KENDAL CALLING 2025 - SUNDAY
Folk, Fire & Fury: Kendal Calling’s 20th Birthday Party Closes with a Bang
★★★★★ (5/5)
THE PRODIGY CLOSE THE FINAL DAY OF KENDAL CALLING 2025 - 20TH ANNIVERSARY
PHOTOCREDIT: JOHN HAYHURST
After three days of music, mayhem and unforgettable moments, Kendal Calling 2025 rolled into its final day with a mixture of tired legs, sun-baked fields, and that bittersweet sense that the party was almost over. Saturday had been an all-out celebration: The Lottery Winners brought tears and laughter, Travis offered tender nostalgia, and Fatboy Slim turned the Main Stage into a euphoric playground of light and sound. Add in a riotous late-night set from Sports Team and Moonchild Sanelly’s wild woodland rave, and it felt almost impossible to top. But Sunday, the final chapter of the festival’s 20th anniversary edition, still had plenty left in the tank—and a closing headline set that would shake Lowther Deer Park to its core.
Tradition dictates that everyone attends The Lancashire Hotpots lunchtime Sunday slot to worship at the shrine of a summer panto, get dressed up, and sing songs like “Eggs, Sausage, Chips and Beans” and do a conga or two. The sun shone throughout their set and the happiness factor was off the charts. For those that are prepared to drop the cool cred image for an hour and just have a laugh, they were highly rewarded.
Frank Turner & The Sleeping Souls were on the Main Stage with exactly the kind of heart and honesty Sunday afternoons demand. His blend of punk spirit and folk storytelling has long made him a festival favourite, and this set was no exception. With a setlist that moved between defiance and gratitude, Turner made the field feel both raucous and intimate. “Recovery” and “Photosynthesis” had early risers singing like it was the last show on Earth, and “Be More Kind” landed with extra weight as Turner reflected on the festival’s community spirit. He remains one of the most genuine performers in the game, and this was a Sunday sermon with electric guitars, muddy boots and plenty of crowd surfing from Frank towards the end.
In a quirky but very Kendal twist, comedy took the spotlight, with Jason Manford having his appendix out, John Bishop stepped in at the last minute and Justin Moorhouse was on hand to introduce him. Bishop brought his well-honed stand-up to the Main Stage. It could have felt like a lull, but instead, it turned into a festival highlight. It was a pause for breath before the storm—and one that made perfect sense in the family-friendly, anything-goes world of Kendal.
Then came the storm: Skindred. If any band was ever made for a festival finale, it’s these Welsh ragga-metal veterans. Their fusion of heavy riffs, reggae rhythms, and pure stage presence turned the field into a bouncing frenzy. Frontman Benji Webbe, clad in leather and grinning like a rock’n’roll preacher, commanded the crowd with total authority. “Nobody” and “Warning” hit like a sledgehammer, and the now-traditional Newport Helicopter moment—shirts twirling overhead in a whirlwind of chaos—was nothing short of glorious. Skindred don’t just perform; they ignite.
I think its fair to say the energy levels dipped with The Last Dinner Party, who have gone from buzzy newcomers to must-see artists in the space of a year. Their set on the Main Stage was a theatrical, glam-infused delight, full of drama, elegance and surprising bite. However, quite a few people didnt quite get it and thought they should have swapped with Skindred as the band to play the main stage before The Prodigy.
Dressed like characters from a gothic novel but sounding like the future of British art-pop, they played with total conviction. “Nothing Matters” felt like a generational anthem in waiting, and “Caesar on a TV Screen” showed just how much musical ambition this band carries. At a festival that celebrates discovery as much as it does legacy, their set felt like a statement of intent for the decade to come.
One final trip to the Parklands stage offered a fitting reunion with Maximo Park, whose precision-crafted indie anthems hit that sweet spot between melancholy and dancefloor. Paul Smith, ever the thoughtful frontman in a sharp suit and sharper words, guided the crowd through a punchy set including “Apply Some Pressure”, “Books From Boxes”, and a soaring version of “Girls Who Play Guitars” to open with.
The Parklands tent, with its Halloween ceiling and dreamy atmosphere, felt like the perfect setting for their literate pop urgency—serious but never solemn, energised but never desperate.
Elsewhere, Chloe Slater put in a power pop princess performance, and Here’s Johnny turned out to be Red Rum Club doing a surprise set in Parklands.
And then, as darkness fell and the temperature dropped slightly, Kendal Calling prepared for its final act: The Prodigy.
Few bands carry the weight and mythology that The Prodigy do, and their return to headline the Main Stage on the festival’s 20th anniversary felt monumental.
From the moment “Omen” exploded into the night, it was clear this wasn’t just a headline set—it was a full-scale assault. Liam Howlett and Maxim delivered with ferocity, lighting up the stage in white strobes and red with enough dry ice to lose the first front row revellers, each track a brutal reminder of why they’ve long ruled the UK live dance scene.
Maxim makes an early venture down from the stage to look at the whites of the eyes of his Voodoo People before “Light Up The Sky” did just that.
“Firestarter” roared like a battle cry, a defiant tribute to the late Keith Flint that shook the field to its bones. “Voodoo People”, “Breathe”, and “Invaders Must Die” all driven by a relentless force. “Smack My Bitch Up” and a superb version of “Out of Space” finished us all off.
This wasn’t a nostalgic performance—it was alive, urgent, and felt very dangerous close up. The Prodigy closed Kendal not with a farewell, but with a detonation. The fireworks at the end were nothing compared to what had just happened on the main stage.
As the final beats rang out and the crowd slowly dispersed into the darkness—some beaming, others dazed and confused—there was a collective sense that something special had just happened. Kendal Calling’s 20th edition was more than a celebration of its past; it was a bold, brilliant reminder of why it’s one of the most loved festivals in the country.
From early-afternoon soul orchestrations to late-night dancefloor chaos, from intimate tents to main stage legends, it delivered a weekend packed with memories, sweat, and magic.
Early bird tickets for Kendal Calling 2026 go on sale this Thursday, 7th August at 10am. If this year has proved anything, it’s that you’ll want to be there when the fields come alive again in 12 months time.
KENDALL CALLING’S 20TH ANNIVESARY ENDS IN MASSIVE BANG!
PHOTOCREDIT:NICK BROOKER
REVIEW + PHOTOS BY: JOHN HAYHURST