Call of the Wild Festival – Support the Festival, Support the music.

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Review and Photographs by Linda McDermott

Small festivals have an important role to play and are crucial for several reasons, particularly in nurturing the growth of newer bands and fostering a sense of community. These grass-root events play a vital role in helping emerging artists break through and build their fan base. For many musicians, small festivals are the first significant platform where they can showcase their talent to a broader audience. Unlike large festivals, smaller events provide a more intimate setting where new bands can connect more personally with those gathered, often resulting in a dedicated following.

Call of the Wild is one such festival run jointly by Dave O’ Hara, Raz White, Jon Hardcastle and Lee Byrne who come under the banner of Upstaged Limited. They have been together for six years, four of them with Jon onboard. They formed after a few discussions about what was happening in the music industry at the time, with unscrupulous promotors and their events. They weren’t happy about people being ripped off in one way or another, whether it was bands not being paid or people buying tickets and events being cancelled.

After talking about it on and off for a while they decided they needed to put their money where their mouth was and decided they were going to put on a festival. The first one was originally going to be held near Carlisle, but they were told it couldn’t go ahead, however, undeterred they looked for another venue and luckily for them Lincoln Show Ground had a cancellation, so they grabbed it and have been there yearly since 2019

Putting on the festival, they aim to give attendees the unique opportunity to discover their next favourite band. I love the fact that it is a melting pot of musical talent, from both home and abroad, offering a variety of bands within the rock genre that might not be prominently featured elsewhere. With bands being invited to apply to play for places on the Trailblazer Stage and an opening slot on one of the main stages, it attracts a variety of bands who benefit from having the platform to show a large crowd what they are all about. Not only that, but the festival also has some big names grace their stage including Tyketto, Lost Society, Those Damn Crows and The Quire Boys to name a few. This year there were lots of bands out mingling with the crowd happily having selfies taken and enjoying a chat with fans, adding to the relaxed atmosphere at the event. Dave said, he “is happy at the way the festival is growing, “we don’t want to lose the vibe the festival has at the moment by growing it too quickly, if we grow at a steady pace that vibe and atmosphere should continue and grow with us”.

The family-friendly nature of this small festival enhances its appeal as children are welcomed into its safe and friendly environment. Speaking to Dave he said, “we have a great atmosphere here where kids can run around having the best time and their parents are relaxed in the knowledge that they will be absolutely fine”. This

aspect of the festival not only broadens the audience but also instills a love for live music in younger generations.

From the organisers’ perspective, the preparation for such a festival is a monumental task but the team each have a particular role to play in the organisation of it. Jon deals with finances, Raz deals with booking bands, Lee deals with production and Dave deals with operations, meaning that they bring the festival to fruition from different angles, so nothing gets missed.

With so many bands to book, (there was over fifty bands this year), Raz has the mammoth task of booking the bands for the whole festival, from the first band to play the trailblazer stage to the last band closing the festival. Not an easy job to make sure all tastes are covered for in a wide rock genre, but somehow, he does it and very successfully.

As with all gigs and festivals it’s about getting people to buy tickets in advance to keep live music going, and although the promotors play a big part in doing this, it is also something that the bands and their fans can do to help. Most bands have fan pages on social platforms to help promote them, but not all bands help to promote a festival, I only see the odd band doing this. To me, it’s a no brainer, by spreading the word it can improve ticket sales, and of course the more people who attend the better it is for the band’s merch sales and fan base, meaning more people attending their gigs afterwards.

Call of the Wild Festival has its own dedicated fan base, it’s where a lot of like-minded people catch up, where the music is their link with each other and hugs and smiles spill over.

Speaking to Dave he says of the people who come to the event “everyone at Upstaged Promotions is extremely grateful for the support. There are a lot of people who turn up to every event we do, such as the Rockmantic weekenders held in Grimsby and Carlisle and Winter Rocks in Sheffield, they buy tickets without even knowing a lineup, it’s kind of mind blowing really and means everything, we just can’t thank them enough. Dave went on to say, “other people who also count in making The Call of the Wild Festival happen are the amazing volunteers, stage crew, medics and security, they are the backbone of the festival, and we are very grateful for their dedication and hard work”.

In conclusion, supporting small festivals is essential for the music industry’s health and diversity. These events provide an invaluable platform for emerging bands to gain exposure and grow their fan base. They foster a sense of community and discovery among attendees, creating unforgettable experiences. The family-friendly atmosphere ensures that everyone, from young children to older music enthusiasts, can enjoy the festival together. The extensive planning and dedication from the organisers underscore the importance of these events in bringing people together. By attending and supporting small festivals, we contribute to a vibrant and dynamic musical landscape, ensuring that the next generation of great bands has the opportunity to flourish.

If you’d like to support and attend Call of the Wild Festival, tickets are on sale from 31st May for next years event which is between Thursday 29th May – 1st June 2025.

Buying tickets now, allows you to save a little each month to attend one of the friendliest, relaxed rock music festivals going. I will see you there!

Tickets available at the link below

https://www.gigantic.com/call-of-the-wild-tickets/lincoln-lincolnshire-showground/2025-05-29-10-00