“You Brits are a weird bunch.”
Whether the American social media commenter had a point when viewing the Long Road line up is irrelevant. It’s just the way we do things over here. The market is smaller. An innovative approach is required to match inclusivity and viability on a scale above boutique. Since its inception in 2018, The Long Road has achieved that, fighting off the challenge of two blank pandemic-stricken summers. Even over here opinions on the line up will spark conflict: not enough Nashville ‘A’ listers, too many hat and sparkle acts, who’s that Americana no-name who we’ve never heard of attracting only a dozen to their set.
It is tough to take an holistic view of a festival. Multi artist and activity events are different for each attendee. If you can reflect in the aftermath that Long Road worked for you, then an impossible job for the lofty ambitions of the organisers has worked.
The polar opposites of Long Road attendees are music nerds savouring every lyric, note and quip from up front to a more casual stance of embracing the lifestyle elements in a sociable environment. Both mingle on a sizeable site and occasionally cross paths. Memories are built across the board fermenting into inking in the next staging.
To put the music presentation into context, four main performing areas host acts periodically across the weekend. The Rhinestone, Interstate, Buddy’s and Front Porch have all established an identity. Genre lines on each stage fluctuate between faint and decisive depending on the time of day. It doesn’t take long to get a feel of what you want to get from a weekend or day visit.
The defining legacy is the list of names the event has attracted from America and Canada over five stagings, blending in with homegrown talent. Not just with Country Radio credentials but lesser known acts sourced from Americanafest or lifted from the pages of No Depression and Americana UK. It is the latter that has increasingly piqued interest from corners of a music community where acts are meticulously sourced. Just scour the Long Road alumni (reviews of each found on the blog will suffice) and the image of what has evolved with emerge. Others festivals create a niche, but there has always been something different in the pool sought here, frequently meeting the ideals of certain fans.
A barrage of views, expectations and experiences will surface post-festival. The ultimate one here is The Long Road has become a valued treasure on the UK Americana scene, bringing artists that wouldn’t necessarily appear elsewhere. The compromise is a shared platform as effective now as in 2018 when eyes lit up at the inaugural line up.
The Long Road Festival deserves to succeed due its smart and brave curation. It works for me and hopefully others of a similar ilk.
Yes, we may be weird but we listen intently and cherish our little window onto the world of country, Americana and roots music.
My Long Road
Robert Vincent
Campbell Jensen
American Aquarium
Julian Taylor
Adeem the Artist
Katie Pruitt
Wyatt Flores
Pearl Charles
Andrew Combs
Red Clay Strays
My Darling Clementine
Jess Williamson
Pokey LaFarge
Vincent Neil Emerson
Kaitlin Butts
Drew Holcomb
Georgia Van Etten
Flatland Cavalry
Jake Vaadaland
Visit www.instagram.com/threechordsandthetruthuk for pics and artist comment