Kendal Calling 2026 Review: Biffy Brilliance and a Festival at Its Best

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Five years of my attending and Kendal Calling continues to prove why it remains one of the UK's finest medium-sized festivals. Set against the stunning backdrop of the Lowther Estate, the 2026 edition delivered four days of exceptional music, great food and memorable moments, capped by what may well have been the greatest headline performance I've ever witnessed at the festival.

Before the music even started, there were positive signs. For the first time in several years, entry into the festival site was surprisingly smooth. The horror car queues of previous editions seemed largely absent, suggesting organisers have listened to feedback and improved the arrival experience. General camping queues still felt slower than they should have been, but compared to previous years it was a noticeable improvement.

One of Kendal Calling's enduring strengths is its diverse audience. Few festivals manage to attract first-time festivalgoers, seasoned veterans and families with equal success. However, there are signs that balancing those groups is becoming more challenging. The increasing number of chair circles occupying large sections of the arena sometimes created barriers for those wanting to move around or engage with the performances. The stated policy of keeping areas in front of the sound desk chair-free seemed inconsistently enforced, and several acts struggled to fully connect with audiences distracted by conversations within their own groups. It was a shame, because the quality of performances throughout the weekend deserved complete attention.

Thankfully, the weather largely played its part, with plenty of sunshine and only brief interruptions from rain. Judging by the number of sunburnt necks spotted on Thursday evening, many attendees underestimated the Cumbrian sunshine.

Food offerings were perhaps the strongest they've ever been. The introduction of Ranch House 76 was a masterstroke, providing a genuine space to sit down and enjoy a meal rather than balancing food on your knees. Its breakfasts quickly became a daily ritual, even threatening to dethrone my long-standing festival favourite, the Himalayan breakfast dumplings. My only concern is that there became a need to book a table in advance, a definite first for Kendal, what’s next, fine dining?

Thursday: Lloyd Cole Sets an Impossible Standard

Thursday traditionally offers a varied appetiser before the festival fully comes alive, but this year's opening night delivered a genuine highlight.

Local favourites Rebel Hearts got things underway at Tim Peaks, but it was Lloyd Cole's intimate acoustic set that stole the evening. Playing to a packed diner, Cole delivered a masterclass in songwriting. His voice sounded superb, and the warmth between artist and audience created one of those rare festival moments that lingers long after the final note. It was thoughtful, passionate and utterly captivating.

After that, everyone else faced a difficult task. The Cribs came closest, producing a fierce and energetic set that, for me, edged out Thursday headliners The Kooks. The Kooks were excellent, but The Cribs simply felt more vital and engaging.

Friday: Discoveries, Favourites and Pure Fun

Friday marked the opening of all festival stages, including always-reliable favourites Parklands, Calling Out and Woodlands. It also saw me get to interview Rianne Downey and Dea Matrona, both of which interviews will be published on this site.

The day began strongly with Rianne Downey, whose confidence and charisma ensured the Main Stage woke up properly.

Black Honey followed with a stylish and assured performance that reinforced why they remain one of the UK's most compelling live acts.

Hard-Fi delivered exactly the crowd-pleasing set expected of them, but Friday was arguably defined by stage-hopping.

Brooki impressed at Calling Out, while the festival's worst-kept secret turned out to be The Koko's on the Parklands Stage, who were in reality The Lottery Winners.

As ever, they demonstrated why they have become one of Britain's most enjoyable live bands, sharing a genuine bond with the Kendal audience.

The run that followed showcased Kendal Calling at its very best. Rosadocs, Dutch newcomers Son Mieux and The Vaccines all impressed, but it was Scissor Sisters who truly elevated the day. Their set was a joyous explosion of energy, packed with huge songs, brilliant staging and infectious fun. Quite frankly, they were too good to be anything other than headliners.

The evening only became more intense. Ash delivered a heavier and more aggressive set than I've previously seen from them, while Dea Matrona produced one of the weekend's standout rock performances, proving they're destined for far bigger stages.

A whirlwind tour through Two Door Cinema Club, Deaf Havana and the wonderfully bizarre Moodlandingz rounded off an exhausting but exhilarating first full day.

Even Rock and Roll Bingo somehow became one of the weekend's highlights, prompting mass and dancing from people who often seemed entirely unsure what was happening.

Saturday: A Headline Performance for the Ages

Saturday always carried a sense of anticipation, thanks largely to one band.

The day itself was packed with quality. Swim School, Cherry Holt, Mustbe John, Fletchr Fletchr, The Hunna, Gabrielle, Dutty Moonshine Band, The North, Ellur, Brogeal and Arkayla all impressed, while Bleech 9 3 generated the most passionate crowd response I'd witnessed all weekend and one of the most intent performances.

I was both happy and sad to see the Hunna as they have announced they are calling it a day but they were as full on as ever, Cherry Holt are definitely on the verge of breaking big and I think there is a very strong chance MustBe John will be blowing up at the same time.

Other highlights included the hilariously entertaining Ogretones, possibly the world's only Shrek tribute band, and another strong performance from The Libertines, who seemed entirely at home on the Main Stage.

Yet everything ultimately built towards Biffy Clyro.

I've long believed Biffy are the finest live band in the UK, and this performance only reinforced that opinion. The production was spectacular, with flamethrowers, fireworks, confetti and streamers creating an arena-sized spectacle. But those elements were merely decoration. At the heart of the show was a band performing with absolute conviction, intensity and joy.

It was a breathtaking headline set and, quite simply, the finest I've seen in five years of attending Kendal Calling.

Sunday: Traditions Old and New

Sunday began with the familiar ritual of tent-packing before another packed day of music.

No Kendal Calling Sunday would feel complete without The Lancashire Hotpots, whose annual appearance remains one of the festival's great traditions. Watching newcomers attempt to understand what was happening while seasoned attendees enthusiastically joined in remains part of the charm.

The theme for the day was movies and there were some strong outfits on show, from a highly impressive C3-PO in a gold latex suit to Han Solo and more Minions than I could count it was great fun seeing how many people had embraced it, my own pathetic attempt wearing a Star Wars t-shirt paled in comparison.

Elsewhere, Bex, Pentire, Lily Moore, Florence Road, Red Rum Club all delivered strong performances.

Florence Road, in particular, looked every bit a band with a bright future ahead.

I also watched quite a bit of the simply stunning Girl in the Year Above, being on the soundtrack of the recent Peaky Blinders movie will have helped their profile but you really need to go see them yourselves, even the a bit of miscommunication with their stand in drummer added to their set.

One of the weekend's best full sets came courtesy of Massive Wagons, who completely owned the Parklands Stage and attracted one of the more diverse crowds of the festival.

As fatigue began to set in, there was still time for a strong finish. Primal Scream delivered an enjoyable set, while Wolf Alice provided another reminder that they are now unquestionably a headline-level act. Their rise in recent years has been remarkable, and they looked and sounded every inch festival headliners I even managed to fit in some of Circa Waves as well.

I did manage to fit in some visits to Chai Wallah’s over the weekend as well, always worth a visit and I was lucky enough to catch snippets of a few great bands playing there, if you go to the festival please support the acts on the smaller stages, there is life beyond the main stage!

Verdict

Kendal Calling 2026 delivered everything a great festival should: excellent food, a welcoming atmosphere, exciting discoveries and genuinely world-class headline performances.

A few improvements could still be made around crowd management and chair enforcement, but they do little to diminish what was an outstanding weekend.

Standout performances: Lloyd Cole, The Lottery Winners, Massive Wagons, Wolf Alice, Florence Road, Girl In The Year Above and, towering above them all, Biffy Clyro.

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