LIVE REVIEW: COUNTRY CALLING 2026 - THE DIVE BAR STAGE - BUCKLE N BOOTS

Country Calling 2026 was an ideal opportunity to catch up with a number of people that for one reason or another we had not seen perform live and one of those was Bee Ounsworth, in her role as leading light in Buckle n Boots. Flanked with guitarist Mike for company and occasional backing vocals, she would make full use of her set to introduce us to her music. Dressed in denim with her red hair hanging down it was immediately into the 2024 single "Love In The Dark" delivered slightly slower than the frantic recorded version and sounding all the better for it.

There was a fearless, giving everything element to Bee's performing, even throwing in multiple whistling sections on this highly entertaining opener. The next song was about the life balance between being a mum and a performing country artist.

It has to be said that when Bee said she had three children including one aged 21, there did seem to be a ripple of admiration travelling around the tent, for she looks awfully good on it! It came with the seemingly clunky title "We'd Be Happy Won't We", however all would make sense once the line was delivered.

With a fast picked guitar intro, it soon turned into more of a country rhythm, as Bee with the mic in one hand, occasionally crouching down detailing her life

"cos my clock keeps on ticking

and my bills keep on stacking"

There was a sense that every line was real, just from the force of the delivery.

"Trading moments for minutes

I'll never get to repeat"

Taking a quick sip of water, as she had given everything on the previous number it was soon on to "The Best Part Of Me", for the time in a relationship, when you break up a relationship and take the dog! Once again this was an impassioned delivery, as if each line was etched in her memory from events. This was a song where Bee started loud and then seemed to find new levels of volume as things developed further.

Taking gasps of air while introducing the next song, "So See Me", the pace had to eventually slow a little though don't imagine there was an let up in the levels of delivery. Bee's hand expressions were now equally forceful, reinforcing her vocals at every opportunity.

It is hard to get across just how hot things were becoming on Day 1 of Country Calling and during "Dancing With The Devil", Bee would occasionally head to the left of the stage and crouch low to get a blast of cool air from the stage fan.

For "Girl's Night Out", Bee would perform a censored version, removing the expletives, although the lead up left you in little doubt which word would be inserted! This was a definite good time song

"It's a girls night out and we don't give a ...."

If the other songs delivered some emotional hits this was just sheer good fun and instead delivered laughs.

The set would close with "Slow Down Honey" which would see Bee fire out the lyrics at the fastest yet on what was most definitely her most anthemic song of the set with Bee throwing in some fine extended notes.

With an EP due next month ( full of bangers we are assured!) the future is looking bright for Buckle n Boots.