On the 27th of April, I attended a trip to Bradford for a massive double header of full band shows by both Robyn Red and Emilia Quinn. I had the privilege of being in attendance at the sound check, having won a competition. As I walked in, Emilia was sound checking and sounding at the top of her game. After her sound check, Robyn Red took the stage, and within an instant, Will, who I was with, turned to me and exclaimed, "Fucking hell, wow!" I couldn’t agree more; her vocal tone filled the empty room.

Now onto the first of the full band sets. Robyn Red kicked it off Like A Bullet, and what an opener! Fast-paced to start the set off. I had been looking forward to seeing a proper full band set, having only previously experienced a very short one at the BCMA awards. Wow, that vocal cuts through, and the sheer confidence she exudes straight away is palpable. I've seen Robyn Red perform 4 or 5 times now, and she just keeps raising her game to another level each time. The whole set allowed Robyn to showcase her full band to the max.

Standout moments of the 14-track set were "Green Eyes," the way the band built up leading to her mighty vocal taking center stage in

"Boy Not A Man," and the acoustic section with her guitarist. The cleverly crafted guitar playing combined with powerful vocals and presence cut right through the room, showcasing how she can command the room whether acoustic or with the band.

The second acoustic track in the section was "Watermelon Moon Shine." I had heard things about the cover from friends, and how good it was, and wow, it was just stunning.

"Luke Jackson" was also another standout track from the set. When you've heard something recorded and then hear it come to life with the band, it's even more outstanding live.

"Where I Belong" and "Stella" were vocal moments of pure brilliance. Just before "I Wanna Go," there was a whisky on the rocks leading to a huge full band entrance.

"When The Sun Sets" was due to close the set out, and her huge singalong song had the crowd singing along loudly. The set was over, but Robyn's fans cheered so loudly that she came back on for an impromptu encore of "The Gambler" by Kenny Rogers.

Robyn Red's whole full band set was just outstanding. She is an artist way beyond her years. The confidence she conveyed on stage and the vocal range and skill for an artist at such a young stage in her career make her one to definitely be on the lookout for. If you get any chance to see her live, drop everything and run. She won’t be playing small venues for long, and Wendy, her manager, will be able to retire to her house in Spain.

Setlist:

1. Like A Bullet

2. Ten Years On

3. Green Eyes

4. My World Is Yours

5. Country Road Blues

6. Boy Not A Man

7. Watermelon Moonshine

8. Maybe North Maybe South

9. Between The Two Of Us

10. Luke Jackson

11. Where I Belong

12. Wilder Days

13. Just Need The Wine

14. When The Sunsets

After a short 25-minute break, it was on to the second band set of the night with Emilia Quinn.

And the best way to command people's attention when you start a set is with "River." It's the same on her album.

This was show number 8 for Emilia Quinn for the year, and as you may or may not know, I've been at all of them. Standout tracks and moments from the set included "Hard to Breathe," the first time it was played live with the band,

"Mama," another one purely because it's my current favorite track and the lyrical content of it, and

"Head Rush" in the blues version. It was the first moment where the crowd joined and sang along loudly. & at one point emilia pulled back from the mic o fuck as we where loud There's something about this venue. Last time I was upstairs it was "You're Gonna Make Me Cry," and when Mr. Doyle pulled his solo at the end, it was outstanding as always.

"Backroads" was the only track from the set on the piano, but it was always stunning.

"On The Run" brought out the line dancers, all in red hats.

"Worse Than Whisky" is now a big feature back in the sets and always brings an excellent singalong from fans.

"Mistakes" led to "Mr. Shame," with epic backside movements from Emilia.

"High" brought the main part of the set to a close with yet more high energy

before it was on to three duets. The first being the only fitting "Girl Talk," and then the first of two covers,

"Before He Cheats" by Carrie Underwood and "That Don't Impress Me Much." Both were masterclass performances, as they had very little practice time together, and yet there was more guitar wizardry from Mr. Doyle.

Emilia's set was an incredible performance, just making me extra eager for the Buckle and Boots Friday night headline spot and the rest of the shows this year. We are halfway through at the moment.

Setlist:

1. River

2. Games

3. Outlaw

4. Hard to Read

5. Daddy's Girl

6. Mama

7. Head Rush (Blues Version)

8. Backroads

9. On The Run

10. Magpie

11. High on Life

12. Nothing To Lose

13. Worse Than Whiskey

14. Mistakes

15. Mr. Shame

16. High

17. Girl Talk (Robyn Red)

18. Before He Cheats (Carrie Underwood)

19. That Don't Impress Me Much

The whole night was two stunning sets from both, bringing their A-game to an underground venue in Bradford. It's the sort of thing that should be taken on tour or to a few places around the country. They both have their styles, which combine so well for a night, and they're both main stage acts at Buckle and Boots. It's a testament to their craft and abilities.