From Strength To Strength: Lainey Wilson, Dierks Bentley, and Cody Johnson Wow at This Year’s C2C Festival in London, Dublin, and Glasgow

Lainey Wilson performing at C2C London on Friday night | Photo Credit Ruby Gaunt

The C2C Festival Continues to Captivate Country Music Lovers Across The Pond

Over the weekend the largest Country Music festival took place in Europe, between London, Dublin, and Glasgow. The Country2Country Music Festival, better known as C2C is a lifeline for many across Europe where aficionados of the genre flock to one of these Great Britain capitals to see emerging and seasoned artists perform. Seele has been attending C2C since 2017 and with almost a decade in, the festival just keeps getting bigger and better. Before long, the 20k seated 02 Arena in London isn’t going to be able to contain the C2C weekend.

On Wednesday evening, the Nashville Convention & Visitors Corp hosted Jon Randall and Jessi Alexander for an evening of entertainment. Held at Gibson’s Garage in central London, the husband and wife duo sang #1 hit songs they have written for some of Country Music’s top artists. Talking to the audience and telling their stories in between songs, they captivated the audience with experiences and song inspirations.

CMA Songwriters Series | Photo Credit: Luke Dyson

And, on Thursday night the Country Music Association (CMA) welcomed guests for a private reception before their annual CMA Songwriters Series, where Darius Rucker hosted singers Jessi Alexander, Wyatt Flores, Mickey Guyton, and Tucker Wetmore performed at the Indigo at the O2.

C2C weekend kicked off in London with people gathering from all across Europe. Most festival goers were from Britain, but there were Italians, Eastern Europeans, Scandinavians, and many Americans attending small stage performances. As with every year, the shopping area is where attendees shopped Western wear from Ariat cowboy boots, Wrangler jeans, bolos, shirts, denim, fringe jackets, and hats. Smaller stages in the shopping area saw attendees listening to emerging voices like Chanel Yates, Zach Meadows, and Eleri. And American BBQ, hotdogs, beer and other food could be purchased. 

Wyatt Flores was supposed to perform at C2C 2024, but shared he needed to take a mental health break and as a result he appreciated 2025 | Photo Credit: Ruby Gaunt

Tucker Wetmore | Photo Credit: Luke Dyson

For the three nights, eight acts took to the Chris York Main Stage in the 02 Arena. Bob Harris from BBC Radio 2 and Country singer Mickey Guyton emceed each night, intruding each act before they went onto the main stage. On Friday, Wyatt Flores was the first act and though he’s got a quiet nature about him, his lyrics and passion shone through as he sang Milwaukee. A fiddler joined him on stage and he brought opening arena energy, where if one didn’t know Wyatt Flores before he took to the stage, one certainly knows his name now after his performance. Tucker Wetmore took the stage next. Filled with new artist energy, he was besotted and humbled that the arena of 20k knew the lyrics to his songs. Thanking the audience, he said “this is easily the biggest show I’ve ever played,” while the crowd cheered him on. “It’s my first time in London. My name is Tuker Wetmore for those of you who don’t know me. We don’t have much time so we’re going to stand up here and rock for you for thirty minutes. We’re going to play some stuff that you don’t know and that you might. I dropped an EP at the end of last year.” And with that he sang “Break First.”

Bayker Blakenship, 49 Winchester, Max McNown, Dylan Gossett, and Willow Avalon performed after Tucker, and before Friday’s headliner: Lainey Wilson who brought the house down. Her energy and heart for what she does is so palpable. Wilson first played at C2C in 2018 and her desire to make it in Country Music was palpable. Her heart was in it then and it still is. During her first year she wasn’t even performing on any of the arena stages, only on the afterparty stages. In 2023, she played on the main arena stage but as a lead up to Thomas Rhett, who headlined. This year as she headlined, she sang songs from her new album Whirlwind, while mesmerizing the audience.

Niko Moon | Photo Credit: Ruby Gaunt

Tyler Hubbard performing on Saturday night in London | Photo Credit: Ruby Gaunt

On Saturday night Tanner Adell opened the arena performances, followed by a roster of moving performances. Niko Moon was amazing, more than amazing, bringing a beach party vibe to the stage singing Money Can’t Buy and his breakout hit, Good Time. Singing barefoot, his energy of dancing around the stage was infectious. Homegrown British Country singer Kezia Gill rocked the house from the spotlight stage, while Chayce Beckham who’s near death life story, soothed audiences with his laidback approach to performing. Kaitlin Butts’ raw lyrics about standing up to exes, along with how she sings with her Country twang was nothing short of captivating. Tyler Hubbard brought the house down with Meant To Be, a song he wrote and originally performs with Pop singer Bebe Rhexa. He told the story of how he wrote several songs for Jason Aldean, and performed You Make It Easy, an Aldean hit. And sang one of Florida Georgia Line songs Cruise, which brought the audience to their feet.

The audience absorbed each performance with genuine gratitude | Photo Credit: Ruby Gaunt

Drew Baldrige, whose career is steadily burgeoning, took to the spotlight stage. Earlier on Saturday, I sat down with him to interview him for the Soulful Side of Life podcast, where he opened up on how Nashville almost gave up on him because of 4 failed hits. But his career has done a turn around. After creating his own record label, Baldridge released his own song, both hits which he performed on stage.  Then, Dierks Bentley headlined and brought energy to the stage singing Red Solo Cup and Gold.

The weekend was one of discovering new artists, emerging artists, and being able to bask in the familiar ballads of the headliners. The festival has gone from strength to strength that no telling what it will look like ten years in. There’s already a C2C Berlin and the growth of Country Music in Europe is inspiring. During their performances, American singers constantly commented on how European artists are more attentive, know the lyrics, sing along with the songs, and are overall present during their performances. Perhaps for European Country Music connoisseurs, it’s a luxury having Country artists travel all the way from Nashville to hear them sing, something American audiences can take for granted. One thing’s for sure, London festival goers didn’t take any part of C2C for granted. Smaller stages, shopping, the arena performances, and after parties were jam packed with Europeans simply not wanting the festival to end.

C2C 2026 has been announced to take place March 13-15th. Earlybird tickets going on sale March 21, 2025 at 10am.