weekend, (apart from the Jerk chicken from one of the stalls). With some of the bands playing two hour sets, which might seem like a long time but the music and energy from each band was so captivating that the time just flew by. One act who stood out the most for me was Carlou D, from Senegal. His performance was to so hypnotic that you were swept away with every move, beat and lyric.

If you missed out on this event, I suggest that you mark it in your diaries for next year as if this years festival was anything to go by, you will be missing out on one of the best weekends Liverpool has to offer in relation to music.

Words: Alison Goggin

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KENDAL CALLING ANNOUNCE MORE ACTS

More bands have been announced for the Kendal Calling festival these include the weekend headliners. On Saturday The Doves headline the festival and on the Sunday its the turn of the wonderful Coral to take top billing. These will be joined by acts British Sea Power, Badly Drawn Boy,Stereo MC's, Kid British and the King Blues

Two of the North West’s finest exports have been confirmed for the Lake District’s Kendal Calling festival: anthem generating Doves and festival favourites The Coral will headline Saturday and Sunday nights at the stunning festival site.
Joining the likes of Calvin Harris, local lads Wild Beasts and The Futureheads they will take to the mainstage for some trailblazing live sets over the 3-day event. Doves who are used to country dwelling after recording their last two albums in greener settings will be Saturday night headliners, treating revellers to hits such as ‘There Goes The Fear’ and ‘Pounding’ plus other tracks from last year’s Kingdom of Rust album. Doves have a back catalogue of hits that have seen them open for the likes of Coldplay and U2 with their hypnotic and exuberant soundscapes.

Fellow North West heroes & Sunday night headliners The Coral are set to close the festival with their infectious blend of freewheeling guitars and heart-warming Mersey beats. Down to earth lyricists and good time troubadours; The Coral weave words about everything from grandmothers to love to loneliness with high-octane hooks from the 7 piece band. Kendal Calling crowds can look forward to hits like ‘Dreaming of You’, ‘In the Morning’, and ‘Jacqueline’.
Kendal Calling HQ are delighted that British Sea Power back by popular demand, they headlined our first ever Kendal calling in 2006, returned in 2008 and the band are excited to come and celebrate the festivals 5th Birthday with us & deliver one of their famed storming sets. Originally from Kendal, BSP will be fresh from their own mini festival taking place at Britain’s highest pub – Tan Hill. Kendal Calling are massive fans of British Sea Power and they’ll also be celebrating the launch of their new album – Sunday’s performance is set to be special. With a huge cult following, British Sea Power reside in Brighton, they’ve toured all over the UK and now sail to the high hills of the Lakes!

Prolific songwriter Badly Drawn Boy is also on board the Sunday line up, set to relay his sunshine hits ‘Once Around the Block’ bringing his acoustic sounding magic to the fields.
Brixton dance legends Stereo MC’s will take to the stage on Friday, an extra special show complete with full band & light show and a back catalogue of hip shaking hits spanning the last decade. Their tracks are etched on everyone’s musical memory. Fresh from supporting Madness at O2 Arena last year The Stereo MC’s will take to Kendal Calling main stage with hits such as ‘Connected’ and tracks from their latest Double Bubble album.

Playful Manchester 4-piece Kid British set out to clear the clouds drawing on the street smart sounds of Madness and Blur. They were recently polled above Oasis in a survey of Manchester’s best bands. Delivering a rude boy blend of club friendly beats with hip-hop production – the Kendal fields will be shaking under foot!

Described by NME as ‘riotous sozzled punk with a pinch of salt’ The King Blues return to Kendal Calling after headlining the 2^nd stage last year. They make rough radical music that sits just as well on the Radio as it does in festival fields. Fresh from last years recordings of ‘Save the World, Get the Girl’ this band are a must-see.

Watch this space for more irrepressible line up news coming soon!

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KENDAL CALLING SET TO FUND & HOST INDEPENDENT ARTISTS

Kendal Calling, deemed as ‘The Glastonbury of the North’, are offering the fantastic opportunity for independent artists to show off their creative and inventive talents by displaying their work and ideas in one of the most beautiful natural spots in the country - canvases don’t get better than this! The applications are open to anyone and the generous folks at Kendal Calling are also offering out grants for the chosen projects.


Kendal Calling are looking for a range of ideas from sculptures, interactive installations, inventive performance art to hidden gems. From the bold to the beautiful, the raucous to the refined - there are minimal restraints and no theme to adhere to, so applicants are free to run wild!



Over previous years, Kendal Calling’s site art has seen the likes of Uncle Monty’s living room from ‘Withnail and I’ recreated for festival goers to sit back and recline in; 'Polacks Corner', a set of white furniture painted by the festival goers throughout the festival in a Jackson Polack style; a giant UV canopy, a multi coloured UV arch, water monster, scrap metal robots and many more fantastic and flamboyant creations by independent artists that have helped to make Kendal Calling such a special and unique experience.



Applications are now open and will close on 10th May 2010, to apply please contact art@kendalcalling.com or go to the website to download an application form http://www.wearecalling.com/artform.doc.

Please bear in mind when submitting applications that although Kendal Calling are very happy to discuss all proposals, they are an independent festival with limited funds available

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Beyonce and Jay-Z at Coachella Music Festival

The Coachella Music Festival is well underway and on Friday night rapper Jay-Z brought the house down with a guest appearance from his beautiful wife Beyonce.

Beyonce was not on the list of performers to appear this weekend, making it a nice surprise for concert goers.

Before his wife took to the stage, Jay-Z performed a number of hits including; “Run This Town” and “99 Problems.”

The pair performed a version of “Young Forever” as part of Jay-Z’s encore, ending in a massive firework display.

Other bands scheduled to perform at the festival include; Vampire Weekend, BoB, The xx, and LCD Soundsystem.

The festival is an annual event held in California and brings together some of the best musical talent the country has to offer.

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FREAKEASY THURSDAY AT KENDAL CALLING!

Freakeasy: A night of pan-dimensional, paranormal prohibition delights

Only 1500 exclusive passes available at £20 for festival ticket holders: No queue, pick of camping & full evening of incredible performances ahead of festival

Freakeasy: Thursday 29^th July

Kendal Calling full festival: Friday 30^th July - Sunday 1^th August 2010

Lowther Deer Park, Hackthorpe, The Lake District

Tickets now available from local outlets, visit www.kendalcalling.com for more info

Freakeasy video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c7I5O-YsUL4

NEXT MAJOR LINE UP ANNOUNCEMENT SET FOR 20^TH APRIL

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The tour de force of large-scale performance art and theatre that is FREAKEASY will be in full effect onsite on the eve of Kendal Calling, a jaw-dropping exclusive for Kendal Calling & for the Lake District. Just 1500 tickets are available for the Freakeasy show so revellers can kick off the weekend a day early and enjoy no queues, first pick of camping & a full evening of all-encompassing parties. Highly skilled circus and side show performers are part of Freakeasy to complete a multi medium feast for the senses as well as the feet.

Freakeasy features the world’s tallest DJ, cabaret & the garden of the paranormal. Amazing, jaw dropping installations like the gramo lantern: a massive gramophone with the horn as a projection screen and a walk-in Victorian parlour underneath. Plus a mobile piano street show, sword swallowing Guinness World record holder Space Cowboy plus angle grinding, hoop twirling & fire-laced spectacular to start the night with a bang!

Europe’s biggest solar powered stage Croissant Neuf will host a cavalcade of live bands, DJ’s and sideshow troubadours all tied together by master of ceremonies, Don Francisco (compere to Lost Vagueness, Trash City, Arcadia and his very own Invisible Circus.)

So roll up roll up, this ground breaking show manifests for one night only – Kendal Calling beckons!

EDITORS NOTES:

NEXT MAJOR LINE UP ANNOUNCEMENT ON 20^TH APRIL

THURSDAY 29^TH JULY INFO:

CAMPSITE OPENS: 12NOON

ARENA OPENS: 4PM

FREAKEASY BEGINS: 6PM..

LINE UP SO FAR:

CALVIN HARRIS / WILD BEASTS / THE FUTUREHEADS / OK GO / DUB PISTOLS / EROL ALKAN / DJ YODA / PLUMP DJ’S / HIGH CONTRAST / SCRATCH PERVERTS / ELITE FORCE / JUSTIN ROBERTSON / DANNY BYRD / DOORLY / ESKIMO TWINS / EMALKAY / PEOPLE GET REAL / RICH REASON / KEN EVIL / ASH HOWELL / CRAIG CHARLES FUNK & SOUL SHOW / LANCASHIRE HOTPOTS

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PRESS QUOTES

"The real draw of Kendal Calling though, is the backdrop. A truly stunning landscape surrounds the campsite, rolling green fields give way to craggy rock outcrops, the odd mountain, copses of luscious green trees and reams of shaggy bright grass. It’s a world away from literally anywhere...which means Kendal Calling can double as an actual holiday. Bonus." - Clashmusic.co.uk

"The way the organisers took the hassle out of the festival-going was another big plus-point... The festival reminded me of a smaller version of Glastonbury – it catered for every age group... Overall the organisation and atmosphere was great. This festival is a goer, and it's one I’ll be heading to next year"- Manchester Confidential

"The site was charming, just the perfect size ... Present festivals also seem to place a lot of emphasis on how to keep the masses entertained and this one truly excelled. Would I go again? Definitely – it has great potential and isn’t just about the music, all for a fair price" - SafeConcerts.co.uk

TICKET DETAILS:

Date: Freakeasy: Thursday 29^th July.

Full festival: Friday 30^th July – Sunday 1st August 2010

Location: Lowther Deer Park, Hackthorpe, CA10 2HN

Ticket Price: Freakeasy pass (available to ticket holders only): £20

Weekend Camping Tickets: £85

Available @ www.ticketline.co.uk or check www.kendalcalling.com for direct ticket sales and a list of local ticket outlets

Big Green Coach: Coach travel & festival ticket from £100. Coach travel from £15. 18 departure locations. http://www.biggreencoach.co.uk/kendalcalling

Big Green Coach will plant a tree for every full coach we take to the festival - making it even more environmentally friendly.

Direct Tickets: www.kendalcalling.com

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