The C2C Sit Down with Tyler Halverson
The Country to Country Festivals are always an opportunity to experience new artists and for one artist, Tyler Halverson from Canton South Dakota, the trip to this years festival will not only be his first time at the festival; not only his first time playing in Europe; but it will be the first time he has played a show outside of the States. To get the full C2C experience, Halverson will be jetting in early as he heads to Germany and The Netherlands to play sets during the Berlin and Rotterdam weekends, as well as supporting fellow C2C artist Katlin Butts for her headline show in Utrecht. We caught up with Tyler as he was starting his final countdown to his first cross Atlantic flight.
You're just about to kind our way for a whirlwind ten days in Europe. What are you looking forward to?
I think just seeing new places and meeting new people, spreading the good news of the music here for a little bit.
Is it going to be your first time flying over this way?
Yeah. I've never been outside the States, so it'll be good to get out. Good little culture.
Well, are you nervous about things like jet lag kicking in or being on a long flight?
I definitely am not excited about an eight-hour flight, but I have a good enough a couple drink tickets. That's all I hope.
Your first stop when you're over here is going to be Berlin for a couple of days and you're also heading to Rotterdam before London for a full C2C back-to-back weekend, aren't you?
We're going to be on there and then from Rotterdam we're going to Amsterdam, then Amsterdam to London.
Then you've got a show supporting Kaitlin Butts in the middle of it all.
Yes, sir. I'm excited about that one. That'll be good. We'll be hanging out in Amsterdam for a couple of days, so I'm sure I'll find something to get into there.
Have you asked many people about what to expect from either the Berlin or the London shows?
Not really! I'd rather go in blind and just figure it out. Try not to have too much anticipation or ask too many questions.
So are you coming over on your own? You're not going to be bringing like a band or anything, would you?
No, it's just me going by myself. So it'll be a solo adventure. I ran around the country playing songs by myself for years before I got a band together and started doing this. It's kind of nice to switch on that, put on that songwriter hat every now and then and just kind of play acoustic.
You're just about to kind our way for a whirlwind ten days in Europe. What are you looking forward to?
I think just seeing new places and meeting new people, spreading the good news of the music here for a little bit.
Is it going to be your first time flying over this way?
Yeah. I've never been outside the States, so it'll be good to get out. Good little culture.
Well, are you nervous about things like jet lag kicking in or being on a long flight?
I definitely am not excited about an eight-hour flight, but I have a good enough a couple drink tickets. That's all I hope.
Your first stop when you're over here is going to be Berlin for a couple of days and you're also heading to Rotterdam before London for a full C2C back-to-back weekend, aren't you?
We're going to be on there and then from Rotterdam we're going to Amsterdam, then Amsterdam to London.
Then you've got a show supporting Kaitlin Butts in the middle of it all.
Yes, sir. I'm excited about that one. That'll be good. We'll be hanging out in Amsterdam for a couple of days, so I'm sure I'll find something to get into there.
Have you asked many people about what to expect from either the Berlin or the London shows?
Not really! I'd rather go in blind and just figure it out. Try not to have too much anticipation or ask too many questions.
So are you coming over on your own? You're not going to be bringing like a band or anything, would you?
No, it's just me going by myself. So it'll be a solo adventure. I ran around the country playing songs by myself for years before I got a band together and started doing this. It's kind of nice to switch on that, put on that songwriter hat every now and then and just kind of play acoustic.
When you get the shows like this, it must just make you feel so far away from small town South Dakota?
Yes, sir. We'll be a little ways from South Dakota this next week. That's for sure!
You did some tours recently with bands like Flatland Cavalry. What are you gaining from going on these support tours?
It's nice to be playing the smaller clubs and venues that we're playing now, but then still getting our feet wet in those bigger places that we're hoping to play next. Just kind of like going from your crowd of two, three hundred people at your own show to a couple of thousand out there is kind of a cool. It's nice to play that 30 minute set before you take over and play the 90 someday. It's just nice to have a little experience in there.
Are you in that point in the middle of your career where you’re trying to make the most of everything you get offered?
Yeah, absolutely. We don't say no to a show. Yeah, maybe to a fault sometimes, but we like to stay on the run.
And I guess it helps when you've got a couple of Opry shows in last year as well!
Absolutely. That's a blessing to be able to play that stage.
How was it that first call to play there?
Yeah, it was great, man. It was cool to have my family there and see me play. They've seen me play from the talent show at the fair to the shitty dive bars to the little clubs we're at and then all the way to the Opry. It was a good full circle, a little tip of the hat from God, we're going in the right direction!
It obviously timed quite well as it was around the same time you released part one of Western Amerijuana?
Yeah, I believe it was all timed with that. It was a good time for the release and just to have more things going on and more news to spread to people.
You put out Part Two at the end of the year too. Was it always the plan to split that album into two parts or is that just the way the release cycle worked out for you?
I think that's just kind of how that one went. I mean, we initially had a plan to make it a record and then we kind of just split it all up and took our time with putting it out. I think that's today's market, in today's world, it seems like. Just kind of take it one song at a time and play it by ear.
Do you think that made for a better process for yourself when it came to putting out those albums, so you're not rushing to get everything on one album and getting to take that time and really think about what songs are on it?
Yeah, I think that's kind of a battle. I feel like a songwriter in me wants to put the damn song out the next day as soon as I write the thing. On the artist side, you definitely need to take a little more of a planning approach but I don't know if that's true or not. There's no rules in any of this stuff!
I'm sure lots of people ask you about the titles, Western Amerijuana How do you sum it up?
I mean, I call it Country and Western Amerijuana because we're not the mainstream country, but we're definitely not Americana. It's kind of right down the middle. It's for the hippies and the cowboys!
Is that nice to be almost creating your own blend of a genre?
Absolutely! I think that's kind of our ticket and our way in.
When you explain at a live show what the music is, it's not Americana, it's not country, it's down the middle. What kind of reaction do people come up to you after the shows and say about it?
I mean, I think it all goes good. I mean, you get some of the cowboys and the cowgirls coming in. But then you also got people from the city coming in, too! You know, I think it's a little all over the place. We can go play that music in Fort Worth, Texas or Los Angeles, California. I think that's always the goal and especially right now in pop culture with the Western world being so big, everybody's looking for an excuse to go to Boot Barn and buy a hat and a pair of boots. We'll help be that excuse!
Yes, sir. We'll be a little ways from South Dakota this next week. That's for sure!
You did some tours recently with bands like Flatland Cavalry. What are you gaining from going on these support tours?
It's nice to be playing the smaller clubs and venues that we're playing now, but then still getting our feet wet in those bigger places that we're hoping to play next. Just kind of like going from your crowd of two, three hundred people at your own show to a couple of thousand out there is kind of a cool. It's nice to play that 30 minute set before you take over and play the 90 someday. It's just nice to have a little experience in there.
Are you in that point in the middle of your career where you’re trying to make the most of everything you get offered?
Yeah, absolutely. We don't say no to a show. Yeah, maybe to a fault sometimes, but we like to stay on the run.
And I guess it helps when you've got a couple of Opry shows in last year as well!
Absolutely. That's a blessing to be able to play that stage.
How was it that first call to play there?
Yeah, it was great, man. It was cool to have my family there and see me play. They've seen me play from the talent show at the fair to the shitty dive bars to the little clubs we're at and then all the way to the Opry. It was a good full circle, a little tip of the hat from God, we're going in the right direction!
It obviously timed quite well as it was around the same time you released part one of Western Amerijuana?
Yeah, I believe it was all timed with that. It was a good time for the release and just to have more things going on and more news to spread to people.
You put out Part Two at the end of the year too. Was it always the plan to split that album into two parts or is that just the way the release cycle worked out for you?
I think that's just kind of how that one went. I mean, we initially had a plan to make it a record and then we kind of just split it all up and took our time with putting it out. I think that's today's market, in today's world, it seems like. Just kind of take it one song at a time and play it by ear.
Do you think that made for a better process for yourself when it came to putting out those albums, so you're not rushing to get everything on one album and getting to take that time and really think about what songs are on it?
Yeah, I think that's kind of a battle. I feel like a songwriter in me wants to put the damn song out the next day as soon as I write the thing. On the artist side, you definitely need to take a little more of a planning approach but I don't know if that's true or not. There's no rules in any of this stuff!
I'm sure lots of people ask you about the titles, Western Amerijuana How do you sum it up?
I mean, I call it Country and Western Amerijuana because we're not the mainstream country, but we're definitely not Americana. It's kind of right down the middle. It's for the hippies and the cowboys!
Is that nice to be almost creating your own blend of a genre?
Absolutely! I think that's kind of our ticket and our way in.
When you explain at a live show what the music is, it's not Americana, it's not country, it's down the middle. What kind of reaction do people come up to you after the shows and say about it?
I mean, I think it all goes good. I mean, you get some of the cowboys and the cowgirls coming in. But then you also got people from the city coming in, too! You know, I think it's a little all over the place. We can go play that music in Fort Worth, Texas or Los Angeles, California. I think that's always the goal and especially right now in pop culture with the Western world being so big, everybody's looking for an excuse to go to Boot Barn and buy a hat and a pair of boots. We'll help be that excuse!
We're obviously seeing such a boom in country music over here in the UK and it's the same in Germany. Were these the kind of places that you expected to be able to tour and play so early in your career?
You know, I think it's always been a goal and a dream to go overseas and to play and to find these rooms. I don't really have too many expectations or expect too much. We're just kind of rolling with it, taking what we can get. I think I kind of give up the expectations because any time you have a plan like that, this music don't work like that.
People always tell us the UK is a very kind of listening crowd and can sometimes be quite quiet. Are you looking forward to a listening crowd and maybe not a rowdy bar scene type crowd?
Yeah, I mean, it definitely changes the banter and what you're saying out there. I think that we're very used to playing those drunk rowdy crowds, but if everyone's sitting down and listening then that's always fun too. You tell some more stories that way. It makes me uncomfortable as hell, but I love that too!
When you’re over here you will be playing one of the Bluebird shows at The O2. Do you look forward to those sit down circle rounds?
Yeah, I mean, I think I like them because they push me a little bit right now. I like them because I don't always like them, if that makes any sense. You know, it's nice to put that hat on and to tell a little more stories about the song and especially if people are receptive and sitting down listening. I mean, it's always fun. I just prefer the party.
You know, I think it's always been a goal and a dream to go overseas and to play and to find these rooms. I don't really have too many expectations or expect too much. We're just kind of rolling with it, taking what we can get. I think I kind of give up the expectations because any time you have a plan like that, this music don't work like that.
People always tell us the UK is a very kind of listening crowd and can sometimes be quite quiet. Are you looking forward to a listening crowd and maybe not a rowdy bar scene type crowd?
Yeah, I mean, it definitely changes the banter and what you're saying out there. I think that we're very used to playing those drunk rowdy crowds, but if everyone's sitting down and listening then that's always fun too. You tell some more stories that way. It makes me uncomfortable as hell, but I love that too!
When you’re over here you will be playing one of the Bluebird shows at The O2. Do you look forward to those sit down circle rounds?
Yeah, I mean, I think I like them because they push me a little bit right now. I like them because I don't always like them, if that makes any sense. You know, it's nice to put that hat on and to tell a little more stories about the song and especially if people are receptive and sitting down listening. I mean, it's always fun. I just prefer the party.
With festivals in America, you literally go in, you play your one set and then you go home and that's it. Whereas here, you've got two days in Berlin, the day in Rotterdam and two days in London. You're playing four different sets in London and four in Berlin, is that something totally new to you almost in that sense?
Not necessarily. I think the run around in the town I live in keeps you pretty busy on that. I grew up playing a couple of different rounds a night, you know, so you'd be running from bar to bar, so I don't think that bothers me too much.
A lot of artists after they play say over the weekend you see some of the same people across multiple sets and maybe something artists don’t always expect.
Yeah, I mean, that's a repeat customer. That's what you're going for in this business.
For you, it's such an opportunity as well to introduce yourselves to a new crowd. I'm sure you've probably seen it, but do you notice Spotify numbers for listeners being in England and across Europe once you got announced for these shows.
Yeah, we looked at that and it was kind of it was cool to see that there are little pockets of people listening over there. That's the whole point, I think, of going over here this year is just to plant a seed, be able to come back and hopefully bring a band and make a tour out of it. That's the goal. The agreement I had with the management on this whole thing was, you know, if we go, we don't stop going. That's the whole goal!
We can’t wait to great you for what will hopefully then be the first of many trips. Have an amazing flight and I hope the jet lag doesn’t get you!
Yes, sir. Appreciate you, man. We fly Wednesday, start playing Friday.
Tyler will be playing 4 sets across the C2C London weekend, and you can catch him at The Bluebird Café on Saturday at 10am. With set times still to be released, across the weekend Tyler will also be performing on The Wayside, The Big Entrance Stage and The Saloon Stage
To stay up to date with all the set times for the weekend be sure to download the C2C app. The app will feature stage times, artist info plus notifications about competitions and more. The official C2C app can be downloaded for free at https://C2C.lnk.to/AppiOS for iOS and https://C2C.lnk.to/AppAndroid for Android.
C2C 2025 take place at The O2 London from Friday 14 to Sunday 16 March 2025. Tickets are on sale now via www.axs.com/c2c / www.gigsandtours.com / www.ticketmaster.co.uk
In Berlin, Tyler will be playing the Rooftop Stage and Pindeck Stage on Friday and the Town Square and Holler Stages on Saturday. C2C 2025 Berlin takes place at The Uber Eats Music Hall and outside in the Uber Plaza from Friday 7th to Sunday 9th March 2025. Tickets are on sale now from https://www.eventim.de/artist/c2c-country-to-country/
Not necessarily. I think the run around in the town I live in keeps you pretty busy on that. I grew up playing a couple of different rounds a night, you know, so you'd be running from bar to bar, so I don't think that bothers me too much.
A lot of artists after they play say over the weekend you see some of the same people across multiple sets and maybe something artists don’t always expect.
Yeah, I mean, that's a repeat customer. That's what you're going for in this business.
For you, it's such an opportunity as well to introduce yourselves to a new crowd. I'm sure you've probably seen it, but do you notice Spotify numbers for listeners being in England and across Europe once you got announced for these shows.
Yeah, we looked at that and it was kind of it was cool to see that there are little pockets of people listening over there. That's the whole point, I think, of going over here this year is just to plant a seed, be able to come back and hopefully bring a band and make a tour out of it. That's the goal. The agreement I had with the management on this whole thing was, you know, if we go, we don't stop going. That's the whole goal!
We can’t wait to great you for what will hopefully then be the first of many trips. Have an amazing flight and I hope the jet lag doesn’t get you!
Yes, sir. Appreciate you, man. We fly Wednesday, start playing Friday.
Tyler will be playing 4 sets across the C2C London weekend, and you can catch him at The Bluebird Café on Saturday at 10am. With set times still to be released, across the weekend Tyler will also be performing on The Wayside, The Big Entrance Stage and The Saloon Stage
To stay up to date with all the set times for the weekend be sure to download the C2C app. The app will feature stage times, artist info plus notifications about competitions and more. The official C2C app can be downloaded for free at https://C2C.lnk.to/AppiOS for iOS and https://C2C.lnk.to/AppAndroid for Android.
C2C 2025 take place at The O2 London from Friday 14 to Sunday 16 March 2025. Tickets are on sale now via www.axs.com/c2c / www.gigsandtours.com / www.ticketmaster.co.uk
In Berlin, Tyler will be playing the Rooftop Stage and Pindeck Stage on Friday and the Town Square and Holler Stages on Saturday. C2C 2025 Berlin takes place at The Uber Eats Music Hall and outside in the Uber Plaza from Friday 7th to Sunday 9th March 2025. Tickets are on sale now from https://www.eventim.de/artist/c2c-country-to-country/
