Ever since we first heard the rumblings of a new festival coming to the outskirts of Carlisle in 2019 called Call of the Wild, we were behind it. Its first announcement delivered a whole load of bands we’ve covered and before the first chord was struck, it brought even more names we love and moved to its home where its taken place every year now: Lincolnshire Showground.
Now on its fourth year (no prizes for why it’s only year four despite launching in 2019 – my mental arithmetic isn’t failing me today), the festival has solidified itself into the festival calendar for that May bank holiday weekend. We’ve watched it grow and bring some incredible household names to Lincolnshire as well as give the newcomers a well-deserved platform. And in that time, we’ve always strived to spread the word as an independent festival bringing some of the best names on the DIY/unsigned/up-and-coming scene deserves it, especially when that’s what we’re primarily about, too
None of the Moshville Times crew have ever been but this year, we change that. Personally, something has always gotten in the way for myself, every year I’ve seen pictures and envied those who have enjoyed themselves, and I’m so excited to finally be able to attend for myself whilst representing Moshville Times. Call of the Wild isn’t just one of those festivals where people have good things to say about it – I’ve literally never heard a bad word spoken about it or even a “It’s good but…” So it’s not a surprise that there’s plenty of people attending this year for the fourth time.
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As far as bands go, they’ve always had great line-ups which are incredibly diverse. This year, we’ve got classic rock, modern rock, punk, metal, AOR, Southern rock, grunge, and more provided by over fifty bands. As for the ones I’m looking forward to, it’s a long list and I can’t wait to make some new discoveries but here’s five to keep you going:
- Quireboys – Top of the list and top of the poster. I can’t wait to be singing along with all those classic songs as Spike and his new line-up deliver a rock and roll party for Friday night.
- South of Salem – Simply going from strength to strength and one of many festivals we’re catching them at this year, they’re headlining the Southall Lawless Stage and I reckon they’ll pull out all the stops for it.
- Häxan – One of the many great Welsh bands kicking around at the moment and put the “power” into power trio. I reviewed their debut album a few years back and this is my first chance to actually see them!
- Kit Trigg – One of the few Rock People Management bands appearing over the weekend (and they’re not in the habit of managing naff bands), the skate rock trio are like nothing else on the scene right now so I’m excited to see what they’re like in the live environment.
- MuddiBrooke – Like so many of the bands who are set to play Call of the Wild (and past years), the Derby trio is one we’ve been following since the start. Bringing their brand of alt rock and grunge, they’ve been hard at work on new material which we’ve heard a couple of times so fingers crossed they have those for us along with their staples!
Having looked at photos of past years, you’ve not got a festival site which comes close to the size of Bloodstock or even Steelhouse but it would appear the area itself is still spacious enough for you to get about and take a breather if you need or want one without being blasted by a PA, especially if you’re trying to have a conversation (reminder: don’t do it whilst watching a band). Likewise, it would appear that your standard festival rules apply but by all means have a look on the festival’s FAQ area to get yourself acquainted with its own.
Perhaps one of the best parts of Call of the Wild as a music enthusiast is the Kilmister Stage (no points for guessing who it’s named after) and Southall Lawless Stage (named after Nick “Ringo” Southall and Mikey Lawless) don’t have any clashes so you can see watch every minute of every single band across those two stages. Meanwhile, the Trailblazer Stage will also be playing host to some bands and whilst they will clash with the other stages, you’ll still be able to catch a good chunk of every set. Or get yourself settled in at one stage if you want to see the whites of the eyes of your favourite band.
Looking at other sites who have covered the festival in past years, it would appear there’s also plenty of your traditional food and drink vendors (including Motörhead’s own, though you can also pre-order some cans for arriving, including the brand new To Hell and Back IPA) and plenty of merch to support both the festival and the bands who are performing.
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Now that there’s only a couple of weeks to go, it’s time to air out the tent, get packed and head to Lincolnshire Showground. We’ll see you there!
Call Of The Wild Festival will take place on 24th – 26th May 2024 at Lincolnshire Showground.
