LIVE REVIEW: NEEVE ZAHRA - ACOUSTIC SESSIONS - BUS & WINE BAR - BUCKLE & BOOTS 2026

This years Buckle & Boots contained more than one bizarre stage scheduling but nothing quite matched the Bus & Wine Bar. It was the stage that received no announcements from either the Main or Paddock stage, which happily trailed each other, to the point you could easily be forgiven for not knowing it was a stage at all. It went under the name of the "Acoustic Sessions" which was shorthand for unplugged with no PA. It was not entirely clear if you were supposed to play inside the bus, to those sitting on the viewing platform or to project yourself out to the general public walking past, to try to grab their attention. Across the weekend #TEAMw21 saw three separate acts choose each of these options as there was no-one on hand to tell them any different or introduce them.

First up to play was Neeve Zahra, with her name emblazoned on her guitar strap, who chose the inside bus option. With minutes to go it did look like it would be the most intimate show ever, however gradually the passengers took their seats on the top deck. It was too hot to play in the direct sun outside and her material is not necessarily suited to being shouted out from the top of the bus. There was a noticeably sizeable London based contingent on the top deck which is further evidence of quite how well her recent London headline debut went, that so many came back for more.

The flaws of playing inside soon became evident, those wanting to leave the viewing platform had to walk behind Neeve, while late arrivals found themselves getting to the top of the stairs and having to position themselves behind her, while they waited for a suitable gap. Despite all of this, Neeve actually put on a highly entertaining show, embracing the madness rather than moaning about it.

Things would start with "Love and Hate", where despite the shenanigans ongoing, Neeve dug out the sweetest of melodies for the chorus and visibly settled into her new surroundings as things progressed. The mild revenge of "Karma" also got the audience engaged.

They were to move to fully involved, clapping along like a party bus, for the arrival of Luke Combes, "When It Rains It Pours" which had Neeve stomping her right foot along to.

For "Never Get Another" Neeve would smile as she mentioned the missing guitar solo that she wouldn't be playing. In a change of pace, Neeve would lay her Bruce Springsteen guitar pick right next #TEAMw21, recounting the story of how the song "Love Me" had helped her career before laying a jaw droppingly perfect version on us, somehow the intimacy of the bus somehow made it all the more intense and vivid. The set would end with the pure pop classic of "Step Right Over" with at one point Neeve even stopping playing to join in the clapping that had broken out once again on the upper deck.

It was undoubtedly one of the hottest shows we've ever endured but worth it for another set from an undoubted rising talent.