Mind-blowing and impressive. This is Luke Combs live, to the point that his show at the C2C in London was, in my opinion, one of the best moments of the 2018 edition. Armed with confidence and a good dose of courage, this singer from North Carolina meandered without the slightest effort, from Alan Jackson (Chasin’ That Neon Rainbow) The Eagles (Take it Easy) via Toby Keith (Should’ve Been a Cowboy) to Brooks & Dunn (Boot Scootin’ Boogie). Of course, there were also songs from “This One’s For You”, his debut album; surely one of the best albums of 2017. “My passions” he stated during the press conference, “are watching TV and playing video-games”, just like many of his peers in every part of the world. He presented himself on the stage of the 02 Arena, in front of more than 20,000 people, alongside acts such as Tim McGraw, Faith Hill and Sugarland, as an ordinary boy, wearing a baseball cap of his heroes (Brooks & Dunn), and a “Blue Solo Cup” (definitely not empty) in one hand. A guy like many, from every point of view, except for when he sings, because, at the exact moment, he releases all the magic that only a great artist can transmit. And it is at that exact moment in time that everybody agrees: he’s the great newcomer of the American country music scene. (Gianluca Sitta)
