The Shires will release new album My Universe on 7th October 2016 and the duo will be heading out on tour starting in November.
Earlier this week Ben Earle and Crissie Rhodes performed tracks from the new album to fans a secret album launch show at London’s One Embankment. Their upcoming tour will kick off in Oxford on 18th November and take them through to 11th December where the tour finishes at Shepherd’s Bush Empire in London.
Ben Earle stated, “It’s something magical to be on stage and sharing your songs and seeing the fans’ reaction. We’re particularly excited to share our new tracks with the fans on this tour.”
My Universe is the follow-up to the band’s Top 10 album Brave, which was the first time a UK Country act had entered the Top 10 in their home country. They’ve worked on the new record with top Country stars including Kip Moore.
On recording the new album in Nashville, The Shires said, ,“It was great to go back to Nashville. This time we had a different approach as we knew it better and we practically lived there. We have friends there now and for some reason when you write and record there you just feel more inspired. It definitely comes through in the new music.”
The full list of tour dates is:
Friday 18th November – O2 Academy, Oxford
Sunday 20th November – Anvil, Basingstoke
Monday 21st November – O2 Guildhall, Southampton
Wednesday 23rd November – Royal and Derngate, Northampton
Thursday 24th November – St. David’s Hall, Cardiff
Friday 25th November – Corn Exchange, Bedford
Sunday 27th November – Corn Exchange, Cambridge
Monday 28th November – Colston Hall, Bristol
Tuesday 29th November – Dome, Brighton
Friday 2nd December – Venue Cymru, Llandudno
Saturday 3rd December – O2 Institute, Birmingham
Sunday 4th December – The Bridgewater Hall, Manchester
Monday 5th December – The Sage, Gateshead
Wednesday 7th December – O2 ABC, Glasgow
Thursday 8th December – Barbican, York
Friday 9th December – O2 Academy, Liverpool
Sunday 11th December – O2 Shepherd’s Bush Empire, London
Fans can get tickets for the tour when they pre-order a special edition of the new album at HMV before midnight on Monday 18th July. The HMV exclusive edition of My Universe includes exclusive artwork and two bonus tracks. Those pre-order the album before midnight Monday 18th July will receive a unique code to give them access to the tour ticket pre-sale from 9am Thursday 21st July before general on-sale at 9am Friday 22nd July.
