Buckle & Boots festival: June 24th - 26th 2016

Taking place at Whitebottom Farm at Etherow Park (nr. Manchester/Stockport) between 24-26 June, Buckle & 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 & Boots is the first country festival of its kind in the UK, creating a friendly, communal atmosphere that fans are sure to embrace.

Three stages will be set up at the festival for 50 acts to perform. The Heineken Stage will host the headline acts on Friday, Saturday & Sunday night, as well as some of the established artists making an impact on the UK country scene and some of Nashville’s finest talent. The Acoustic Stage will be an opportunity for fans to catch some of the most exciting emerging artists in the genre, including home-grown talents Paris Georgia, Paul Carella, Lisa Wright and many more. The BCMA will also have their own BCMA Horizon stage, where fans will be able to catch a glimpse of some of the best songwriters and musicians in the UK including the likes of Thorne Hill, The Southern Companion and Outlander.

Headlining on Friday 24th June 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 Country to Country (C2C) 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, joined by Dexeter who also feature on the Buckle & Boots line-up.

Newly signed to Sony Music UK, country duo Ward Thomas were recently announced as headliners for Saturday 25th June after a short time out of the spotlight. Twin sisters Catherine and Lizzy have been focusing on material for their next album, following the incredible success of their debut record From Where We Stand which reached #1 on the UK Country Chart in 2014. A number of their songs have been playlisted on BBC Radio 2, and they appeared as special guests on Terry Wogan’s show as well as being featured on Bob Harris Country.

Closing the festival on Sunday night (26th June) 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 has also established himself as one of Nashville’s most talented and in-demand songwriters. His co-writing credits 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 audiences won’t want to miss this charismatic showman at Buckle & Boots, particularly following the overwhelming response to his performances at C2C Festival in March. You’ll also be able to catch two stellar UK acts on the Sunday in the form of the award-winning Northern Irishman Gary Quinn and Liverpool songstress Laura Oakes.

Anyone who has been to an event at Etherow Park before will already know that the action takes place in a stunning rural setting. The site is situated 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 for Buckle & Boots, a donation will be made to the Trust to support them with their vital conservation work.

Tickets are available from AXS now; priced at just £50 for a weekend ticket. Single day tickets are also on sale, priced at £20 for Friday, £25 for Saturday and £25 for 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, tickets and the full line-up, check out buckleandboots.co.uk