LIVE REVIEW: The Shires @ Bridgewater Hall Manchester

Following the announcement that the Bonfire tour will be their last for quite some time, as they will be taking a hiatus once this run of dates ends, British country duo The Shires brought their stellar showcase to Manchester at a sold-out Bridgewater Hall last night (November 8th), with support from New Zealand artist Kaylee Bell.

As an opener, Kaylee Bell delivered a storming set that had the packed crowd raring to go for the main event. Her energy and vocals were absolutely fantastic, and she showcased exactly why her brand of pop-country is taking her all over the world. A taster of what’s to come from new music in the form of the stunning Man Kind was also a massive crowd-pleaser.

After Bell exited the stage to rapturous applause, there was a short interval before The Shires arrived on stage to massive cheers from the adoring crowd, launching into ‘Slow Dance’ from their latest album, with Ben on piano and Crissie delivering a spine-tingling vocal performance.

They then rattled through some of their biggest hits, including ‘My Universe’, ‘State Lines’, ‘Not Even Drunk Right Now’. ‘Getaway Car’, ‘A Thousand Hallelujahs’. ‘Guilty ‘ and ‘Nashville Grey Skies’, to name a few. There wasn’t a moment when the Manchester audience wasn’t absolutely spellbound.

Obviously, it was a bittersweet moment when the night came to an end following a three-song encore that included a phenomenal rendition of ‘Daddy’s Little Girl’ where Crissie’s vocals sounded like liquid gold, and the crowd-pleaser ‘Tonight’. The duo left the stage to a standing ovation as Dolly Parton’s ‘9to5’ played on the speakers.

After 13 years as a duo, it was an incredible last show in Manchester . It is unclear how long they will be away, but it’s likely to be around 10 years; however, it is obvious that when they do decide to return down the line, their loyal fans will be waiting right there in the wings for them with open arms.

Were you in attendance last night? Let us know your highlights across social media and in the comments below!