Is this festival on a short road or a long road? Fingers crossed the latter applies. For an event not shy on flashing a brassy exterior, it is the steely inner sanctum of inclusivity that ultimately signposts the way to a successful destination in the eyes of many fans. Criticism will always fly in from all points of the compass, but the The Long Road can stand on the facts, evidence and response from a vast array of music fans planted across a wide hinterland of a somewhat specialist genre. Challenges appear and are met. Plans are made and largely kept. There is no other festival in the land that bravely throws down such a gauntlet, and it is this act alone that warrants success and some remnants of longevity.
Festivals have a dual existence of fostering collective companionship and forging a highly personalised journey. The former may thrive in static communities focussing on one stage, but the true soul of a multi-location event is the freedom to roam. With the latter in tow, no two festival reflections are ever likely to be the same. As much as a review can attempt to paint the picture, it can never replace the thrill of experiencing that personal journey.
2022 was the year The Long Road removed the closed barriers after tentatively revving into gear for the two inaugural stagings in 2018 and 2019. Opinions will fly around on what the event did well and what could be improved. Other forums can deal with this. Likewise there are many who take a light touch approach to the music and this is perfectly laudable when investing in what could be construed as a lifestyle event. In the end any worthwhile reflection must come from the heart and what The Long Road meant to the individual. So for 2022 the attention here will be on seventeen artists, who for many reasons somehow made the cut in nearly all cases for their set to be seen in its entirety undisturbed. This leaves a vast array on the sidelines containing some favourites and others who don’t quite fit the mould in a crowded field. So logistics and intent went along way to forming this list.
The order of the artists is chronological with a difference. A decision is made to sort them in some resemblance of when they first crossed my path. Obviously this is quite loose, but there is an element of structure when you consider some of them have been on the stereo for close on twenty years, while others literally popped up over the weekend. So here goes, The Long Road Festival 2022 through the eyes, ears and heart of one music fan.
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| Sara Evans |
When Sara Evans ended her Sunday afternoon set with ‘Suds in the Bucket’ a chapter closed on a connection that stretches as far back as interest in the genre itself. This style of country music was a heavy presence in the formative years with many of her big hitting compatriots from the late 90s and early to mid 2000s making an impression. Leading lights from those days occasionally crop up, often in a haze of nostalgia. The booking of an artist who herself said she hadn’t visited our shores for twenty years was a surprise, but one greatly appreciated. The set itself was what you would expect from a performer used to strutting out in the big lights. There was a diva edge alongside the slick presentation from a top band. Dancing to the opening number ‘A Real Fine Place to Start’ and singing your heart out to the closer was a perfectly acceptable act for any person who has played the music of Sara Evans so much, even those who tend to focus on the early years. She mentioned the 1997 classic album THREE CHORDS AND THE TRUTH, but sadly didn’t play the title track. Forgiveness was also forthcoming in covering the Bee Gees instead, but this forty-five minute display finally tied a loop to lay an obsession to rest.
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| Gretchen Peters |
Right in the middle of endearing oneself to artists such as Sara Evans, Martina McBride and Trisha Yearwood at the time, another performer came to the fore albeit from a different perspective. The mid 2000s was a time when Gretchen Peters was already a low key established US touring act. The days of her songs being cut by those with record deals were diminishing but replaced by a continual stream of high quality songs and a dedicated fanbase overseas that was set to grow. Gretchen Peters was the gateway into so many singer-songwriters of a country-Americana persuasion and she herself can live with the best. Sunday afternoon on the Interstate stage was the beginning of a sad but ultimately content stint. She will end her touring days next spring and the farewell process is now underway. If ‘Five Minutes’ can well up the eyes now at The Long Road festival, god knows what it will do in Birmingham Town Hall next May.
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| Sunny Sweeney |
If Sara Evans was high on a bucket list to see live, Sunny Sweeney was hot on her heels. She did tour in the early days of admiring her towards the end of the 2000s, but those shows were missed. The wait has been longer than expected and the career of this Texan country artist has undulated greatly in the intervening years. 2022 has corrected this courtesy of The Long Road booking her to play the Rhinestone stage on Sunday afternoon immediately before the Sara Evans slot. HEARTBREAKER’S HALL OF FAME is one of the finest country albums owned and was the gateway to Sunny Sweeney’s music in the day. We had the pleasure of one track in the setlist and hearing ‘Please Be San Antone’ live brought all those listening digital hours to life.
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| Allison Russell |
After a quick introduction to country music through its big players, exploration went quickly across the wider roots scene and what was happening in local venues. One such act to play the Kitchen Garden in Birmingham was Po Girl and in their ranks was a certain Allison Russell. Her career may have forged in many directions and collaborations since those days, but it is basically the same artist at the helm of what is likely to be the seminal roots album of the early 2020s. All the way from Canada Allison Russell brought her OUTSIDE CHILD project to The Long Road and delivered the most impassioned and absorbing performance you could wish for. A crack band was in place, the songs sounded special and emotions ran high. Those frequenting the Interstate stage on Saturday teatime experienced a real treat from a star who will continue to soar.
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| Brandy Clark |
We are fast forwarding a few more years before the next Long Road artist sprung up. There is a small element of smugness that one of the first UK reviews for Brandy Clark appeared on this site in 2013. 12 STORIES found its way from Slate Creek records to this little UK outpost and launched an appreciation still going strong nearly a decade later. The songs from that album still sound fresh with ‘Stripes’ and ‘Pray for Jesus’ leading the way as she played the penultimate slot on the Rhinestone stage on Saturday. This was the third time seeing her play live and by far the most impressive. The poise, band, comfort and songs were all in place. A mature bout of classic country songwriting was on show. You could say the adults were in the house, but this is a disservice to the many younger fans in the vicinity hooked on every word.
The Long Road had a hiccup in 2018 when Carrie Underwood was a last minute withdrawal. Lightning struck twice for the organisers when Saturday headliner Chris Young did likewise this year. Thoughts went out to the ramifications and headaches it caused. The solution was to move Brandy Clark to the Rhinestone stage and play before the new headliner who in turn moved up a slot and doubled his set time. That act was Marty Stuart and His Fabulous Superlatives. This solution eliminated a clash with Brandy for me and set up one of the best three hours of country music you could wish to see.
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| Marty Stuart and His Fabulous Superlatives |
It is tough to date when Marty Stuart first popped up on the timeline, but around the same time as Brandy Clark will suffice. Folks had said his Superlatives shows lives up to the billing and they were not wrong. For two hours on Saturday evening, the best display of country music existing on this planet came to a field in Leicestershire. It was breathtaking, pulsating and totally awe-inspiring. Remove the traditional stance and the virtuosity of the picking would expand across the whole music world, not just a faction of the country community. Marty Stuart milked the moment, allowed the space for Chris Scruggs, Kenny Vaughan and Harry Stinson to flourish and thrive, thrilling to the core an army of awe-struck fans in front of the stage. No idea what was happening behind, me, all that mattered was the four musicians on stage and their three surprise guests in Andrew Combs, Sunny Sweeney and Kezia Gill. A truly special place to be and performance to witness close at hand.
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| Legends of Country |
The next trio of acts surfaced in my hinterland roughly around the same time approximately half a dozen years ago. They were also linked by playing Buddy’s Good Time Bar, a new venue that replaced the striking Honky Tonk, which was surprisingly ditched this year. While being different in many ways to its predecessor, and basically a small stage in an open tent, it was easier to access and housed some of best music of the weekend, especially for those with an Americana persuasion. On Saturday afternoon and evening Loose Music curated the stage and opened with London act Legends of Country who were previously seen for the first time at the Maverick Festival in 2015. By probably an own admission they are not the most prolific band, but founder and front person Jof Owen presents his music in an entertaining and alluring style. Very much home grown and influenced as well as decked in a fitting Shania Twain t-shirt for irony, or not?
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| Katherine Priddy |
The second Loose guest introduced was Birmingham’s own folk star Katherine Priddy. Not too sure where the association with London’s premier alt-country and Americana label came from, but good music breaks down barriers, and she is definitely riding the crest of a wave on the success of her debut album. This release is a long time coming as evidenced by placing her in a timeline of the mid 2010s. Her set on Saturday afternoon was the quietest of the weekend, which can be quite a challenge with the noise from surrounding stages. Regardless, she was as eloquent as ever and took the roots angle of the festival’s strap line to its deepest point, even to the extent of throwing in some unique Greek mythology anecdotes.
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| Whitney Rose |
Whitney Rose’s rise to prominence can be precisely pinpointed to 2017 with a trio of album and gig reviews. She was a very deserved invitee to The Long Road and brings a sumptuous slice of Texas country spliced with classic 60s pop. An enticing mix for a Canadian artist with an international focus. One of the best sets of the weekend came from this very talented artist with her slick band headed by Noel Mckay on lead guitar. If a vacancy came up in the Superlatives, he would be a worthy applicant. Sunday teatime in Buddy’s Good Time Bar was the place to be for those in the know, and a cover of ‘You Don’t Own Me’ ensured that politics of the day didn’t get buried.
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| Sarah Shook and the Disarmers |
The artist who leapt the most in my appreciation scale over the weekend was North Carolina-based band Sarah Shook and the Disarmers. Her inception from a personal point is dated to the release of SIDELONG also in 2017. Things have been quiet here interacting with her music, but this all changed to the extent of seeing both her sets on different stages on Saturday and Sunday. The latter was better mainly due to the sound emanating from Buddy’s. The vocals and pedal steel were clearer without diluting any of the energy sizzling from the guitar breaks. This is country punk at its rawest and totally intoxicating. If the true spirit of Hank Williams was to be found at The Long Road, the place was in the music and soul of Sarah Shook. Full credit to the organisers for finding a space in an event that boasts about inclusivity and then delivers.
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| The Ghost of Paul Revere |
We are ten artists into this piece and now the introductions are started to get a little more recent. In November 2020, New England-based Americana rock band The Ghost of Paul Revere was dangled in front of me and the bait to positively review their album was taken. There was not much follow up until their name appeared on The Long Road bill and plans were made from the outset to visit Buddy’s Bar on Sunday afternoon to watch their set. It was a wise decision as their earthy brand of roots rock music with a dose of banjo thrown in added a different dimension to much of what was generally appearing across the festival. The reception of those around was positive, so this may kickstart a greater presence in the UK where Americana bookers should certainly take an interest.
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| Priscilla Block |
Priscilla Block was the biggest swing from the centre of my country-Americana universe in 2022, but there was something different about her act and music that intrigued enough to catch a couple of sets. Her target audience is right on message and the brashness is for all to see. However, she came across as genuine and there was a subtle aside to her sense of fun with more than a touch of irony. Loads of country party sass defines her act and she definitely draws inspiration from the one or two 'let your hair down' tracks Miranda Lambert always puts on her albums. She pre-dates Long Road by around six months after being seen on the same stage as Miranda at C2C playing the songwriters circle with Tiera and Morgan Wade. Her first set on the Interstate on Friday evening was probably the most enjoyable of the two with a few 90s country covers chucked in.
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| St. Catherine's Child |
The Front Porch gets a first mention now with a trio of sets seen from artists virtually getting a debut exposure. This stage proved a popular pull across the weekend helped by the beautiful weather that rewarded the decision to bring the staging date a fortnight forward than the previous events. On Friday evening a brand new artist to me going by the name St.Catherine’s Child played a softly spun transatlantic acoustic set with leanings towards folk and Americana. She was an unassuming solo performer who when in full flow came across as quite an effective singer-songwriter. This segment of the festival was curated by the Americana Music Association UK and they would surely agree with one of their artists covering Townes Van Zandt’s ‘I’ll Be Here in the Morning’.
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| Benjamin Francis Leftwich |
Benjamin Francis Leftwich was the second artist whose set was scene in its entirety on the Front Porch. This early Saturday morning slot was in line with his lo-fi approach and although the name had been seen on many non-Americana listings over the years, this was the first time listening to any of his music. Maybe this wasn’t the best environment to catch him, but there was enough there to enjoy, His likely domain is the more alt-folk indie festivals. This was a loose fit for a country, Americana and roots event, maybe even flimsy. Either way music is music to some degree and no harm ensued.
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| Candi Carpenter |
The final act seen on Sunday evening was Candi Carpenter on the Front Porch. She was certainly one of the quirkier acts on the bill and almost defied any genre. If pushed to shove, she created a new one just for herself. There was wit, anger, angst and energy, all packed into a one-person show that doesn’t lose the audience for a second. Maybe only a festival is where some folks with busy schedules would find time to watch Candi Carpenter, especially those a little adrift from her themes. That is the beauty of The Long Road not being afraid to stretch things a little without going too far from a core.
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| Fruit Bats |
The end is in sight as only two more of the anointed sets are left to comment on. The Fruit Bats are an act known nothing about and eyebrows were raised when the line up was released. They are obviously established in their own quarters and resembled a college alt-folk-rock underground band from Athens, Georgia, summed up as very introspective, highly creative and heavy on the groove. The start of their set was missed, but later snippets revealed that they were heavily impacted from missing two key band members. Maybe those listening to them ahead of Drake White on the Interstate stage on Friday were sparse, but there was plenty to enjoy with an acquired ear.
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| Lauren Morrow |
Finally, a festival is incomplete without a recommendation across the weekend. A few folks had tipped off Lauren Morrow as one to watch for her storytelling credentials and ability to deliver a strong country song. So these tips were adhered to and her Sunday morning set on the Interstate was the place to be. The recommendations were spot on and she came across as an artist pushing the right buttons and living the life of somebody pursuing their dream. At the end of the set Lauren Morrow made you believe in her and that sometimes is all an artist desires. Her final cover of an Oasis song may seem odd, but you had to be there to understand why.
So at long last The Long Road Festival welcomed its fans back and staged another wonderful weekend in the accessible grounds of Stanford Hall in Leicestershire. This event deserves to succeed due to its bravery and ethos. It is an event not about the cover. It is about the contents and the personal journey a festival goer undertakes.
