The Shires Tour – The Two of Us
The UK’s biggest country music export The Shires have announced an intimate acoustic tour for 2025 starting their touring on 7 March in Dorking The Halls and ending in The O2 in London on 5 October 2025. Fans local to us will be pleased to know that they will be stopping off at Stafford Gatehouse Theatre in March. 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 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.
How much do the tickets cost?
Tickets are priced at £38 and £42.50 at Stafford Gatehouse Theatre. It may differ at different locations.
How do I book tickets to watch The Shires Tour – The Two of Us Tour?
Tickets can be booked by calling the box office on 01785 619080 or by visiting their website here. Please contact the Box Office for details.
How long is the show for and what are the timings?
The Shires are on tour starting on 7 March in Dorking The Halls and ending in The O2 in London on 5 October 2025. Fans local to us will be pleased to know that they will be stopping off at The Stafford Gatehouse Theatre on 28 March 2025 with the performance starting at 7.30pm.
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 Tour
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.
You may want to read this:
Review: Stafford Gatehouse Theatre presents Jack and the Beanstalk
Review: TWELFTH NIGHT – A Cornish Tale at Stafford Gatehouse Theatre
Review: Milkshake! Monkey Musical at Stafford Gatehouse Theatre
Photo credit: Stafford Gatehouse Theatre/The Shires
