The UK’s biggest country music export The Shires have announced a run of intimate shows in Wales in 2025. The two of us tour will see Ben Earle and Crissie Rhodes tour the length and breadth of the UK performing all their classic tracks.
The Shires achievements speak for themselves: three consecutive UK Top 3 albums, four #1 UK Country albums, 100 million+ streams, two Gold-certified records, and countless sold-out headline shows, including filling the prestigious Royal Albert Hall.
The Shires first broke through in 2014 with their single ‘Nashville Grey Skies’, a playful song about Britain needing its own country scene. And that’s something which they helped happen, starting with their 2015 debut Brave, which became the first ever Top 10 album by a UK country music artist. That success continued with a succession of hit albums: 2016’s My Universe, 2018’s Accidentally On Purpose, 2020’s Good Years and 2022’s 10 Year Plan.
Their authenticity saw them embraced by the Nashville scene immediately, leading to two CMA Awards, touring highlights including C2C Festival and shows as guests to Carrie Underwood, Little Big Town, The Corrs and more.
Audio description is a live commentary interspersed with the actors' dialogue. This is relayed via a headset linked to the infra-red audio system. There is a short 'programme notes' session, before the production, which explains the atmosphere, costumes, characters and action.
BSL
British Sign Language Performance
Signed performances are ideal for those who use sign language. Trained British Signed Language (BSL) signers usually stand to one side of the stage and interpret the script used by the performers at the same time as it is being performed.
R
Relaxed Screening/Performance
Open to everyone, but particularly appropriate for anyone who may find the usual theatre/cinema environment challenging, due to an Autism Spectrum Condition, a learning disability, or a fear of the dark, loud noises or confined spaces.
Relaxed Performances/Screenings provide a relaxed environment, where elements are adapted to reduce anxiety or stress. Lighting and sound levels are adjusted to soften their impact and there is a relaxed attitude to noise and leaving and re-entering the auditorium during the performance/screening.
Designated 'chill-out' areas are provided outside the auditorium with activities for people to use if being in the auditorium becomes overwhelming for them.
T
Touch Tour
A Touch Tour is ideal for blind and partially-sighted audiences to familiarise themselves with the set ahead of the performance.
C
Captioned Screening/Performance
Captions display dialogue on-screen (similar to subtitles) and also describe the audio or sound portion of a film/performance allowing audience members who are D/deaf or hard of hearing to follow the script and the action of the film/performance at the same time.
For live performances, the screen is positioned at the side of the stage.
