Tonight sees The Shires roll into Gateshead on the crest of a wave, having broken the Top Ten with their debut. It's no surprise that this beautiful hall is packed to the rafters as we arrive as support John and Jacob are closing out their set. These two guys exude the spirit of Nashville and unsurprisingly they’re closing out with a track that was featured in the Nashville TV show.

As we kick ourselves wishing that we had been there earlier, the stage is reset for The Shires to make their entrance. They’re at the forefront of a country invasion in the UK, and borne off the back of the TV show , this duo has perfected some incredible tracks all of which are on show this evening.

'Nashville Grey Skies' is beautiful, and does really highlight their country sound. For some people it seems to be odd that these guys are British but they do make it quite apparent, the track 'Made In England' really highlights their pride in their home country.

It is quite clear to see why these guys have shot to such popularity so quickly; they have a really accessible and interesting sound. 'State Lines' brings proceedings down a notch, yet it only goes to highlight the beauty and the depth in this duos lyrics. There’s an obvious leaning toward American themes which runs throughout the evening.

Yet the stand out track for us this evening, is the wonderful 'Brave' this over excited crowd are completely hushed as they mesmerise us all with their incredible talents. The track itself is so delicate and so sweet, perhaps one of the most touching moments we’ve experienced in a while.

In a music industry crammed so full of bluster, and generic singer songwriter boredom, The Shires are offering something completely different and unique in the current popular scene, we’re sure that this will not remain that way for long. For us it was an adventure outside of our normal comfort zone, yet one we relished and truly enjoyed, these guys are currently honing their craft but it wont be long before they’re in considerably larger venues.

I blame the TV series Nashville for getting me - somewhat reluctantly - interested in country music. For years, the thought of Patsy Cline on repeat filled me with dread - but now I’m all for a bit of Dolly Parton or Johnny Cash, and can’t help but love the show’s youngest stars Lennon & Maisy, with their harmonious covers of well-known songs. 

So when The Shires’ album was on offer, it felt rude not to give it a go. Their name has been bandied about for a while - most recently they toured with Ward Thomas (another fantastic country breakthrough act), and they’re set to play the upcoming C2C Festival in March. 

The duo is made up of Ben Earle and Crissie Rhodes, who hail - rather surprisingly - from Hertfordshire and Bedfordshire. Surprising, because they have an American look about them, they certainly sound like they’re from the US, and they have songs called things like ‘State Lines’ and ‘Nashville Grey Skies’. It wasn’t until I got to ‘Made In England’ and looked at the press release that I discovered they were British - whether or not that’s a good thing I’m not sure (does all country music need to sound American?).

Regardless, Brave is a good debut. There’s a mixture of upbeat stuff and the expected country ballads - but it’s the up-tempo tunes that really stand out. Album opener ‘Tonight’ is a catchy number that immediately introduces you to Earle and Rhodes’ wonderful harmonies - and while both their voices are nice, it’s Rhodes’ crisp vocals that really attract attention. Another highlight comes in the form of their latest single ‘Friday Night’ - probably the most commercial track of the collection, it’s quite anthemic and the antithesis to Dolly Parton’s ‘9 to 5’.

The title track is a gentle duet that builds up momentously, starting with a whisper of a piano accompanying Rhodes on her own, before Earle joins and a driving drum beat kicks in. “It’s not the first time I’ve seen you cry/You don’t have to be so brave tonight,” they sing; “Let me bring you back to the world, back home/Let me mend your broken soul." 

It’s a nice sentiment, and sums up what The Shires are about - friends who make uplifting music, who can envelop you with kind words and the sort of people you would want to go out and drink shots with on a Friday night. Traditional country fans may not warm to the pop sound of Brave, but if Parton can go from ‘I Will Always Love You’ to ‘9 to 5’ then it’s certainly worth a listen. If, like me, you’ve never been very sure about dipping your toe into the genre, this would be the perfect way to start.

Brave is available from amazon & iTunes.