23 July 2023 (gig)
24 July 2023
Eighties legend Rick Astley certainly didn’t give up or let down his fans on the final day of the Standon Calling festival with a show that drew the biggest crowd of the day.
His set, flanked either side on the main stage by brilliant performances by 90s Spice Girl Melanie C and headliners, noughties band Bloc Party, attracted fans both young and old, being a true example of what the Hertfordshire festival is all about.
Other highlights from Sunday included a pumping DJ set from TV stars Dick & Dom on the Electric Willows set and Lottery Winners at Laundry Meadows.
Fresh from his very successful stint at Glastonbury, 80s pop star Rick Astley was keenly awaited by the Standon Calling crowd and didn’t disappoint, with both children and adults waving their arms keenly and singing at the tops of their voices to a string of hits including Together Forever, Hold Me In Your Arms, Whenever You Need Somebody, Cry For Help and She Wants To Dance With Me.
A very upbeat Rick spent a lot of time joking with the crowd, and really involving them in his set, as he ssaid: “A few people in the crowd don’t know who I am other than the guy on the internet”, and “do any of you people know any other song than Never Gonna Give You Up?”
Introducing his brand new single as “a new song that even your mum doesn’t know”, he launched into Dippin’ My Feet, a song that has an upbeat country feel and a very catchy beat that seems set to be a hit.
Showing his prowess as a musician too, Rick jumped on the drums for a version of AC/DC’s Highway to Hell, and then played the guitar for a version of Harry Styles’ As It Was. His very talented backing singers, including a last minute addition Andrea who learned all of her parts in an hour and a half car journey to the festival, performed a great version of Lizzo’s hit About Damn Time.
When Rick finished his set with the effervescent classic Never Gonna Give You Up, the crowd were right behind him, singing their hearts out as he performed that classic No 1 hit.
Whilst Rick’s set brought the biggest crowd, Sunday’s other performers were also highlights of the weekend.
Spice Girl Melanie C is such a performer – a great voice with such energy. On a thankfully sunny day (following Saturday’s torrent of rain all day), she welcomed the crowds, saying: “What a beautiful day, bit of a change from yesterday, thank goodness. Looking at this age range, are some of you old enough to know my stuff?”
She opened with a great rendition of Never Be The Same Again, before a few dance tracks including I Turn To You.
She then played her first ever solo single Going Down, saying: “I think, like every festival goer, I love all music, I don’t care what the genre of music is, as long as it’s good so at this point, we like to go back deep into the catalogue, and we’re going to do the first single. Going Down.”
Melanie C stepped up a gear with an acoustic version of her collaborative hit with Bryan Adams When You’re Gone, and then ramped it up even further with some of her mega Spice Girls hits - Spice Up Your Life, 2 Become 1 and Who Do You Think You Are? , sending the crowd wild.
Opening the acts on the main stage on Sunday was Mychelle, a singer guitarist who hit fame after being spotted by Idris Elba, who performed in her usual free spirit and busking style.
When headliners Bloc Party made it on the stage, sunny Sunday had turned a little rainy, but despite a slightly smaller crowd, the noughties band played a great final set to end a brilliant weekend at Standon Calling.
With hits like Hunting for Witches, So Here We Are, Banquet, Two More Years, The Prayer and Flux, the band’s bright backdrop and light show shone brightly into the night, with lead singer Kele Okereke saying “a little rain’s not gonna stop us enjoying ourselves, is it?”
From Bloc Party to a pure festival party, Standon Calling festival certainly pulled out the stops to make it a party all weekend. Roll on next year.
