C2C REVIEW: Miranda Lambert – The O2, London

Fresh from her ‘Entertainer Of The Year’ win at the Academy Of Country Music Awards earlier in the week, it was a pleasure to have Miranda Lambert back on our shores as a headliner at C2C 2022. A long-awaited return to the festival after seven years, Miranda brought the hits as well as some of her more recent releases, and even a taster of what’s coming next, in a sass-filled 90 minute set that lit up The O2 on Friday night.

Right from the off, this was a much more comfortable, happier Miranda Lambert than we saw during her last C2C appearance. Having looked a little like a fish out of water last time, she brought the fiery but equally loveable stage presence that we all know and love, providing a rocking conclusion to the opening day of the event.

A huge highlight of the set was Miranda’s performance of “Tequila Does,” one of her more recent fan favourites. What a party tune that is! A huge singalong moment that washed away everybody’s troubles – the perfect medicine for a dreadful couple of years. Without a doubt, one of the main stage highlights from across the festival. “Dark Bars” is worthy of a mention too – one of Miranda’s finest releases to date, which she delivered with such class.

She got the set list absolutely spot on, with a mix of her heavier material like “Gunpowder and Lead” and “Kerosene” alongside the more laid-back, tongue-in-cheek “It All Comes Out In The Wash” and “Only Prettier,” showcasing that fun, sassy side. Her latest country radio single “If I Was A Cowboy” sounded incredible too; an arena-ready track which is Miranda at her very best.

We were also treated to a performance of a brand new track, “Actin’ Up,” which certainly slots into the heavier end of her catalogue. A loud, bombastic, in-your-face Miranda Lambert anthem, it’s one that will go down well with fans of the “Little Red Wagon” kind of grit and attitude. Her new album “Palomino” will be available on April 29th, which we’re sure looking forward to.

Of course, it wouldn’t be a Miranda Lambert set without a performance of “The House That Built Me,” one of the most iconic country singles of the 21st century. Phone lights lit up the O2 arena, and what a sight it was. That part of the set was fantastic – “Vice,” “Bluebird,” “Dark Bars,” “The House That Built Me” and “Automatic” – some of Miranda’s finest career moments one after another.

Closing the set with her recent hit with Elle King, “Drunk (And I Don’t Wanna Go Home),” Miranda left the stage to adoring applause, having put on a thoroughly entertaining show that went down really well with the C2C crowd. Don’t leave it so long to come back this time, Miranda!

Set List:

1. White Trash
2. Kerosene
3. Fastest Girl in Town
4. Famous in a Small Town
5. If I Was a Cowboy
6. Settling Down
7. It All Comes Out in the Wash
8. Heart Like Mine
9. Only Prettier
10. Actin’ Up (live debut)
11. Vice
12. Bluebird
13. Dark Bars
14. The House That Built Me
15. Automatic
16. Tequila Does
17. That’s the Way That the World Goes ‘Round (John Prine cover)
18. Gunpowder & Lead
19. Mama’s Broken Heart
20. White Liar
21. Little Red Wagon
22. Drunk (And I Don’t Wanna Go Home) (Elle King cover)