Midland

As a lifelong musician, I’m committed to a silent vow. A vow where you’re never really able to (or at least appear to) show too much excitement about any other musician or band — it’s not “cool.” If you’ve played in a band, you know what I mean. It’s ridiculous, I know. But musicians are ridiculous, so…

However, Midland have put me at risk of breaking that solemn promise. Having first seen the Texan band at C2C London in 2023, I’d become a bit obsessed. That night they strode out on stage like they’d brought every Austin honky tonk with them, dressed to the nines in denim, cowboy hats and boots, and with a classic country sound that immediately felt like it belonged here in this decade. I was sold.

Fast forward to 2025, and I caught them again at The Long Road Festival. Once again, they were fantastic, but I was desperate to see them at a show of their own, where they topped the bill and did things their way. The Roundhouse in London seemed like the perfect place to do just that.

The floor in front of the stage was absolutely jam packed. If anyone is still in any doubt about country music’s place being cemented in UK popular culture, tonight would have done away with it. The room was a sea of stetsons, trucker hats and denim. And the atmosphere was electric. People love this band.

Striding out to an Ennio Morricone-esque, spaghetti western soundtrack, the band looked at ease, with a swagger in their step. They know they’re good, and wasted no time getting down to business, kicking straight into ‘Mr Lonely’, the first single from their second album, Let It Roll. The Texan swing and dance vibes of that track had the place bouncing in no time.

Now, if you’re not overly familiar with this band, the style of music they play and school of performance they bring, you’d be forgiven for expecting the next hour to be packed with upbeat, honky tonk bangers. But that’s not how Midland roll. There’s an old school quality to these guys, where their set ebbs and flows, showcasing a deft ability to take their audience on a journey with them.

Beautifully composed, lower key ballads like ‘Burn Out’ and ‘Barely Blue’ followed, with the London crowd hooked right in. Frontman Mark Wystrach strode across the stage, spinning on his cowboy boots, crooning away, while the impressively well-oiled band backed him with harmonies The Eagles would be proud of and guitar licks the country greats wouldn’t sniff at — looking at you Albert Lee.

Singalongs and roof raisers came in the form of tracks from the band’s debut album, On the Rocks, like ‘Out of Sight’ and ‘Cheatin’ Songs’, and covers of classics like the Georgia Satellites’ ‘Keep Your Hands to Yourself’ and ‘Boot Scootin’ Boogie’ by Brooks and Dunn. These guys really do know how to “go honky tonk”, and how to take things down and get intimate when they have the crowd in the palms of their hands. It’s an art form. Many bands play at it; not many can truly do it. Midland can.

My favourite thing about Midland is that they are truly a “band.” Being a real band is an intangible quality, but one I think depends on a few factors: Being able to enjoy the moment with an audience, rather than performing at them; being able to laugh and have fun while on stage, even if it means occasional imperfection; having a live show that’s built to entertain rather than to merely market studio recordings in a live environment; and, lastly, wanting to give more and more to the fans, to be in the moment and share it with them. These are intangible things, sure, and there are many more things that make a band a band, but I’m certain Midland tick many more of those boxes.

After a full hour-long set, the Texan trio came back out for an encore. And not just one song, but about five more, including what is probablay their most popular track, ‘Drinking Problem’, and Tom Petty’s ‘Mary Jane’s Last Dance’. It’s like they didn’t want to leave, and we didn’t want them to.

Midland have a lot more to give. They’re a band that delivers in the studio, and even more so on stage with their fans in the room. And they do it while having fun and being true to themselves. Balls to being "cool", I count myself among their growing army of fans, and I’ll be first in line for tickets next time they return.


Photo credit: Paul Clampin, London Backline Photography