LIVE REVIEW: COUNTRY CALLING - THUNDERSTORM ARTIS - MAIN STAGE - LAKELIN LEMMINGS / BRIAN COLLINS - HOMESTEAD STAGE / LAKELIN LEMMINGS VIP STAGE

Once more Country Calling threw a performing curveball in our direction, with three must see acts all slightly overlapping, two of them making UK debuts, with the other making a welcome return to the UK.

Brian Collins would take to the Homestead Stage, sporting shades and a flat cap, to shield from the occasional bursts of sunshine, remarking that it reminded him of his first house, before undercutting it with, "I'm only kidding, I've always been homeless!". He would open with "Never Really Left" and this was without doubt proper singer songwriting personified.

"They say you can't go back

Well I guess there's some truth in those words

As a matter of fact, one of the lesson I've learned

When you grow up in a small town like I did

It gets buried in your blood and your bones"

With his sound augmented by Colin Duncan, from the Duncan Brothers Band, they would move on to "Finer Things" providing more of a sweet soul sound than you would imagine could be produced by just a guitar and drum combination. By the end the crowd, which had swelled way beyond the arranged hay bales, had joined in, clapping along after just that the merest hint that they should. It all went to create a good time party vibe.

After taking a quick sip from an audience donated drink, Brian would don his harmonica and move on to "Harder I Run". Once more the sound created was a warm and soulful, and when it slowed to just Brian and his guitar, it seemed to encourage the sun to shine once again, which suited the harmonica sound perfectly.

The harmonica would carry on into the upbeat sound of "You Wear That Whiskey Well"

Things would take a strange turn with the urban legend about the "Pig Man", which had a deep americana sound, and was the stuff of horror films or true crime stories, with Brian painting a vivid picture of this mythical figure.

It was at this point that we had to duck out to see the UK debut of Thunderstorm Artis, the artist that had wowed us on the first #TEAMw21 Nashville Tour. Born in Hawaii but now resident in Nashville, he would take to the stage and say "I've got nothing to hide behind with just me and my acoustic!".

Sporting a cap with his initials, a bolt of lightning passing through the T, he would give a little family history and then launch into the classic "Summertime" with a voice that simply made the hairs on your arm stand on end.

It was then straight into one of the songs that had initially wowed us, "Don't Let Me Let You Go", with its rapidly fired lyrics and impassioned delivery, Thunderstorm could not help but smile and acknowledge the people who were singing along with him.

He seemed genuinely surprised that people were aware of his single "Lay Me Down" about the small things in life, which varied between quiet almost huskily whispered verses leading into rousing choruses. Quickly turning around #TEAMw21 could see the arena was swiftly filling with people attracted by what they were hearing.

Bringing the arena to an almost pin drop silence was a stunning version of Jason Isbell's "Cover Me Up", with Thunderstorm once more varying the volume to great effect, stepping back after the final line to give a little flourish on the guitar, while soaking up the applause. Delicately picking out the intro to the next song "Useless", it was soon to ramp up in speed and volume with Thunderstorm passionately pleading

"Like a Bible with no Jesus

Like a promise with no keeper

Like finding I could live forever

But never find forgiveness

Like the moon without the sun

There be no one to light me up

Like Mozart without the music

Without you I'd be useless"

Closing by repeating the final line in ever more intensive ways, it was something special to behold.

An unexpected cover came in the shape "Blackbird", introduced as a cover of a UK group. Not sure if Paul McCartney has heard his creation ever given quite such a soulful treatment including a massively extended note. An early glimpse of a new single "Heaven Before I Die", already sounded like the soul country crossover, that record companies have been searching for in all the wrong places. Even in this bare bones format it had the crowd singing along.

From a potential classic, to one already deserving that title with a version of Bill Wither's "Ain't No Sunshine" that made you once more just have to stand back and admire what you were seeing. It's been covered many times but this cut down version just had so much about it. There was no let up in intensity with "Stronger" - this was powerful stuff

"Call me a fool for thinking, 'Maybe I could get over

Or I could be stronger than the fear in my mind'

See, Mama always told me I was meant to be a light in the darkness

But I feel like the candle, waiting for a flame"

It was just as Thunderstorm was moving on to "Out Of The Blue" that we had to up and relocate so see another artist making their UK debut in the shape of Lakelin Lemmings, who has progressed from single, to EP, to 15 track album in what feels like record time. Looking stunning in her white dress and boots, with her blonde locks tumbling down and a pair of black sunglasses.

With just a guitarist for company and backing vocals as required, Lakelin would immediately take the mic from its stand and dive into "American Dreaming" one of her singles and would waste little time before hitting the big extended notes. while her spare hand was stretched out wide. Lakelin may be young but she's been a performer for years and even from this opening tune it clearly showed.

Diving into the "situationship" song "What Are We Doing?", Lakelin seemed to live the lyrics as she performed them. There is possibly no song that quite shows the difference between the UK and the US than Lakelin's "19 & Single" where it feels she has to justify not being with someone

"If diamonds are forever why settle for a pearl

19 and single ain't the end of the world"

Only three songs in and the stage craft that we referenced earlier was ever more on show. Lakelin's first cover was a definite crowd pleaser in Jo Dee Messina's "Head's California, Tails Carolina" and she used it to build some rapport with the audience who were noticeably nodding in appreciation at her choice.

Keeping the familiarity going, Lakelin moved a song that was both hers and a cover simultaneously, "This Little Life Of Mine" took a tune that most of the audience would know already, adjusting the words to be more Lakelin specific.

It was back to her own material for "Bad Boy Good" would see Lakelin at her most expressive, including the lines

"I need a man, I don't need a mission!"

An unexpected cover, given that Lakelin only had an acoustic guitar supporting her was Journey's, Sopranos closing and Glee cover tune "Don't Stop Believing".

It was custom built with opportunities to show just what a magnificent range she has - noticeably smiling after the reaction to one enormous note. A first time live outing for "There Goes The Cowboy", by comparison was a slower more considered tune, naturally attached to another killer chorus. Another song from Lakelin's debut, "I Remember Us" was another first time outing, and was packed with tiny details and a chorus that was almost conversational.

A more traditional cover came with Deana Carter's "Strawberry Wine", but you could see how Lakelin would have been drawn to the style of the lyrics. It was a pitch perfect version that fitted like a glove and drew huge appreciation.

The role reversal single "Getaround Boy" which sees Lakelin as the protagonist travelling the world, while her boyfriend stays at home in Tennessee was equally well delivered with Lakelin making clear the song was not about her!

The final song "How Great Thou Art" might have come as a surprise to some, however we'd already highlighted it in an early single review, as being something Lakelin does. Introducing it as a deal made with God that "if he gave me a platform then I'd use it to glorify him in some way". It was a Sunday, the sun was shining and somehow nothing would have been more fitting, it used to be covered by Elvis Presley, and Lakelin's moving version for a few minutes at least, brought a little spirituality to a field in Essex .

Those that went for a second helping of Lakelin on The VIP Stage were richly rewarded, by an additional song from Lakelin "Parking Lot" played as a "Special request"

It's a classic piece of writing describing small town America, or at least matching our impressions of what it would be like. The set otherwise was a reduced version of the one we had witnessed earlier allowing #TEAMw21 to just enjoy it as fans. The sound of "How Great Thou Art" once again closing the set, had many eyes prised away from the Main Stage, as the crowd leaned against the VIP barrier to see where this sweet music was coming from.

Lakelin Lemmings - when she's Main Staging at C2C remember where you saw her first!!!

Additional Photography Courtesy Of Chris Cooper & DC Brown

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