The image of country music has undergone a remarkable facelift outside the US since the turn of the century. What was once considered a strictly American passion has gone global – a shift encapsulated by the stunning success of the Country To Country (C2C) Festival.

Jointly launched in 2013 by The O2 and SJM Concerts, in conjunction with the Country Music Association, the event was the brainchild of Jay Marciano, currently chairman and CEO of The O2’s owner, AEG.

“He ...