C2C 2026 Sunday review
After four nights in Berlin, a Big Machine party, the CMA Songwriter’s Series show and all the chaos at The O2 arena, it is the genuine #SundayFunday to wrap the C2C: Country to Country 2026 experience and it was the coveted Holy Grail for British country music fans as one of the most iconic bands in the history of country music, Brooks & Dunn would close out this year’s festival In London.
There was plenty going on to literally write home about prior to Kix and Ronnie hitting the stage and this all began with a big wall of sound that hit you as soon as you got off the tube as Ryan & Rory gave the perfect wake up call. They are really fun to watch a have a huge sound that is towards the pop-rock end of the country spectrum so there are not a lot of other acts like them and they have found a really cool sound that there is evidently a gap for.
A gap would definitely have been appreciated in the clouds by three of the next four acts (well Jonny, Eve and the boys all would rather be playing with the sun out as well) as whilst today is Mother’s Day here in the UK, it well and truly became Australia Day on the AXS Big Entrance Stage and our first chance over both festival weekends to see our one of our oldest and closest friends from down under as The O2 finally got to experience The Fanny Show! Fanny Lumsden was playing the festival during her latest UK tour as she continues to bring one of the most enjoyable and uplifting live shows back to the UK with regularity like a boomerang (I’m sure I will find a way to get plenty more Australian stereotypes in this piece, so this definitely will not be the last) as she has been one of the most consistent overseas touring artists over the last three years. It’s such a fun and joyful show to see and these thirty minute tasters at the festival will definitely have converted a lot of new Fanny Fans (which she has available to buy at all of her shows) to join her on the road over the next two weeks around the rest of the country.
Because of the quirkiness of Fanny’s live show she is always a difficult act to follow but luckily Max Jackson knew exactly what she was letting herself in for and this country Kylie bounced around the stage like a kangaroo (giving you two for one on the Aussie Bingo card with that line) and was as delightful to watch in London as she was last weekend in Berlin. Max is so charismatic and such a natural show-woman who with her new album ‘Dangerous In Denim’ has a strong catalogue of songs along with some really fun interpretations of covers that complement this perfectly. We’ve been big fans for the last couple of years and we can guarantee that like her fellow Antipodeans that this will not be the last time that she gets on multiple flights to get back here and hopefully with a full band as based on what our friends down under have told us, it really is a sight to see.
There was plenty going on to literally write home about prior to Kix and Ronnie hitting the stage and this all began with a big wall of sound that hit you as soon as you got off the tube as Ryan & Rory gave the perfect wake up call. They are really fun to watch a have a huge sound that is towards the pop-rock end of the country spectrum so there are not a lot of other acts like them and they have found a really cool sound that there is evidently a gap for.
A gap would definitely have been appreciated in the clouds by three of the next four acts (well Jonny, Eve and the boys all would rather be playing with the sun out as well) as whilst today is Mother’s Day here in the UK, it well and truly became Australia Day on the AXS Big Entrance Stage and our first chance over both festival weekends to see our one of our oldest and closest friends from down under as The O2 finally got to experience The Fanny Show! Fanny Lumsden was playing the festival during her latest UK tour as she continues to bring one of the most enjoyable and uplifting live shows back to the UK with regularity like a boomerang (I’m sure I will find a way to get plenty more Australian stereotypes in this piece, so this definitely will not be the last) as she has been one of the most consistent overseas touring artists over the last three years. It’s such a fun and joyful show to see and these thirty minute tasters at the festival will definitely have converted a lot of new Fanny Fans (which she has available to buy at all of her shows) to join her on the road over the next two weeks around the rest of the country.
Because of the quirkiness of Fanny’s live show she is always a difficult act to follow but luckily Max Jackson knew exactly what she was letting herself in for and this country Kylie bounced around the stage like a kangaroo (giving you two for one on the Aussie Bingo card with that line) and was as delightful to watch in London as she was last weekend in Berlin. Max is so charismatic and such a natural show-woman who with her new album ‘Dangerous In Denim’ has a strong catalogue of songs along with some really fun interpretations of covers that complement this perfectly. We’ve been big fans for the last couple of years and we can guarantee that like her fellow Antipodeans that this will not be the last time that she gets on multiple flights to get back here and hopefully with a full band as based on what our friends down under have told us, it really is a sight to see.
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The Australians were not the only ones feeling the cold outside as Jonny Morgan (remember it’s Jonny without a ‘H’ as if you spell it wrong you will get very different search results) & The Moral Support showed why they legitimately are the cream of the British crop and easily the best of our homegrown artists on the circuit. I’m sure he would class his stage chat and banter as above average but compared to the Americans it is very quick and witty, then the band is incredibly tight then obviously having Eve Lesedi playing saxophone allows them to have a very distinct and different sound which translates really well both live and on their brand new album ‘The Hope That Kills You’ which like tickets for his upcoming tour is available for purchase right now and is definitely worth having one less beer in the arena to buy.
The cold was karma’s way of biting me in the arse after I went to great lengths of trying to pre-warn and terrify Tyla Rodrigues last weekend about London not being as warm as in Germany so we decided to brave it out with her and her team for her final show of the trip before she also heads back to Australia for the much warmer festival temperatures at CMC Rocks next weekend.
Then there was one last treat before heading into the arena for the last time and that was the overdue opportunity to see Mae Estes. The flu defeated Mae when she arrived in Germany ahead of the festival in Berlin so we had to wait an extra week before being able to see her for the first time and the wait was definitely worth it. She has been one of Nashville’s real grafters for over a decade and is so respected, where she is always someone that always makes people’s eyes light up when her name is mentioned. She is such a great storyteller with such personality that you could easily listen to her talk for hours and hours with her gritty Arkansas accent but then she starts to sing and her voice is so easy on the ears and if you weren’t lucky enough to catch her this weekend, you won’t have to wait long as she will be back in the UK this summer as she is part of the bill on June 27th with Garth Brooks.
The cold was karma’s way of biting me in the arse after I went to great lengths of trying to pre-warn and terrify Tyla Rodrigues last weekend about London not being as warm as in Germany so we decided to brave it out with her and her team for her final show of the trip before she also heads back to Australia for the much warmer festival temperatures at CMC Rocks next weekend.
Then there was one last treat before heading into the arena for the last time and that was the overdue opportunity to see Mae Estes. The flu defeated Mae when she arrived in Germany ahead of the festival in Berlin so we had to wait an extra week before being able to see her for the first time and the wait was definitely worth it. She has been one of Nashville’s real grafters for over a decade and is so respected, where she is always someone that always makes people’s eyes light up when her name is mentioned. She is such a great storyteller with such personality that you could easily listen to her talk for hours and hours with her gritty Arkansas accent but then she starts to sing and her voice is so easy on the ears and if you weren’t lucky enough to catch her this weekend, you won’t have to wait long as she will be back in the UK this summer as she is part of the bill on June 27th with Garth Brooks.
Sunday was the earliest we ventured inside the main arena and heading in through the Amex Lounge after some of my friends were kind enough to queue for the whole group which saved us all a lot of steps this weekend. This is also a great time to give Ray Jones a quick shoutout for programming the excellent live music in the lounge before, between and after performances in the arena with the likes of The Jackson Line, Brooke Law, Luke Flear and Dom Glynne playing in there, then there is also the advantage of an enhanced range of beverages and also better service inside here. Sunday enticed us in early because of Mackenzie Carpenter who I think is such a talented performer, vocalist and songwriter that twenty-five minutes was no way long enough but she does get special treatment from the weekend and Mackenzie is the only artist her own full separate review (because firstly I like her a lot, feel she should have been higher up on the bill and also her UK team are the absolute best where they look after me far too well) which hopefully will also be online by the time you read this.
Another artist that I am a big fan of who also has an amazing team in the UK followed Mackenzie and was also a welcomed returner to the festival. Ashley Cooke has so much personality and almost glows as you watch her perform so it is incredible to see her getting the recognition she deserves with her first chart topping song on both sides of the Atlantic which closed out the set. I think she paced the set fantasticly and used her time wonderfully to cater for fans new and old where eight songs, a lot of chat, some really fun audio links between songs and some Girls In Low Places chaos was a great effort in thirty minutes. I think Ashley is also at the same point where her own headline tour is definitely feasible because selfishly there is so much of her catalogue I still have not seen her do live.
As well as the main stage, the arena also houses the CMA Spotlight Stage and that spotlight shined firmly on The Jack Wharff Band who were rightfully the most talked about act of the whole weekend. They have next level intensity on stage and a really cool sound which will take them to headlining arenas and stadiums very soon where we will not likely get the chance to see them acoustically like this again as their trajectory is straight up vertical.
Another artist that I am a big fan of who also has an amazing team in the UK followed Mackenzie and was also a welcomed returner to the festival. Ashley Cooke has so much personality and almost glows as you watch her perform so it is incredible to see her getting the recognition she deserves with her first chart topping song on both sides of the Atlantic which closed out the set. I think she paced the set fantasticly and used her time wonderfully to cater for fans new and old where eight songs, a lot of chat, some really fun audio links between songs and some Girls In Low Places chaos was a great effort in thirty minutes. I think Ashley is also at the same point where her own headline tour is definitely feasible because selfishly there is so much of her catalogue I still have not seen her do live.
As well as the main stage, the arena also houses the CMA Spotlight Stage and that spotlight shined firmly on The Jack Wharff Band who were rightfully the most talked about act of the whole weekend. They have next level intensity on stage and a really cool sound which will take them to headlining arenas and stadiums very soon where we will not likely get the chance to see them acoustically like this again as their trajectory is straight up vertical.
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The crown jewel, joyau de la couranne, kronjuwel or kroonjuweel of the entire history of the festival was a long awaited hit parade from one of the the most significant bands to impact the history of country music. In the history book of country music, Brooks & Dunn would have their own volume, let alone a chapter and this show has been over thirty years in the making. It’s banger after banger after banger with the crowd singing along to every single word which will be a festival highlight that will never be forgotten. The nineties is the golden age of country music and these guys were the beating heart of it so for British fans to get to experience it live for the first time was truly magical. I’m not sure how this will ever be topped as it capped of the most incredible weekend ever here at The O2!
I will have my annual scrapbook piece to come in the next few days but until we are back on the boat in Germany next year, peace out C2C 2026 and we’re looking forward to being fuelled on vibes once more in twelve months time.
C2C: Country to Country will return to Berlin in 2027 across the weekend of March 5th to 7th where you will be able to find more details on their WEBSITE and keep in the loop regarding lineups and ticket information on INSTAGRAM & FACEBOOK. Then the festival will head back to The O2 Arena in London across the weekend of March 12th to 14th 2027, where along with an event taking place in Glasgow the same weekend, Manchester will become the third host city to join the rotation of artists over the weekend. Early bird tickets will go on sale on Friday March 20th and you are able to find more details on their WEBSITE and socials (FACEBOOK X and INSTAGRAM)
I will have my annual scrapbook piece to come in the next few days but until we are back on the boat in Germany next year, peace out C2C 2026 and we’re looking forward to being fuelled on vibes once more in twelve months time.
C2C: Country to Country will return to Berlin in 2027 across the weekend of March 5th to 7th where you will be able to find more details on their WEBSITE and keep in the loop regarding lineups and ticket information on INSTAGRAM & FACEBOOK. Then the festival will head back to The O2 Arena in London across the weekend of March 12th to 14th 2027, where along with an event taking place in Glasgow the same weekend, Manchester will become the third host city to join the rotation of artists over the weekend. Early bird tickets will go on sale on Friday March 20th and you are able to find more details on their WEBSITE and socials (FACEBOOK X and INSTAGRAM)
