Following another sucessful Standon Calling, organisers have announced dates for the festival's 2024 return.

Ticket holders enjoyed huge sets from headliners The Human League, Years & Years, Self Esteem, and Bloc Party at Standon Lordship this year.

Welwyn Hatfield Times: Anastacia at Standon Calling 2023.Anastacia at Standon Calling 2023. (Image: Giulia Spadafora)

The likes of Anastacia, Scouting for Girls, Melanie C, KT Tunstall, and Rick Astley also entertained the 17,000 festival-goers over the weekend, while there was also comedy, a costume parade, and the ever-popular dog show.

Limited super early bird tickets for Standon Calling 2024 have gone on sale, with the festival set to take place for Thursday, July 25 to Sunday, July 28. 

Welwyn Hatfield Times: Melanie C at Standon Calling 2023.Melanie C at Standon Calling 2023. (Image: Giulia Spadafora)

Reflecting on this year's festival, Standon Calling founder and director Alex Trenchard said: “Yet again I’m blown away by the incredible atmosphere and spirit from everyone involved in Standon Calling.

"The smiles on the faces of our fabulous festival-goers, all the artists and performers across a multitude of stages and the team who work behind the scenes to make this show such an enjoyable and inspirational place to spend four days, makes me enormously proud and happy to produce a show that people genuinely love and return to year on year.

"I truly believe this is the friendliest festival in the UK with such a diverse line-up and audience and I’m massively inspired by what I’ve just witnessed to create something even more special in 2024.”

 

Welwyn Hatfield Times: Bloc Party closing Standon Calling 2023.Bloc Party closing Standon Calling 2023. (Image: Alastair Brookes)

The sun set on a magical four days at Standon Calling 2023 as Bloc Party closed out the festival in spectacular style with a set packed with two decades of indie-rock bangers.

Welwyn Hatfield Times: Rick Astley at Standon Calling 2023.Rick Astley at Standon Calling 2023. (Image: Alastair Brookes)

Never Gonna Give You Up star Rick Astley, Spice Girl Melanie C, and the all new FutureFlow hip-hop night in the Cowshed also proved to be highlights of the final day.

Astley even took to the drums during his set.

Welwyn Hatfield Times: Rick Astley playing drums at Standon Calling 2023.Rick Astley playing drums at Standon Calling 2023. (Image: Standon Calling 2023 / Alastair Brookes)

Standon’s eclectic music policy is renowned and the festival played host to an enormous array of musical talent between July 20 and July 23, with more than 50 per cent of the acts female or non-binary.

Welwyn Hatfield Times: The Human League on stage at Standon Calling 2023.The Human League on stage at Standon Calling 2023. (Image: Giulia Spadafora)

Don't You Want Me 80s chart-toppers The Human League topped the bill on the opening Thursday night.

They performed the synth-pop group's greatest hits along with Together in Electric Dreams, frontman Philip Oakey's hit single with Giorgio Moroder. 

Welwyn Hatfield Times: Years & Years at Standon Calling 2023.Years & Years at Standon Calling 2023. (Image: Giulia Spadafora)

It's A Sin star Olly Alexander headlined the following night with Years & Years.

American I'm Outta Love singer Anastacia and She's So Lovely band Scouting For Girls also took to the main stage.

Welwyn Hatfield Times: Self Esteem headlining Standon Calling 2023.Self Esteem headlining Standon Calling 2023. (Image: Giulia Spadafora)

Arguably the most euphoric performance of the weekend came from Saturday night headliner Self Esteem, who graduated from performing on the second stage last year to headlining her first UK festival.

Earlier in the day, Self Esteem had pushed back her soundcheck so she could watch England’s first game at the Women’s World Cup with festival-goers on a big screen on the main stage.

Welwyn Hatfield Times: Self Esteem headlining Standon Calling 2023.Self Esteem headlining Standon Calling 2023. (Image: Giulia Spadafora)

The hugely successful new partnership with BBC Introducing also provided a platform for local artists from Bedfordshire, Hertfordshire, Buckinghamshire, Essex and London, including Wunderhorse, Finn Foxell, Connie Campsie, Arthur Hill, Tibasko and more.

Welwyn Hatfield Times: Caity Baser on stage at Standon Calling 2023.Caity Baser on stage at Standon Calling 2023. (Image: Standon Calling 2023 / Parri Thomas)

Other highlights of the weekend included the legendary Standon Calling Dog Show, the annual costume parade, and Dick & Dom’s DJ Battle, while comedy came from the likes of Mark Watson, Kiri Pritchard-Mclean, Rhys James and Reginald D Hunter over on The Lawn.

Standon Calling will return for its 18th year between July 25 and July 28, 2024.

Limited super early bird tickets are on sale now - available from the festival's website at https://standon-calling.com/

Welwyn Hatfield Times: Scouting For Girls at Standon Calling 2023.Scouting For Girls at Standon Calling 2023. (Image: Standon Calling 2023 / Ania Shrimpton)

Welwyn Hatfield Times: Anastacia at Standon Calling 2023.Anastacia at Standon Calling 2023. (Image: Standon Calling 2023 / Giulia Spadafora)

Welwyn Hatfield Times: Anastacia at Standon Calling 2023.Anastacia at Standon Calling 2023. (Image: Standon Calling 2023 / Giulia Spadafora)

Welwyn Hatfield Times: The crowd at Standon Calling 2023.The crowd at Standon Calling 2023. (Image: Standon Calling 2023 / Giulia Spadafora)

Welwyn Hatfield Times: The crowd at Standon Calling 2023.The crowd at Standon Calling 2023. (Image: Standon Calling 2023 / Giulia Spadafora)

Welwyn Hatfield Times: The crowd at Standon Calling 2023.The crowd at Standon Calling 2023. (Image: Standon Calling 2023 / Giulia Spadafora)

Welwyn Hatfield Times: Self Esteem headlining Standon Calling 2023.Self Esteem headlining Standon Calling 2023. (Image: Standon Calling 2023 / Ania Shrimpton)

Welwyn Hatfield Times: Dylan on stage at Standon Calling 2023.Dylan on stage at Standon Calling 2023. (Image: Standon Calling 2023 / Parri Thomas)

 

                                                                                                                                

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