Full Transcript for C2C 2027: What Do We Think?! | The Open Road Special

it the other way around now where you've got all these old school country fans who were like, ⁓ yeah, Brooks and Dunne. And now they're going, we don't want to see modern stuff. We want the old school. So I think that goes back to you can't please everyone, can you? I think it's a strong headliner for the Friday. And I think looking down the list again, there's obviously going to be more announced. Cole Swindell, fantastic announcement. think, I think that's a very, very strong one. Chase Matthew again, really well known. Cassius Culpepper, maybe not as well known, but I think seeing the name, people will start listening. Joey: Yeah. Yeah, that was one that did catch my eye. I mean, Cassius Culpepper, ⁓ I've I've heard him being played a few times at Apple Music Radio. like he's just brilliant. He he kind of brings more of that soul vibe, I think. ⁓ but I quite like his voice. I think he's actually really talented. ⁓ and I think, you know, seeing that seeing him perform on Friday will be a really, really interesting show. Si: Yeah, and the one for me again further down, ⁓ Lainey Gardner, I'm a big fan and she's on the CMA Spotlight stage. Joey: Yes. Yeah, that was another one where I was just like, Wow, like I'm really glad to see that name on the line up. ⁓ but yeah, I mean it really, really strong. Chase Matthew, ⁓ big fan of him. ⁓ I quite like the sort of country raps kind of style music ⁓ that he produces and I mean, even just country rap in general, Colt Ford, ⁓ another big one for me. ⁓ really sort of like like the music he puts out. I just think it brings a different side of country. Si: Yeah, yeah. Joey: ⁓ Lazy K booth, again, really looking forward to that. ⁓ but yeah, I think, you know, before moving on, I think the last thing to mention about with Jedi, ⁓ it was a bit of a shock for me, I think. ⁓ especially obviously going through the divorce at the moment with Bonnie XO. Si: you Yeah, well he said he was knocking it on the head for a bit, didn't he? Joey: Yeah, yeah, he said that he was gonna take time out of touring obviously to heal and because he's been on the road so much. Si: My only thing is, is with it being that cancelled date last year and a lot of people obviously missed that, it's whether he's gone. I need to give back something to my UK fans. Joey: Yeah. Absolutely. And he's that sort of person who who probably would be thinking that. ⁓ and it's it's good to see him before he's potentially stepping away. ⁓ he didn't come out with the comments of ⁓ he's gonna basically ask God what ⁓ what should he do next and he said if if God tells me to go work in a homeless shelter then I'll see you all later. I'm presuming at the moment he's not been told to go work in the homeless shelter just yet, but to come to l ⁓ the UK instead. Si: Yeah. ⁓ 100%. Yeah, well... Well, hopefully there's more country music on the horizon, because I know that's obviously he's in that niche between genres, I think. So hopefully he's still bringing out

a bit more. But Saturday, I don't think anyone is surprised to see Ashley McBride there. She obviously dropped a bit of a leak a little while ago. My initial thought when I saw the Saturday one was Joyce probably sat at home touching himself over Cooper Alan. Joey: Yeah. No. No, obviously we had that leak. Ha ha ha. Si: being announced second time in 12 months for you and I know you're bit of a fan. Joey: Hell yeah, man. Hell yeah. I mean it it seeing that that name come up a lot alongside Jelly as well. I was just thought, wow. Just ⁓ it was like a dream come true. I mean, for me this is my first ever C2C as well. ⁓ just because like London, I I can't afford London, like I don't have that sort of money to chuck out of there. ⁓ so having it closed home in Manchester was a real big thing for me. ⁓ I was actually gonna toy with potentially going up to Glasgow. ⁓ this year anyway, or next year. ⁓ but yeah, then obviously Manchester. Yeah. Si: I see what Manchester's like. It might be good and it might be a good option, but I shall imagine that I shall be hearing you calling Cooper Island's name out in bed over the next week. It's probably a. But yeah, Jackson Dean again, another one who's been over pretty recently. ⁓ I'm a big Jackson Dean fan. I'm pretty happy to see that as as a main stage artist as well. Joey: Ha ha ha. Yeah. Right. Yeah, I mean I for me I wasn't that fussed. I mean I'm not s I'm not saying anything bad about him. ⁓ you know, I I do like him as an artist. I think it's just because I've seen him a fair bit recently, ⁓ over the past couple of years where I'm more a bit like, ⁓ Si: Yeah, yeah. Well, we'll get to Sunday before we talk about artists who've been here pretty recently and a lot. So. ⁓ Joey: ⁓ god, don't get ⁓ I'm not looking forward to Sunday. ⁓ Carter Faith though, amazing amazing artist. She's ⁓ she again was over recently, wasn't she? Si: Yeah. Yeah, I think she's done C C, but only in a small sense. I'm sure she might have done, I want to say one of the smaller stages or maybe a long road recently. But I mean, to be main stage artists, mean, that's for those type of artists who've maybe been and done a festival slot or maybe they've supported, actually she might have supported somebody, kind of faith. I want to say she maybe, she may be supported. I'm sure I saw her at... Joey: Right. I gonna say I'm sure. Si: It was either the or two Apollo or she might have spotted right. Not Riley, maybe Tucker Tucker wet. Yeah, yeah. But again, she's main stage. She's up there like that. You know, you're not Ashley McBride, but you know, to be on the main stage is huge. ⁓ Joey: Tucker, yes. She supported Tucker. Yeah, and she's had such like a sort of almost explosion in her career recently anyway. ⁓ she's really blown up and I think to be on that main stage ⁓ for CTC is is an amazing ⁓ achievement for her. ⁓ but Blake Whitten again, an artist that I was really happy to see. Si: ⁓ yeah, yeah. ⁓ yeah, well deserved, well deserved.

Yeah, probably a lot of people start listening to might not be as familiar. So again, you know, another one a bit like Cassius from the Friday. I think it's a really, really good opportunity to bring some some fresh music to a lot of people. Joey: Yeah. Yeah, and he's got that sort of he's kind of got a bit of a a gravelly voice really as well, which ⁓ when he's singing, I think it's really, really powerful voice. ⁓ especially like the likes of Rolling Stone, hearing like his voice go with that song, it's just like you you know that song has been made for him. but looking at the Saturday spotlight stage, ⁓ I'm not gonna lie, I don't know any of those names. Si: Yeah. No, well, the only one Chandler Walters rings a bell, but I'm not going to say I'm like a massive diehard fan of any of them. So I think that's going to be a bit of listening for me leading up to and then well, let's look at your favorite day of the three. mean, I mean, Riley Green is that's a strong that's a strong headliner for any day of CSE. Like they've done well with that. Yes, he's been over here and toured recently. Yes. Joey: Yep, Sunday. Don't get me stuck. So we'll kick off with Riley. Yeah. Si: the year before he also did BST when Morgan Wallen was on. yeah, I kid you because that year of Morgan Wallen you look back now and go we had Ella Langley, Ernest, Riley Green like that was a ridiculous line up of how they've all done now. Joey: Did it do you know what I completely forgot about that? I how have I I don't know what the hell was happening in my head, but Yeah. Si: Morgan Wallen is a headliner, there was Alana Springsteen, Riley Green, Langley and Ernest, that was mega, absolute mega. Joey: Yeah. I remember Ernest and I remember Morgan Wallin. And I remember also seeing Patrick Mahomes up in the up in the stand as well looking for Morgan. But I can't remember Riley. Yeah. Yeah, absolutely. Si: Yeah, that was a great year for BST that one. No, mean, Riley Green is a strong, that's strong name. I think that's kind of where it stops for me because Midland have been over here so much. Like they not only did Long Road, they then toured after Long Road. Dasher not only did Long Road, then toured after Long Road. Emily Ann Roberts was here last year at C2C. Joey: Okay. Yeah. Yes. Si: I enjoy Emily and Roberts but you kind of want to see some fresh names on there. Joey: Yeah, yeah, I mean, you know, I'm completely with you on Midland. it doesn't feel like that long ago. ⁓ and again with their I I said to Ash earlier, I was like, you know, with them I'm I'm sort of take it or leave it sort of thing. ⁓ Yeah. Yeah. No, no way. ⁓ I mean Dasher look mate, you you know my views on Dash, I can't fucking stand her. Si: don't get me wrong if they smash out another album early next year then yeah that's going to be a great one but i haven't seen that being announced No well I'm not. It's the pop music choice isn't it for the day that's what it is and it's a big name. She obviously had

a really big song with that one that she did. I can't remember the name of it. ⁓ Joey: Yeah. Yeah. What, the boots one. Did your boots stop working? Did your truck break down? That's all you're getting from me. The TikTok song. Si: Yeah, just like that. But yeah, that was obviously a big one. But has she done much since? Joey: Not well. She she ⁓ I mean she was over ⁓ she supported Kane Brown, didn't she? ⁓ again that that must have been last year time. ⁓ last November, I think, potentially. But again, you know, she's not doing loads, you know. Yeah. Yeah. ⁓ Emily Ann Roberts, I like her. I I've got a little bit of beef with her because ⁓ of the cover she did of Red Solo Cup by Toby Keith. I Si: Yeah, yeah but you know it's more of a household name day I think the Sunday. ⁓ Joey: I'll keep that opinion to myself, but ⁓ I wasn't a fan, let's say. I think it kinda took away some of the party vibe that Toby had put into that song. But I mean, again, you know, great artist, great voice. Matt Matt Geiger? Si: Yeah. But there's the spot at Mark Geiger as well. Yeah, sorry, I missed almost missed that one. Again, another one where I think probably another more unknown name I know in our group chat, know Fran was very, very vocal about about how she was looking forward to that. And I think there'll probably be a lot more of the maybe outside of the box country fans who will kind of go, yes, main stage, that's amazing. Joey: Yeah. Yeah. Si: And again, similar to we go back to Blake to cash is it's another one where it's just putting something fresh on the main stage. Joey: Yeah. Yeah, and I think this is really good. I mean, we've spoken in previous episodes of the podcast where we've said, ⁓ festivals like Buckle and Boots, you go there, you might know a few names, but apart from that, it it's new names to a lot of people. And, you know, seeing this line up poster, you know, as we said, the CMA spotlight stage on the Saturday, Mac Geiger for me on the Sunday. again, it's it's names that I don't know artists, I don't really know, but potentially I'll come away from that weekend thinking ⁓ they're up with Jelly Roll and Cooper Alan in my life now. Si: Well Speaking of the spotlight stage, Jason Scott the Hi-Heat at Long Road were phenomenal. Joey: Were they Were they on the Sunday? Si: just this year gone. I'd have to look back, it's all a blur to me, I can't remember days of the week. But yeah, they were phenomenal. it's again, you know, to go from C to C where it's like a little minor stage at the side to you are gonna be in the main arena, you know, in between some of the main acts, it's a really good platform. Joey: Yeah, it was a long ⁓ time ago. Yeah. Absolutely. And I mean the other two artists on on the spotlight stage for Sunday. ⁓ Benny G a little bit like Carter Faith in my opinion. He's kind of like up and coming now, ⁓ being played a lot more. Really sort of like looking forward to that. ⁓ you know, some good songs, some which are a little bit

slower. ⁓ but people people like that. And again, Owen Reglin, ⁓ really, really popular at the moment. ⁓ He put out a new album earlier this year or late last year, I think it was. ⁓ again, really, really talented artist, really looking forward to seeing him. but yeah, I mean pff, wow. Si: Overall thoughts before I share mine. Joey: Yeah, I think for me, as I said, first C2C, ⁓ and when me and Ash talking about it earlier, it's one of those where I think that I've got a good goodish lineup. ⁓ you know, it could have been a lot worse. ⁓ I think one of the names that everyone was half wanting on there. ⁓ obviously we spoke about it in the episode that went out today, Florida Georgia line, but no. No. I think with things like C T C it's planned so Si: It was never going to happen. It was never going to happen. Like, let's be honest. Joey: much in advance. I think the whole reunion of FGL was probably a little bit too late for that. But Si: Yeah, well, I personally think and I said this when we did the last episode, other than Glastonbury, and I'm not saying they're going to do Glastonbury, there's nothing at their level that we have in the UK, which is disappointing because either they're going to do Glastonbury and I won't be going or they might not do the UK at all. Maybe a BST, that could be a potential. But again, it's... Joey: Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. That that could work, yeah. Yeah. Si: you know it's the middle of the summer and if you were an American artist there's literally festivals every other week there would you really want to go over the UK for what 20 30 000 people but overall I think it is a very strong lineup just for the quality of each day you know to have Emily Ann Roberts, Dasha, Midland, Riley Green on one day, Cooper Alan, Jackson Dean, Carter Faith, Ashley McBryde however Joey: Yeah. Yeah, absolutely. Si: my critique with it. No, my critique with it is I don't see any headliners there. Joey: ⁓ there's always a however. Not even Jelly? Si: No, no, I don't see not in the country scene anyway. I don't see Jelly as a headliner. I could see him being like the next one down to a Post Malone like he did obviously at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium. But I think it's made up for it by how strong it is as a whole. But I think what it's missing is an Ella Langley, ⁓ know, a Brooks and Dunne, a Post Malone, I like a mega name and I think Joey: Really? Right. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Si: generally at most C2Cs every year you get your mega name then everyone else is a bit meh. but ⁓ no but this is it so I'm not critiquing them but I'm looking at that and I don't see a headliner and ⁓ my side you know even last year what was it Russell Dickerson? Russell Dickerson is a headliner you know he's earned that because he's ⁓ so ⁓ big country songs country albums Joey: Yeah. Whereas I think this year they've kind of done like an all around good thing, haven't they? Yeah. No, no. Yeah. Yeah, obviously, yeah. Si: he's well known as an all-around performer. Jelly Roll

is kind of inter-country. He's had what one two albums yes they've been good but he's not at that upper echelon I don't think. Joey: Yeah, absolutely. Absolutely. ⁓ yeah. Si: You could argue Ashley McBride but I don't think she's quite a performer headliner. She's obviously established but I don't think she's quite there. Joey: Yeah. Yeah, she I must admit she's not one of my favourite country artists. I very, very rarely listened to her. so for me that was a little bit of a ⁓ man. But again, you know, it is. It is. I I my only worry a little bit about the Saturday potentially, and this is just my opinion, ⁓ is it gonna be a little bit like last year, obviously with ⁓ I think it was a Sunday with Zach Top. ⁓ because Si: Yeah, yeah. Super strong lineup. Yeah. bit chill. Joey: Who did who was before can you remember who was before Zach Top? Si: Somebody said to me was it Lainey was on and she was just a bit anti-climactic. Joey: Potentially ⁓ hang on, let me have a look because and the reason I say it ⁓ was ⁓ was it Scotty? Scotty McCreary potentially. ⁓ you know, very, very party vibe, and then all of a sudden the sort of mood dropped a little bit. That's potentially my worry, ⁓ with obviously n seeing seeing Cooper this year. Si: starting a career. Ashley McBride? Well yeah you've got there Carter Fifth, Jackson Dean, Alan are all and then Ashley McBride's gonna be a bit more chill. Joey: Yeah. I and I mean Yeah. And like with with Cooper's show back in April, it was just incredible. It really was. it was just so upbeat. Like you're leaving there on like a high. ⁓ and then obviously for Ashley to come on it, I just that's my only concern with that Saturday. ⁓ Si: Yeah, well, I'm sure, you know, there's plenty of comments dishing around social media and I wouldn't mind maybe revisiting this on the next episode and we'll sort of discuss some of what's being put out there. But yeah, overall, ⁓ I'm pretty happy with that. I think it's a strong, strong day and strong weekend, sorry. And yeah, looking forward to it. Joey: Yeah, absolutely. Yeah. Yeah, definitely. Yeah. Yeah. It'd be good. Yeah. So we'll discuss it a little bit more in the the next episode. ⁓ I'm gonna tease a little bit. Si: Yeah, I suppose shout out to our episode drop today. If you haven't already, go and give it a listen. Joey: Yes, it did. Yep. Yep. Episode five is out live everywhere now. ⁓ publishing that at about five o'clock this morning. That was always fun and games. ⁓ but yeah, and you know, a little bit of a tease for the next episode of ⁓ we've got a very special guest, ⁓ Glimpfist coming on. ⁓ so that is gonna form the second part of the new episode. So ⁓ yeah, thought I'd tease that as well. You know, big day with C T C lineup, so why Si: Yeah. Joey: ⁓ but yeah, perfect. So we'll discuss it a little bit more. ⁓ we'll obviously keep people posted on anything new that develops. ⁓ but yeah, so let us know what your thoughts on the lineup is. Si: Yeah, and well, catch you all soon on the next episode. Joey: Absolutely.