GIG REVIEW | COUNTRY 2 COUNTRY - DAY TWO @ OVO HYDRO GLASGOW

I had never attended the country-to-country festival before, in fact my ignorance meant that I didn’t even know it was a thing until now, but with the boom that country music has taken in the UK and Globally lately, it’s no surprise to me that it is. It’s seems every artist is jumping on the bandwagon and making a country album lately.

However, this festival is about supporting and celebrating all things country music and boy does it do just that. Arriving at the OVO Hydro, I wasn’t sure what I was in for, but as soon as I saw the sea of people waiting in line with cowboy hats, cowboy boots and fringes galore, I knew this was going to be different from my usual live music ventures. Doors opened at 4.15pm, with the first artists taking to the stages from 4.30pm.

There were four stages altogether, the live lounge stage, acoustic stage, spotlight stage (which was in the main arena, but closer to the seating crowd) and the main stage. I didn’t get to the venue until around 5.30pm and was keen to get straight to my seat on time for Avery Anna starting her set.

The Arizona singer-songwriter came to the stage as people were making their way back from the many bars, merch stands and other stages that were open, but as soon as she started singing the seats filled up like water filling a bottle. Her music is described as country pop, but I think that’s slightly unfair as I would say there was an edgier and more rock inspired side to her music. Like many young artists these days, the singer amassed followers on TikTok through doing covers and quickly shot through the ranks to be signed by Warner Brothers Nashville and release her debut album in 2024 ‘Breakup over Breakfast’ I enjoyed her set, as did the crowd who broke out the phone torches at one point, making the singer visibly emotional. It was a special moment, and one I am sure the singer will keep with her for a long time.

After this set I took a little walk to see what else was on, I entered the room where the acoustic stage was and to my surprise there was a mini pop-up shop with lots of cool C2C merchandise and little trinkets that could be bought. The room was still full from people who had gathered to watch The Coaltown Daisies who were unfortunately on at the same time as Anna, although I suppose this is a good thing as it meant if you weren’t keen on who was performing on the main stage, you had choices.

I grabbed a quick soft drink and got back to my seat for a performance I was really looking forward to, Shaboozey, the rapper/singer/songwriter and producer from Virginia. I think I came to know him like most people when he featured on two of Beyonce’s tracks from her ‘Cowboy Carter’ album and then his hit ‘Bar Song (Tipsy)’ topping the charts. However, I later found out he has been releasing music since 2014.

The hardcore country fans in the audience would have been able to tell me this instantly, but I am glad I came across his music and him as an artist. He came on to the stage to enormous roars and applause, which the humble part of him didn’t seem to expect, and this was nice to witness. Furthermore, when he played some of his chart-topping hits nearer the end of his set, and the crowd were singing every word back to him, he teared up and exclaimed to them that he ‘couldn’t believe it and thank you so much’.

Of course, the torches came out again for another special moment, and I couldn’t help but look around at all the twinkling lights and think ‘wow’. This paired with the amazing triple lit ‘Shaboozey’ lettering as a backdrop to the stage and it felt like I was at a Las Vegas residency show. I felt that his set was going to be very hard to beat for the rest of the evening.

Almost immediately after Shaboozey left the stage, the smaller spotlight stage lit up and an artist called Kassi Ashton got up with two guitar players. She told joke to the audience ‘I’m Kassi with a K cause my daddy don’t spell too good’ this was met with laughter, and I think eased her nerves and warmed the crowd to her. I was pleasantly surprised by the Missouri born artist. She gave me vibes of Alanis Morissette mixed with a young Courtney love, you can tell she has a rebellious streak, and her music was country rock through and through. Her husky powerhouse vocals and chatty nature with the crowd made for an entertaining set. I am sure she gained quite a few new fans from this slot at such a big festival.

Next up was Nate Smith who I will admit I had never heard of, but again this could be due to my lack of social media scrolling. Everyone around me seemed to be singing every word to most of his songs. The singer songwriter from Paradise, California, jumped off the stage at one point after explaining to the audience that he wanted to be down there with them. The spotlight followed him and security, while he wormed his way through the crowd, and people scrambled out of their seats to stand around him while he sang. This made for a great moment in the evening, and I am sure made a lot of his fan’s dreams come true.

Following on from this he got back on stage and told the audience a story about how he was a nurse back home and thought he would always be a nurse, until he was down on his luck after he lost everything when his home burned down and Paradise went on fire. He said a friend sent him a guitar and he started recording songs and putting them on Facebook and TikTok not expecting anything then suddenly his song ‘Wildfire’ went viral and he was signed to a record label. Going on to explain how lucky he felt and grateful to have had all of that happen and to be now standing on a stage in Scotland. The crowd loved this and when he started singing the song that sparked his amazing music career, and the torches came out once more, I was taken back by how it felt like a massive family and community in the arena.

I grabbed another quick refreshment, charged my phone at the amazing free charging stations that I only just realized the OVO has, and headed back for the final act of the night on the main stage. Cody Johnson, who I am sure most people have heard of, whether a country fan or not, was last up, and he came out with all guns blazin’ so to speak singing the song ‘That’s Texas’ (apt for the Texas born star) and his band. People were out of their seats dancing, those in the floor seats were standing and gathering in the aisles.

I can’t say that I am the biggest fan of this type of more cheesy mainstream country, but it seems to be working, as the audience were radiating excitement at seeing him live. People will probably want to hang me for saying that, but none the less his set was hitting all the spots in terms of entertainment and showmanship. He mocked the audience at one point, gesturing to them that they weren’t cheering loud enough for them to start playing the song ‘Dance Her Home’, but the crowd lapped it up and the songs just kept coming, and with six albums under his belt, it’s a big catalogue to choose from.

Finishing his set with an encore to the screaming, howling and cheering audience, the singer sang two further songs while the crowd sang along, ending on his hit ‘Diamond in My Pocket’ and it felt like a perfect end to an amazing five hours of pure country music.