It's been a few years since British country music really exploded onto the charts with the dominance of Ward Thomas and The Shires on the airwaves and in the album charts. In the time since, country festivals have really exploded across the UK, and Blackpool's response, The British Country Music Festival, has grown each year, and it is now in its sixth year. Boasting Nashville star turned indie folk singer/songwriter Sam Palladio, Beyoncé collaborator and rising icon Brittney Spencer and former X Factor star and Radio 2 playlisted Irish country songstress Janet Devlin as headliners, the weekend kicks off with rising local talent Owen Morton on the Arena stage, a setting crafted to showcase upcoming talent. With a decent voice, he steadily warms up the growing crowd, and a weekend of country diversity is kicked off.

With the very definition of 'country' having often been discussed, with those in the traditionalist camp seeking to discredit some of the New Country wave of talent, the impressively eclectic approach to the line-up for the festival ensured that fans of all areas of the genre had something to enjoy, while simultaneously striking a clever balance between those that were better established and those just taking baby steps to find their audience.

Owen Morton

Sam Palladio

With a VIP event to launch the weekend properly, after the Arena stage had initially warmed the cockles, Sam Palladio shared his thoughts on the genre in an interesting Q&A. When questioned about his own material having moved away from the genre, the honest performer was realistic about the range of his own influences shaping the non-genre-limited output he offered.

While his set was the headline of the Friday evening, it was interesting to note that his lack of direct country sound (aside from the inclusion of a few of his hits from Nashville) left many in the audience seeming to question his presence. Even the next day many were heard stating that Demi Marriner, who'd opened the main stage – the Empress Ballroom – with a truly sensational set, should have been the headline act, and it would be fair to say the audience voted similarly with their feet, as her pull from the seating area to the ballroom far outshone both the acts that followed her.

Saturday kicked off at 12:00 with Sheffield's Kier. While her songwriting is impressive, her faux American accent when singing seemed to highlight one of the flaws that seems to undermine the notion of British country and one that was notable in a few acts throughout the weekend. While the likes of Demi Marriner, Jonny Morgan and Jade Helliwell stayed true to their own accents, even when delivering a song playing on her Mancunian accent, Katie Rigby adopted a Nashville twang. Perhaps, but staying truer to their own identity, the sounds of those whose accents didn't alter felt more authentic. 


A key highlight of the Saturday was the Songwriters Carousel, which really offered a raw insight into the songwriting minds of Tara MacLean, Jade Helliwell and The Far North. Following them was the sensational Gareth Dunlop, which led into the fiery Jess & The Bandits running up the energy back in the Arena ahead of the Empress Ballroom opening. Kick-starting the Empress Ballroom headliner stage was the sensational Tara MacLean. Having shown the depth of beauty in her songs during the stripped-back Carousel earlier that day, the evening performance was nothing short of spellbinding.

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• Fin Pearson
• Brittney Spencer
• Jess and the Bandits
• Dan Smalley
• Jonny Morgan and Moral Support
• Red Sky July
• Buckle and Boots

UK talent Wood Burnt Red had the challenging job of following such an impressive act, but they certainly got the audience hot under the collar and ready to groove with Brittney Spencer, who had flown in exclusively for the festival. Delivering a set that showcased the strength of her debut album while also offering insight into the material that she is currently working on, she showed traditionalists that New Country is no less country than any area in that classification.

With Sunday a much smaller affair than the previous two days, with only the Empress Ballroom open, the day started with the absolutely lush Red Sky July delivering a beautifully scintillating set. In another slight line-up misstructure, the vibrant Jonny Morgan showcased his new band, the Moral Support, and effortlessly enticed his Sunday crowd onto their feet with their Zutons-esque presence. With a slightly sleepier set, London's Mim Grey followed. Armed with a sound that would have sat more easily as the bridge between the two former bands, the change in energy was slightly stilted for the audience.

Regardless of the shift in the energy, there was a rush to the dancefloor for the final headline performance of the weekend – Janet Devlin – and it was very much a case of saving the best headliner till last. With a member of the audience shouting, 'You should have headlined Saturday night!' when she noted how grateful she was for her first-ever headline slot, it was clear that the emotional rodeo of her set really touched hearts and got the audience uplifted. 

The British Country Music Festival is a weekend of genre celebration, but it is not one that is limited to the confines of a stoic notion of what the term 'country' means. As a result, it is a glorious celebration of true talent in the truly timeless setting that is the Winter Gardens

For more information on next year's festsival click here.