Review: The Shires Tour (Two of Us) at Stafford Gatehouse Theatre*

The Shires Tour (Two of Us) at Stafford Gatehouse Theatre

[Ad-gifted] The Shires, UK’s much-loved country-pop duo, comprising of Ben Earle and Crissie Rhodes are on tour again, this time performing intimate acoustic versions of their songs and I had the privilege to see them live at Stafford Gatehouse Theatre.  The duo started their tour earlier this month in Dorking The Halls and will end their tour in October at The O2 in London.  With over 5 sold out venues, they had to add in four new dates including one in Buxton Opera House.

We were also introduced to Outpost Drive comprising of newly weds, Willow Robinson and Mary Bragg Robinson who were their supporting act. The duo did a wonderful job getting the crowd warmed up, as we waited patiently for The Shires to come on stage.

The Shires’s Two of Us Tour has been inspired by their latest album titled Undone Vol 1, their first ever acoustic album. The album features reimagined versions of the band’s biggest hits such as Daddy’s Little Girl and Just Wanna Love You as well as a touching cover of ‘While I Was Away’ by Zane Williams.

Many of their fans, including myself, have followed their journey for the last 13 years from when they first started, through COVID and have watched them and their children grow. We are as invested in their music as much as they are themselves!  So keep on reading to find out more about their show and how it all went.

Outpost Drive

The show opened with supporting act, Outpost Drive taking to the stage. A newcomer in the field, the band is made up of newly weds, Willow Robinson and Mary Bragg Robinson. Mary a native from Mobile, Alabama met Willow from Wales in Outpost Drive in Los Angeles and that is how their band name came about.

Both Willow and Mary are such great entertainers and warmed up the crowd before The Shires took to stage.  Here’s a short reel of them performing at Stafford Gatehouse, you can see how passionate they are about their music.

Some of the songs they sang included Mobile, Alabama which had the crowd singing ‘I’m going back to my routes’ and Lord Have Mercy which had fabulous guitarwork by Willow.  Envious Heart was also beautiful to listen to and has a wonderful melody to it.

Outpost Drive is such a talented duo so do have a listen to their music if you get the chance.

The Shires

Just like myself, the crowd at Stafford Gatehouse had been patiently waiting for The Shires to come on stage, and the atmosphere turned electric soon as they did. I last saw them live at Victoria Hall in Stoke-on-Trent 3-years ago when they toured with their band. Their concert was sensational then and this time I was expecting the same buzz and was not disappointed at all.

For those who are not familiar with The Shires, the band is comprised of duo Ben Earle and Crissie Rhodes both hailing from Hertfordshire and Bedfordshire  The word ‘Shire’ is the original description of a county in the UK and have used this to emphasize on their British heritage. They met via Facebook when Ben put out a post on Facebook looking for a Country Singer and Crissie replied, and the rest is history.

I was never a fan of country music to be honest but surprisingly a trip to Phoenix, Arizona some 20 years ago as a Group Study Exchange student changed me completely.  I totally fell in love with country music, line dancing, the cowboy hats, boots and turquoise jewellery. I understood that country music was heartfelt as the songs were written from experience about love, every day struggles, childhood and loss. I remember coming home with my luggage bag filled with Toby Keith, Kenny Chesney, Brad Paisley and Tim McGraw CDs.  So when I first heard about The Shires in the UK for the first time, I was immediately drawn to their music.

Although this was an acoustic concert, it was still lively and we got on our feet and started singing and dancing for some of their songs. They are tons of songs which I love from their playlist but was thrilled to hear some of my favourite songs such as State Line played on guitar as well as Naked and Sleepwalk on the keyboard. Crissie brought the crowd to tears with her acoustic rendition of Daddy’s Little Girl (Crissie wrote this song for her late father whom she lost when she was 8-years-old).  The crowd participation was great and we even got our phone torch on for I See Stars to create a beautiful ambiance.

I love how the band took time to chat with the audience and connect with the crowd sharing little stories of the song they are about to sing.  They congratulated couples who are about to get married and even chatted with a 6-year old who drew a beautiful portrait of them.

If you are a fan, then expect to hear their old songs which have been given a new breath of fresh air. I love how both Ben and Crissie were able to carry the whole concert without a band and their harmonies were spot on. They also invited Outpost Drive on stage to perform together which was wonderful to see. As a fan, I totally enjoyed the night and can’t wait for them to release Undone Vol 2! 

How much do the tickets cost for The Shires Tour?

Tickets were priced at £38 and £42.50 at Stafford Gatehouse Theatre. Price will differ at different locations.

There were merch on sale as well, from t-shirts to CDs and posters

How do I book tickets to watch The Shires Tour?

The Shires are on tour starting on 7 March in Dorking The Halls and ending in The O2 in London on 5 October 2025. Do head to their website to find out how you can purchase their tickets for future shows.

Where is Stafford Gatehouse Theatre?

Stafford Gatehouse is an old Victorian theatre for professional and amateur shows, including Shakespeare and children’s plays. In 2007, the Borough Hall was reopened as Stafford Gatehouse Theatre, by his Royal Highness the Duke of Gloucester. The Borough Hall was originally opened on 20 June 1877 and the building once housed Stafford Borough Council.

Stafford Gatehouse Theatre
Eastgate Street
Stafford
ST16 2LT
Tel: 01785 619080

Where to park?

Stafford Gatehouse Theatre is in the heart of Stafford, just seconds from the main shopping centre and central tourist attractions. It is less than 10 minutes drive from Junctions 13 and 14 of the M6 and can be found by following the theatre mask symbols on routes into the town centre. There are ample parking facilities a short walk away from the theatre and cycle racks are available outside the building.

About Stafford Gatehouse Theatre

Stafford Gatehouse Theatre offer a range of touring shows and in-house productions, covering big name acts and top touring companies to home-grown talent and our popular summer school shows. They also produce the prestigious annual Stafford Shakespeare production, which marked its 30th year in 2022 with ROMEO + JULIET in the grounds of Stafford Castle, drawing thousands of visitors from all over the UK and as far away as Australia.

In 2023, the prestigious production moved to the Gatehouse with the spectacular ‘A MIDSUMMER NIGHT’S DREAM’, which drew thousands of visitors into Stafford town centre and last year TWELFTH NIGHT: A Cornish Tale drew huge critical acclaim. In 2025, Stafford Shakespeare presents HAMLET, starring BENEDICT SHAW (The Syndicate, Boat Story BBC) from June 24 to July 5.

They have two performance spaces: the main auditorium, with a seating capacity of 535 and adaptable space of  The MET Studio, which can seat up to 140 guests in a number of configurations. They also have the Writers’ Room, which is perfect for smaller meetings and presentations. It is also available for small exhibitions and semi-permanent displays – the perfect spot for a corporate meeting.

During the day, the theatre houses a smart coffee shop (Mon-Fri 10am-2pm) offering top quality drinks and snacks in a beautiful setting, complete with free upgraded Wi-Fi and USB charging points.  At night, the theatre’s bar is the perfect place for a pre-show drink or post-show chat – often with the stars of the production popping in. The  theatre also houses Stafford’s Visitor Information Service, with a touch-screen information centre and helpful staff, where you can find information on regional and national events. Open: Monday to Saturday 9:30am – 5:00pm.

About The Shires

The Shires formed after Ben (from Hertfordshire) appealed on Facebook for a female country singer to work with him. Crissie (from Bedfordshire), a friend of a friend, replied, came round the very next day and they discovered instant chemistry.  “We can build our own Nashville underneath these grey skies,” they sing on ‘Nashville Grey Skies’, the infectious radio hit that introduced them last summer and hoisted a flag for home-grown country music.  Both are inspired by the old-school workmanship of country music’s professional songwriters – people they would later work with on their first trip to Nashville. Learning at first hand the storytelling style of classic country songs, and how to craft a catchy chorus, the duo then injected elements that could only have come from our side of the pond. Powered by Crissie’s powerful but subtle and supple vocals and Ben’s perfectly complementary tones and acoustic guitar, The Shires have literally found a piece of country to call their own. They love American music, but they’re proudly British and intensely keen to add some real indigenous flavour to the pot.

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Photo credit: Saskia Jo