BY EVIE MASON
I had high hopes for C2C this year and I think it definitely lived up to expectations… Here are some of my best bits!
For me, the weekend began on Friday in the O2 arena, and we just caught the end of 49 Winchester – who the crowd really seemed to love. It seemed quite busy for the Friday night too! The weekend was truly kicked off right for me with Dylan Gossett’s set, which I had been looking forward to as I enjoy his Zach Bryan –Esque sound. Gossett’s voice was incredible, his sound was undeniably country, and with songs such as ‘To Be Free’ and ‘Coal’, I was hooked. My mum (who was quite sceptical at first) was converted to a fan, convinced solely by the banjo, I think. I completely understand why his music and sound is so popular, I’d even go as far as to say trendy, and I will be happily jumping on the band wagon.
After, Lainey Wilson was, as expected, awesome. She is so incredibly badass and obviously a force to be reckoned with. I adored her newest album ‘Whirlwind’, so I was always going to love her set. It was a well-constructed performance, with aesthetically pleasing visuals that just immersed the audience even more, as well as amazing vocals. My only complaint (if I had to give one) would be that possibly the set would have felt more concluded and impactful if she had ended with ‘Heart Like a Truck’ – but maybe that’s just my opinion!
I definitely didn’t expect to love Dierks Bentley as much as I did. He is a true performer and has obviously learned how to work a crowd in his years of experience. I mean it was just hit after hit, after hit. And then another hit! Just to top it all off, for his performance of ‘Drunk on a Plane’, Bentley did a costume change into a pilot’s outfit! By this point he already had the crowd in the palm of his hand when his set was hijacked by the Hot Country Knights who were just hilarious and really brought the party with their medley of 90s country hits. What more could you really ask for? He was witty, humorous in a way that reminded me of Brad Paisley, and (unexpectedly for me) the perfect choice for a Saturday night headliner. To be honest, I would pay to see a Hot Country Knights headline show.
On Sunday night, I was feeling very worn out, especially as this was my first year attending all three nights of C2C, but Cody Johnson was the perfect remedy to my fatigue. He was the epitome of Texas Country, a true cowboy, a true performer. Although he did not bring the entertainment in the same way that Dierks did, his songs alone were enough to keep me happy and engaged. It feels like he performs in a way that is true to himself, focusing on bringing a top-notch sound, which he did, and ill or not (this was rumoured?) Co Jo was a fantastic way to end the weekend. I was very sad that he did not play ‘Wild as You’, though.
Overall, C2C 2025 truly lived up to expectations. The Big Entrance stage was so much fun, especially when it was sunny, and I particularly enjoyed The First Time Flyers there. It was an amazing weekend – what more could you really want than food, drinks, friends and some good music?