Drayton Farley Talks Working With the 400 Unit During Holler Saloon Stage Set at C2C Festival 2024

Drayton Farley opened Holler's Saloon Stage at day two of C2C Festival 2024 in London on Saturday. In a heartfelt interview with Holler's Editor Ross Jones before a straight-shooting acoustic set, he opened up about how his days working on the railroad have helped him to instil a wisdom into his music that belies his age of 28, as well as how it felt to work with the 400 Unit on his debut album Twenty On High.

"It was my first proper studio record with a band", he told the bustling crowd, "Working with the 400 Unit was just a dream come true. Jason Isbell and the 400 Unit are longtime heroes of mine. To get to go into the studio with those guys on the record was something I never could have dreamed of". Since then, Farley has been out on the road for a packed out touring schedule with his own band, while also confirming he'd be coming back to Europe for a 13-show run with 49 Winchester in May 2024.

The Alabama born guitar picker's set spoke to the working man, epitomised by songs like the hard-talking 'American Dream'. "Cause it’s a hard up kind of life / when you’re not allowed to get a natural high / Here’s a pill to help you sleep just give it some time / Now you’re addicted to this bullshit American Dream" he sang to the packed out crowd. "I know I'm not exactly party music" he quipped to the room.

"I'm 28 years old now, so I know I'm still young but I got married at 20 and I've got two kids. I worked the railroad for several years, I worked at the factory for several years. So I'm 28, but I feel like I'm 45 or something!" The influence of Isbell and the 400 Unit was apparent on songs like ‘Stop the Clock’, a lament on the passage of time, its inherent necessity making it no less painful.

Drayton Farley is one of 13 acts appearing on the Holler Saloon Stage, with Matt Koziol, Charlie Worsham, Carter Faith and many more appearing across the three days.

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