The sixth staging of The Long Road Festival had an instant different feel to the previous five. Firstly, the main stage known as the Rhinestone was expanded to host acts on the Friday evening, a timely move to align with other events of a similar size. Secondly, the whole lifestyle aspect seemed on another level with an apparent expansion of live-in vehicles leading to a re-organisation of the parking situation for day visitors. Thirdly, there was a pre-festival consensus that the Americana music offering was considerably lighter than the immense levels of previous years. The last point is purely subjective and within the boundaries of the beholder. If you subscribe to a view that Americana is an all-encompassing indescribable concept offering solace to music that doesn’t quite fit then 2025 was teeming with artists trawled by an event with a mission of inclusivity.
The Long Road can be whatever you want it to be, and is a safe and welcoming place. Finding plenty of engaging sets to fill a weekend was as easy as parading the site in hat, boots and the finest Western wear oblivious to 90% of the sounds blasting out from four key stages. The crux is it doesn’t matter. The weekend is a release with the magnet of an ideal concentrated on music that stripped back is all about the song and the tune. It’s music that doesn’t aim for the lowest common denominator. The odd curve ball booking is the exception rather than the norm. I entered the grounds of Stanford Hall on Friday afternoon armed with the least artist awareness of any Long Road. The site was vacated on Sunday evening with a different perspective. The blinkers came off and the ideals were firmly grasped. Loads of Americana favourites in past years had set the scene; 2025 would prove the most fulfilling experience yet.
Canadian artist Sykamore opened things for me with her Front Porch performance on Friday afternoon. She had been tipped off by others a couple of days earlier with the track ‘Highway Towns’ proving the pick of the online content. This proceeded to be the highlight of her time in the spotlight and signalled a potential to write many more meaningful songs based on real world observations. Definitely an artist to follow. UK singer-songwriter Naomi Campbell was next on the Front Porch and played a set that admirably evolved over time. She appeared to absorb a lot of influences into her style and you felt dashes of soulful folk and blues seeping into songs with a polished potential. The roots term in the festival’s strap line is often under utilised in my opinion. This wasn’t the case with the booking of the hugely acclaimed Fantastic Negrito. He headlined Friday on the Interstate stage and around half of his set was witnessed in-between two significant visits to the Rhinestone.They don’t give Grammys out like confetti and the eminence of this contemporary blues artist was evident from a brief exposure.
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| Ashley Monroe |
As earlier mentioned, the Rhinestone was a deserted space on previous Friday evenings. Two of the three bookings brought it to life this year with sets rivalling the best of Long Road to-date. Despite being a fan of Ashley Monroe for over a dozen years, seeing her play live had been restricted to a fifteen-minute showcase at Country to Country in 2016. Anticipation for her set ran high and the desire was fulfilled by a wonderful hour-long performance. She began by reproducing the self-confessional style of her latest music solo on piano before expanding into a past catalogue packed with stellar songs. The highlights included the adorable ‘Like a Rose’, the witty ‘Weed instead of Roses’ and the chart topper ‘Heart Like mine’. Her good friend Miranda Lambert cut the hit but Monroe spoke about the pair writing it in the backwoods of East Tennessee. The fun moment of the set was being joined by touring buddy Fancy Hagood to serenade an adoring crowd with ‘Islands in the Stream’. Mission accomplished and Ashley Monroe didn’t disappoint.
As the sun set on a late August evening, a new phenomena was about to be unleashed on the UK. Anybody with the faintest interest in country music would be hard pressed not to take anything from the Long Road performance of Drake Milligan. Young, stylish and Texan is the aperitif, reaching out to touch a wide spectrum is at the heart of the act. The legacy is pure theatrical gold armed with a stunning baritone voice, glistening charisma and a musical offering of the finest quality. Maybe some of the material can be a little cheesy but view it as a fine brie. When ratcheting up the Haggard, Presley, Cash, Orbison and Wills influence, the guy is electric. Part pantomime-part country gold, the swagger was alluring, the appeal immediate. The only black mark was mentioning pedal steel but not bringing one. The set would then move from 9.5 to 10. Prior to Long Raod, this artist was tentatively tasted. Post-Long Road, the feel of a special hour and a half with linger long.
Saturday is the day of the Loose Music Takeover of Buddy’s Good Time Bar stage deep in the festival woods, a usual popular hangout for those with an Americana preference. This has been a permanent fixture since the inaugural staging in 2018 and has seen endless fine performances from many artists. Some are currently on the Loose roster; some have a past association, while others are just artists that the label likes. Six of the seven curated acts formed the bulk of my Saturday with the seventh facing the cruellest of cuts when the pull elsewhere was greater. A new band to me, and likely many others, were the London-based Birds Flying Backwards who kicked off the Loose Takeover with a thirty-minute show proving to be a classic example of immediately finding your sound before proceeding to raise the tent roof with a blistering set of cultured alt-country rock. This exciting combo is not currently on the Loose label but expect them to appear on many other festival line ups in the near future. They would be a great pick for Ramblin’ Roots. New Loose signing Greazy Alice from New Orleans were up next and obviously feeling their way with a solo set ahead of a full band tour when the debut record is out. A work-in-progress impression came across alongside positive signs that a fruitful relationship lies ahead.
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| Birds Flying Backwards |
Current Loose hot shots The Hanging Stars have appeared at Buddy’s before and this time featured in the wake of a surprise liaison with Canadian folk legend Bonnie Dobson. Everybody’s favourite jangle rock band have veered their musical prowess in a different direction by making an album with the 84 year old veteran who slices decades from her age when appearing on stage. It was a treat seeing this collaboration close at hand, savouring a voice at the forefront of the early sixties folk revival in perfect harmony with a cutting edge guitar band. It wouldn’t be too harsh referring The Rockingbirds as a key part of Loose’s heritage, and these pioneers of London’s alt-country scene, when the rest of us were oblivious to such fine sounds, rolled back the years with a finely tuned teatime performance.
The other two Loose acts seen were esteemed performers in their own sphere. American singer-songwriter Gill Landry has used the label to put out some of his solo records since ending an association with iconic American roots band Old Crow Medicine Show many years ago. Most of his set at Long Road was in a trio format though he is no stranger to playing solo as evidenced by many tours across the US and Europe. On a weekend when most artists embrace a festival appearance, Landry admitted to feeling a little uneasy with them but was ‘still happy to be here’. Only a Buddy’s audience would empathise with the confessional sentiment. On the other hand, Danny and the Champions of the World throw their heart and soul into any festival booking and play each one like it was their final show. The Champs are on a new lease of life boosted by an amazing latest album and revitalised by the newish presence of Joe Bennett on bass and Thomas Collison on keys. The headline Saturday performance was a master class in not wasting a single second of a short template. Danny Wilson lives and breathes music, and this commitment to excellence combined with a continuing awareness filters into the records he makes.
Danny Wilson is rivalled only by Simeon Hammond Dallas as my most watched festival artist of 2025. She was not part of the Loose Takeover but opened Buddy’s early on Saturday morning giving a vibrant performance highlighting a knack of connecting with audiences through enticing songs and excitable chat. Over three festival appearances seen this year, the impact has impressively evolved creating a unique niche for a resourceful artist comfortable in a variety of genre settings.
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| Danny Wilson |
Filling the slot between Simeon Hammond Dallas and the Loose Takeover lay with female Californian alt-folk trio Rainbow Girls, a band known for many years without actually crossing paths. They played the Interstate stage and gave an idiosyncratic performance lapped up by an audience besotted by the quirky aura. In line with a majority of the festival acts original music led the way with a couple of notable covers slotted in. A slowed down version of ‘Sound of Silence’ was magical and oodles of fun oozed from a sassy rendition of Miranda Lambert’s ‘Tequila Does’.
When the Long Road set times came out, there was a gross unfortunate clash. Bobbie was the one Loose invited artist not seen despite loving her sparkling debut performance at Ramblin’ Roots in 2024. Hope still exists that she will make many UK visits from the relative close proximity of her French home as she is an awesome talent. However at Long Road, one door closed and another opened. There has been a buzz for a while around the emerging talent of Charles Wesley Godwin, yet to date his music had escaped me. With serious top notch US Americana talent being thinner on the schedule than previous years, a decision was made to catch his Interstate set with very little knowledge or expectation. In a rousing and impassioned display of band mastery and prime folk-rock, a blistering exhibition of what was full-on undisputed Americana music filled a packed tent, all lapped up by an adoring youthful crowd akin to what Billy Strings does to the psyche grass fraternity. He was outstanding, amazing and right to the heart of what makes this music special. The impact was up with the best of what past Long Road has delivered including American Aquarium, Will Hoge, Margo Price, Sierra Ferrell, Marty Stuart etc etc A frenzied crowd had one final treat from this proud West Virginian, a spine tingling rendition of his home state’s country pop anthem. You will know it and wouldn’t fail to be moved by this mother of all airings. ‘Almost heaven…’
Sunday arrived at Long Road with a day of twists and turns lying ahead. Apart from two early sets from known artists, the rest was up in the air though soon to unveil the most uplifting of festival experiences. The early slot at Buddy’s is often filled by a decent act and bluegrass roots band Jaywalkers fitted the billing this time.There is scope for more bands inspired by old time string music to boost the roots input. This Manchester trio rose to the challenge by displaying fine musicianship and excellent song presentation. They are in the middle of promoting a new record and are worth checking out especially if they are hitting your town.
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| Charles Wesley Godwin |
From one perspective the Front Porch stage appears a limited and awkward performing space, alternatively it plays out to a vast crowd, both seated and passing. With the festival’s attendance seemingly growing, the stage was more popular than ever and a vast array of acts exploited its excellent sound projection and pivotal position. Steady Habits squeezed in their four-piece line up on Sunday lunchtime and played a super set in line with a growing reputation. The band led by Sean Duggan played a late night slot a couple of years ago but are now in a more advanced position with a new record due soon. Such is the nature of Long Road that Sean was amongst good people in introducing his signature song ‘Deviate’. Identity and free to be who you are is ingrained into the festival ethos with the thread running right through countless acts and an increasing presence in the audience.
You are never too far away from a crusty, road weary, hat clad country singer at The Long Road. Evan Bartels had a familiar story to tell and told it well from a solo position in the Interstate. The set improved when switching from electric to acoustic guitar. Maybe the former is necessary in a crowded noisy bar where few folks are listening but this is The Long Road with an attentive UK crowd. Twenty-four hours earlier I had left Fancy Hagood’s set on this stage after a quarter of an hour thinking it’s not for me. There was an urge to give the guy a second chance and this time he held my attention for the full forty-five minutes on the Rhinestone. There was a feel good story element to the set as the challenges of being a queer southern artist in country music was shared with honesty amidst the joy of being accepted in other communities. The Long Road afforded him a welcoming home for the weekend. Purists would dismiss the music as too pop orientated but the inclusive concept of Americana opened a niche opportunity for an artist with strong core skills to tell a story.
While US artists tend to dominate the festival, talented home-grown musicians ply their trade with spirit and verve. Will Varley fitted the bill as your archetypal singer-songwriter, comfortable in a multitude of environments and willing to take on a new crowd with his stash of fine songs and affable demeanour. A large Front Porch gathering enjoyed the warm afternoon sunshine and a performer at ease with his craft. I took in the opening and final twenty minutes of this hour-long set with a saunter in the middle of it to sample the Colour Me Country all star show on the Rhinestone. Rissi Palmer has become a Long Road institution for her curation of a range of artists of colour. Songs from Chris Linton, Ben Jordan and Denitia were enjoyed during this quick visit. The beauty of an accessible multi-stage event.
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| Ben Jordan |
Defining the second California female trio of the weekend was not easy but listening to the sumptuous vibes drifting from the music of Trousdale was a delight. Residing on a higher plane than pop, this young outfit hone in on the gift of harmonies and the simple pleasure of exuding a beautiful sound. Americana at least opens the door with some resemblance to The Staves and First Aid Kit. The latter catapulted to prominence with their homage to Emmylou, Trousdale do likewise with Joni. Long Road thrives when affording homes for new acts especially those a little different. This is locked into the festival mission.
There is room for improvement in gender diversity at headline level. Drake Milligan, Midland and James Bay is at least one too many. The last artist from the country pool scheduled on the Rhinestone on Sunday had a 5 0’clock slot. Alana Springsteen may not be headline status but she appealed to many Long Road devotees and played her heart out. Pop country plays a major role in drawing crowds, particularly young people who aren’t necessarily following the trends of their peers. Essentially Springsteen has the core skills of any Long Road artist, yet elects to adopt a different sheen. Rays of positivity shone from stage to the souls of an adoring audience. It was a refreshing experience and opened my eyes to what the power of music can do even if it is on the distant hinterland to what fires your own desire.
The impromptu dip into another world meant only half of The White Buffalo’s set was seen on the Interstate. In contrast to Alana Springsteen, this was loud brash southern rock intermingled with moments of gruff reflection. The fact that these two strands can co-exist for a weekend is a strength. A social media influencer commented last year ‘those Brits are weird’ when noting that Russell Dickerson and American Aquarium were on the same bill. Different rather than weird would be kinder but maybe our friends across the water have something to learn from inclusivity and elements of diversity.
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| Trousdale |
Long Road 2025 ended for me with a new name blasting out an authentic country sound for an hour and a quarter. Colby Acuff is probably a new name for many but certainly cut through with a younger clientele. His style was a mix of Tyler Childers and Brent Cobb, packed with multi-paced songs brought together by the distant sound of remote Idaho. He signalled a bright future for country music, one where the next generation are honing in on exceptionally fine music.
Maybe it was a different feel to The Long Road this year that drew a perception of an event coming of age. Just a personal view and that is all that counts when the dust settles. If you can transcend the perception of your pre-announced line up then you have arrived. Confidence is as high now for the future as those incredible line ups of the past.
