The third and final day of C2C: Country to Country also meant that the final two acts would perform on the Yamaha Music Stage. The addition of the stage during last year’s festival seemed odd initially, but giving lesser known artists an opportunity to showcase a few songs has actually worked out really well. Striking Matches were the first to play on the stage today and if anyone needed a masterclass in how to make an impression, they should ask these two!
Sarah Zimmermann and Justin Davis may have only played three songs for their set but they definitely made an impression on the C2C audience. Opening with Trouble Is As Trouble Does, the performance built up with strong harmonies and individual solo vocals. The duo’s second song was Cream cover Crossroads and that’s when the band really captivated. Zimmermann’s guitar skills were insane! She riffed and shredded like her life depended on it at one point dropping to her knees and easily getting back up despite being in heels. Now if that’s not talent I have literally no idea what is!
The final song in Striking Matches’ set was Make a Liar Out of Me. Again the duo showcased their guitar skills and their harmonies. They actually sound even better in a live arena, giving their songs plenty of energy and a whole load of passion. I was sad that they only did 3 songs to be honest as I could have watched them for a lot longer.
Having (finally) seen them live, I can understand what all the fuss is about. The duo craft strong melodies and their guitar playing is insane. To make such a huge impression with only 3 songs is quite unprecedented and next year I hope to see the band on the main stage.
Set List: 1. Trouble Is As Trouble Does 2. Crossroads 3. Make a Liar Out of Me Performance Date: Sunday 13th March 2016
