This was by no means Katy Hurt's first rodeo at Buckle & Boots having graced the Main Stage at least twice before - however without doubt this was surely her most complete performance, well balanced, well paced and highly entertaining. Having the large LED screen behind her showing her name and an explosive burst could not have been more apt for tonight she was on fire! Having seen Katy but a few weeks earlier in an acoustic format, we knew that she was in fine voice, and that she has amassed a clutch of songs easily able to fill tonight's set list with room to spare for a few more, however nothing prepared us for quite how tight and well honed things would be.
Opening with “Wish I Could Give You Up”, the song really came to life with full band. There was a big intro for “If I Were You” and Katy was immediately engaging with the crowd, coming to the front of the stage resting her feet on the monitor and looking out. Despite still nursing an injury Katy had been given special dispensation to don a guitar or one song and did so for “Sounds Good In A Bar” which equally sounded good at a festival.
This was a set that seemed to find the best version of each of her songs, “Revved Up”, had the rawness of the ZZ Top style guitar sound slightly smoothed down keeping all of it’s strengths and then adding to it with the band rocking it more, transforming it into something even better.
There had to be a let up in pace though certainly not in excitement with the ballad “What Have You Got To Lose?” with Katy theatrically dropping down on the line “You can fall on your knees” to great effect – it may be a small thing but it added to the sheer drama of the overall performance which built to a huge climax. Katy was positively bouncing as it finished and with good reason -
The #TEAMw21 campaign to get Katy to release “Before The Ice Melts” was duly acknowledged from the stage – and this tune that has been around for some years now will finally get to see the light of day soon as Katy’s next single. With it’s Pettyesque guitars and fast fired lyrics, it remains as good as the day that we first heard it.
For “Unfinished Business” the band would play a little quieter to let Katy shine even more before coming back to full effect for the rocking finale of “See Ya Later". Making perfect use of her forty minute set there was not a moment wasted – it’s hard to see how this how this could have been any better.