Buckle and Boots 2021

 

The festival is back with a bang, burgers and bourbon! 

(and a bourbon branded truck)

 

Its been eighteen months without live music but it seemed the festival family were keener than ever to get to the farm, with the majority of campers arriving on Thursday evening.  It was truly a family reunion with dad dancing, lots of hugs and people fully utilising the revamped bar leading to some being apparently oblivious to the mini stage set up in the barn.  DW Productions were making the most of Thursday night to record a new magazine show called – appropriately – The Barn, featuring performances from many of the weekend’s acts plus a special guest or two. The show will be released at a future date.

Friday was off to a slow start with many a sore head and most campers already on site.  When the evening finally came, the festival main stage was opened as is traditional by a writer’s round featuring Gary Quinn, Alyssa Bonagura and Sunday Headliner Tebey.  Silverball Country found a great viewing spot behind the bar of the cleverly positioned new “Tin Roof”, sponsored by Bulleit Bourbon and featuring a much-photographed truck. 

We were easily able to watch as the stage was brought to life by Gasoline & Matches with their full band – reminding us of what we’ve been missing.  Deanne Dexeter was next on stage, upping the dress code stakes with a lot of tassels before Silverball Country Entertainer of the Year Stevie O’Connor took the music and outfit to the next level with a customised suit courtesy of Lucy O’Connor. 

By this time the whole barn was jumping ready for our Friday Night Headliner Kezia Gill – winner of three Silverball Country Awards.

Dazzling in her Born To Thread jacket, Kezia reminded us that it was only three years ago that she was in the Sunday Hangover Slot and here she was headlining Friday Night.  Even as a headliner, Kezia shows her humility and serves as an inspiration to all up and coming artists.  Proving that she always has a surprise in store, Kezia appeared on the main bar - as if by magic – to the delight of the crowd and the bar staff.  The evening was rounded off by a semi-silent disco, with one channel having to played over the speakers, but it didn’t dampen any one’s spirits. Dancers still danced, drinks still flowed.

Saturday morning at Buckle and Boots wouldn’t be Saturday morning without a swiftly resolved call to fix the showers! Attendees browsed the stalls, threw axes and rode the bronco in between running from the Paddock Stage to the Main Stage to catch as much as possible of all the artists performing.  As stage managers of the Paddock stage alongside the Millport Team, we saw some old favourites and new faces but the outstanding performance of the day was from The Outlaw Orchestra.  Having reviewed their album a year ago they were everything we expected and more.  They even managed an almost Hayseed Dixie version of 500 miles although rockier and Hill Billy-er  segued into Cliff Richard.  It shouldn’t work, but it certainly did!

(you can see our album review here )

Over on the main stage the headline act was earlier than usual as The Shires played a semi-acoustic set in the early evening. They looked amazing, they sounded amazing, they were amazing.

 

The running order allows everyone to see the big acts of the weekend on main stage and paddock stage, which closed with Matt and Donal bringing the party, meanwhile over on the main stage Jade Helliwell added the best of UK female talent to her set – Lucy Blu, Emma Moore, SJ Mortimer, Sally Rea Morris, Kezia Gill and Emilia Quinn- before closing the stage as part of the Honky Tonk Roadshow along with  festival favourites and close friends Gary Quinn and Kezia Gill.

 

Sunday Service is always an opportunity for reflection, remembering those not with us – and also a chance to hear what Kezia Gill has created to complement the theme. 

Sunday also features the big writer’s round of the weekend – there was a twist this year as Kezia, Jade and Gary brought us their Song Swap, where they perform each other’s songs.

The Paddock stage had a line up of artists, each building up to the headline act – Tim Prottey Jones appearing with a full band to a full tent, while on Main Stage we were treated to some of the biggest bands on the circuit – Backwoods Creek and Morganway before Canadian headliner Tebey.

This years after party was practically a festival of its own as Backwoods Creek retuned to the stage as the house band and were fronted for one song at a time by many of the artists who performed over the weekend including a shock performance from non-other that Terri – who you will have seen behind the bar all weekend

 

It was definitely a weekend of fabulous hats as well!

 

For us at Silverball Country it was an exhausting four days, but we spent the days with smiles on our faces, friends by our sides and Jaeger in our hands. If you want to know how hard all the volunteers work – just ask Neil Byr about his bar stints!

 

We’ll see you on 3 June 2022 to do it all again!

 

Single Review - Not Your Woman Reimagined - Jessica Lynn

 

Jessica Lynn is famed for her high energy shows, her family band and now her massively popular livestreams, but in her new single, a reimagining of Not Your Woman she shows just how pure her vocals are.  Originally an uptempo song in her usual style, Not Your Woman was requested as an acoustic during one of Jessica’s piano-based livestreams, so she performed it and then recorded it in this very intimate style featuring just her voice and the piano.  Jessica even referred to the original livestream to ensure she captured the same style and emotion as when she first sang it.

Re-recording this song as a ballad gave Jessica the idea to go through her songs one by one and create a whole EP of reimagined songs which will be released in September.

Whilst the acoustic rendering isn’t quite Country, it is a great opportunity for Jessica to not only test herself but to display her range both vocally and as an instrumentalist (as well as piano she also plays guitar and, at times in her show, drums too!)

Although lockdown was tough and caused Jessica to postpone her European and UK tour, it is clear that she kept busy the whole time, recording music, broadcasting her top-rated weekly livestream – and caring for Audrey the wonder dog.  This latest project is more testament to that work ethic and will be an absolute treat for fans and new listeners alike.

 

In her own words, Jessica described the song and the project:

I have never released anything before where I was the only instrumentalist on the track, but I am very excited to share with everyone such an intimate and honest version of myself with this new music.

 

Jessica Lynn’s new single Not Your Woman Reimagined from the forthcoming ep is available to download and stream now from all major platforms

Find and follow Jessica on Facebook, Instagram, Spotify and catch all the latest news on her website

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Single Review - Fire - Tim Prottey-Jones

 

Definitely at the Pop Country end of the Country Music spectrum, Tim Prottey Jones is back with a new single release – “Fire” - ahead of his appearance at Buckle and Boots Festival next weekend.

Opening with keys that are reminiscent of Marc Cohn this is an up-tempo track, displaying a different side to Tim’s writing and vocals. Although the keys, drums and steel really add to the song, it is Tim's voice that drives all the way through.

Tim has an impressive pedigree, both as a performer and producer with artists including The Wandering Hearts, Twinnie, Jake Morrell and many of the greats of UK Country and Nashville artists.  You feel that he has discovered a new freedom to explore and even play around with his own music and really enjoy what he does – his videos on social media are a testament to that!

Fire certainly reflects this, combining a melancholy theme of trying to stoke the fire of a but with a feelgood melody giving it a positive and optimistic overall vibe.  The final chorus, briefly sung without instruments is crying out for a live crowd to join in – backing vocals serve as a substitute on the recording – and the whole song will undoubtedly get an audience up on their feet when performed live – especially on a festival stage!

“…The realisation that the spark isn’t gone hits like the hot Summer sun, and that’s when you know you can burn brighter…”

This is possibly my favourite track from Tim, and I can’t wait to hear it on stage at Buckle and Boots in only a week’s time!

Fire, the new single from Tim Prottey-Jones is available to download and stream from Friday.

Find Tim on Facebook, Instagram, Spotify and closing the Paddock Stage at Buckle and Boots on Sunday evening

EP Review - Perspective - Caitlin Mae

 

Welsh Singer Caitlin Mae is releasing her debut ep – a 4 track collection of songs written very much from her heart and with intensely personal themes.

Caitlin explains the ep’s title “Perspective”

Perspective looks to examine relationships from different perspectives from sadness [Country Eyes] and defiance [Gasoline], to strength [Take My Demons] and Acceptance [Slam the Door].

All four tracks on the ep feature excellent instrumentation, making the first two tracks (Country Eyes, Gasoline) sound like festival anthems to be and as Caitlin’s voice matures she will be for sure belting these out with the passion to match the emotion in the lyrics.

Take My Demons, slower and very heartfelt is the standout track.  Released as a single, the pace and style of the song suit Caitlin’s vocal delivery and you can’t help but pause and listen to every word.

The ep ends with Slam The Door, which is fittingly a moving on song, written as a letter  to the one that never truly loved her.

 

Perspective, the debut EP from Caitlin Mae is available to download and stream from 2 July.

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Single Review - Give Me A Song - Lars Pluto and The Reavers

There is often a discussion about “What is Country” or whether a song actually is “Country”.  When Lars Pluto sings, it is 100% Country – with that voice of his, it can’t be anything else!  Passionate about his music, passionate about the genre Lars Pluto is certainly a character on the scene, and his performances – whether on stage, in a stage show or in a recording studio are also always 100%

 

Lars has released his new single Give Me A Song which is following the well-known theme of Heartache – but he has recorded it in an up tempo 90s Country style, because of course he has!  Lars has also chosen to release the track on a Tuesday, because of course he has.

While the song musically has all the hallmarks of a bouncy 90s country track it is very well written, treating Heartache as though it is a person, and Lars is talking directly to her/him/it.

If you’re gonna hang around too long, Heartache give me a song

A broken heart is a blessing in disguise to a songwriter – let’s face it, it’s the backbone of Country song writing, and Lars takes that idea and makes the theme into the theme of the song.  I guess this is the musical equivalent of putting a brave face on things.  It is no great surprise for this bad boy of UK Country to put his own twist on things, and to also show off his abilities and the talents of his band The Reavers – Tom Wright on Electric guitar and backing vocals (as well as producing the track) Phil Bloomberg on bass and Mikey Cinacio on drums.  It’s a sad tale but a fun song, which no doubt will get people dancing, smiling and thinking about heartache all at the same time!

As Lars describes it

The boys all played the hell out of this tune.  I hope y’all like it as much as we do

Reckon we will Lars, reckon we will.

 

Give Me a Song, the new single from Lars Pluto and the Reavers is available to download and stream now

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Single Review - Along The Hippie Trail - Richard Gregory

We were intrigued when we recently received an email that said “I humbly submit” and went on to describe the song as “Country and Eastern”

How could we not take a listen? The polite artiste is Richard Gregory, the song All Along The Hippie Trail

Richard Gregory is not a familiar name to us, so the next step was to take a look at the bio.  Intriguing?  And some!  To say that Richard has “done some things in his life” would be a massive understatement!  It looks like he has packed several lifetimes into his mere 65 years on the planet, stretching from his native Shepherds Bush all the way to Kathmandu.

A signwriter (a real one), writer, editor, IT genius, father, “always a freak but never a hippie” and a musician, you feel that Richard could write albums of music about his life, but for now we must content ourselves with a single song about his 1974 trip from west London to Kathmandu by bus (the 207 from outside Shepherds Bush Market?).

Richard says the song includes a little poetic licence – I think it was also written and recorded with a little tongue in cheek too!  It has what can only be described as a unique sound, combining guitar, harmonica and eastern influenced pipes.  Its not a slick recording, but that adds to the charm.  It certainly includes the country tradition of storytelling.  There’s travel, there’s a girl, there’s reminiscing – truly country, whilst not necessarily being country!  The repeated “Far East Far East man” and reference to the green eyed yellow idol will make you crack a smile!

Without a doubt, this song is not quite the usual music that we are sent or listen to, but it is different, its fun and you will be singing along to the chorus before long.

If you don’t write the full album Richard, can we have a drink and hear some more stories from you?

All Along the Hippie Trail, the new single from Richard Gregory is available to purchase from Bandcamp or stream now on Spotify

To read more about the fascinating Richard, check his website

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Single Review - It Took A Woman - Tommy Atkins

Silverball Country Awards nominee (song of the Year) Tommy Atkins is back for the beginning of Pride month with a single from his forthcoming debut.  Album.  It Took A Woman is a love song – but as you might expect from Tommy, there is a twist. The object of the song is not his partner (In Tommy’s case, his husband) but the Grandmother who raised him.  The song tells us how great the husband is, how proud Tommy is to be married to him, but there is the acknowledgement that he wouldn’t be the man he is without the woman who raised him.

It took a woman to raise the man of my dreams

The lyrics reflect  a wedding day speech (how were the speeches at your wedding Tommy?) and musically the pace and tone of reflects that and match the love that you can hear – for the husband and the woman who raised him.  As a song this will make a fabulous Father/Daughter or Mother/Song dance at weddings.  Tommy has a soft and gentle style when the song calls for it, and the instrumentation of guitar and strings complement that almost perfectly.  To add depth there are beautiful backing vocals provided by Rissi Palmer – an artiste that Tommy has long looked up to.

I hope that I measure up

You do Tommy, and so does the song.  We can’t wait for the album.

It Took A Woman, the new single from Tommy Atkins is available now to download and stream.

You can find and follow Tommy on Facebook, Instagram, his website and on Spotify 

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