Buckle and Boots Festival
24-26 June 2016 – Whitebottom Farm, Etherow Park, Manchester
Taking place at Whitebottom Farm at Etherow Park between 24-26 June, Buckle and Boots Festival is set to combine some of the brightest talents in country music from the US as well as the thriving UK scene, providing a truly unique outdoor festival experience for country fans far and wide. With a variety of food, drink and camping facilities on site, Buckle and Boots is the first country festival of its kind in the UK, creating a friendly, communal atmosphere that fans are sure to embrace.
If you’ve been to an event at Etherow Park before you’ll already know that all the action takes place in a stunning rural setting. The site is right next to Compstall Nature Reserve, a very special wildlife site looked after by a local conservation charity, Cheshire Wildlife Trust. Situated on the banks of the River Etherow, this beautiful reserve is made up of reed bed, open water and woodland which provide a haven for some of the region’s most threatened wildlife. It’s a fantastic hotspot for birds such as the kingfisher and yellow wagtail, plus a whole host of dragonflies and damselflies. For every ticket sold, a donation will be made to the trust to help with conservation work!
Three stages will be set up at the festival for 50 acts. The Heineken Stage will host the headline acts across the weekend, as well as some of the established talents making an impact on the UK country scene and the US scene. The Acoustic Stage will be an opportunity for fans to catch some of the brightest up and coming artists in the genre, including home-grown talents Georgia Paris, Paul Carella, Lisa Wright and many more. The BCMA will also have their own ‘Horizon’ stage, where fans will be able to catch a glimpse of some of the best song writers and musicians in the UK including the likes of Thorne Hill, The Southern Companion and Outlander.
The line-up is impressive to say the least. Buckle and Boots have succeeded with flying colours in attracting a huge array of talent. Headlining on Friday 24th will be Glaswegian duo Raintown, who have established themselves as front-runners in the UK country music industry with their pop-country style and powerful stage presence. Paul Bain and Claire McArthur-Bain have stunned crowds on multiple occasions at Country2Country in London, performing at the Brooklyn Bowl for two years running, and their most recent album ‘Writing On The Wall’ received remarkable reviews. Last year they embarked on a headlining UK tour, where they were joined by Dexeter who also feature on the Buckle and Boots line-up.
Ward Thomas were recently announced as headliners for Saturday 25th after a short while out of the spotlight. Catherine and Lizzy have been focusing on material for their next project, following the incredible success of ‘From Where We Stand’ which reached #1 on the UK Country Chart back in 2014. A number of their songs have been playlisted on BBC Radio 2, they appeared as special guests on Terry Wogan’s show, and most recently, they signed a record deal with Sony Music UK, a sign of their undoubted talent and enormous potential. Their gorgeous harmonies and infectious tracks will certainly delight Buckle and Boots attendees.
Concluding the festival on Sunday 26th will be US chart-topper Phil Vassar. Since his debut in the late 1990s, Phil Vassar has achieved two #1 hits and an impressive eight Top 10 singles in the US, and he has also established himself as one of Nashville’s most talented song writers. His co-writes include hit singles ‘For A Little While’ and ‘My Next Thirty Years’ for Tim McGraw, ‘Right On The Money’ for Alan Jackson and ‘Little Red Rodeo’ for Collin Raye. Not to mention his Top New Male Vocalist win at the 2002 ACM Awards. Phil’s unique take on country and his incisive, soulful lyrics have truly stood the test of time, and you won’t want to miss such a charismatic showman at Buckle and Boots. You’ll also be able to catch two stellar UK acts on the Sunday in the form of Northern Irishman Gary Quinn and Liverpool songstress Laura Oakes.
Tickets are available from AXS priced at just £50 for a weekend ticket. Alternatively, you can buy single day tickets, priced at £20 for the Friday, £25 for the Saturday and £25 for the Sunday. For fans planning to camp at the festival, a camping pass can also be purchased for £15 per person (includes ‘posh loos and hot showers’). You won’t get better value for money anywhere else!
For more details and the full line-up, check out www. buckleandboots.co.uk
