Country Calling nailed it for another year of country music on the Ocean City Inlet beach.
There is something inherently special about live music on the beach in OC. Beach festivals are great, but not everyone does it right. Thankfully, C3 Presents, who have perfected the format of three-stage beach festivals, took over this one in Ocean City to bring east coast country fans the best festival experience they can find.
Coming right off the heels of last weekend’s Oceans Calling cancellation due to the nor’easter, Country Calling arrived triumphantly in Ocean City, MD to save the weekend on Oct. 2 and 3.
Friday
Friday set an incredible pace,kicking off the Scoot Stage with an opener from Elijah Scott, followed by Kaitlin Butts, who brought her blend of classic Nashville country and modern storytelling to the Boot Stage.
Mitchell Tenpenny delivered a standout afternoon set, turning the beach into a giant singalong party with some unexpected ’90s throwbacks, like Sugar Ray’s “Fly.”
However, the emotional core of Friday night belonged to Rascal Flatts, as they powered through timeless hits. The Flatts are always a great festival headliner, and the first of three at CC’s opening day!
Dierks Bentley switched gears on the other stage, bringing a more playful and high-energy set. Bentley is a criminally underrated performer who seemed to have a lot more hits than the crowd expected, judging by fan reactions.
Lainey Wilson closed out Friday night of Country Calling. While Wilson always brings great vocals and confident energy, her performance wasn’t as strong as the other two headliners. As was the case at Barefoot Country Music Fest last year, many walked out just a few songs into her set, of which she played mostly new songs that the crowd didn’t know.
Saturday
Saturday brought a change in weather with a little bit of rain. However, country music fans proved entirely waterproof. The energy did not stop with rain.
The day featured strong sets from Carter Faith, Charley Crockett, who was one of my favorites of the weekend, Jackson Dean, Clay Waker, and Dustin Lynch. A true peak of the afternoon came from Maryland’s own Brothers Osborne, who put on a surprisingly incredible show. Playing to a massive hometown crowd, TJ and John Osborne delivered a rock-infused set that really ignited the audience.
As the evening approached, Miranda Lambert showcased her deep catalog of hits that have defined the genre for nearly two decades. Despite the impressive setlist, her set seemed low-energy and not up to par with the other headliners.
To close out the entire festival, Chris Stapleton took the stage. Without question, Stapleton was the best act of the weekend. Without needing flashy production or choreography, Stapleton mesmerized 50,000 fans using just his band, a guitar, and his powerhouse vocals. It was an intimate, soulful finish to an action-packed weekend.
One of the standout attributes of Country Calling in comparison to other country music festivals is its exceptionally well-designed layout.
The festival stretches seamlessly along the historic Ocean City boardwalk, and incorporates the rides and businesses that make the boardwalk come alive.
The three-stage setup keeps crowds distributed across the beach. Although it feels like you have to walk a mile between stages, it’s for the best.
Plus, you get the best of both worlds at Country Calling. Attendees can catch a headliner with their feet in the sand, on the boardwalk, or up in a ferris wheel chowing down on OC’s famous boardwalk fries.
Even with Saturday’s rain, navigating the festival grounds remained straightforward, proving the venue’s layout can handle any weather scenario smoothly. There’s a reason C3 puts on three festivals a year in Ocean City.
