For their new album, the double CD Town Square, Stacey Earle and Mark Stuart have recorded 32 acoustic versions of songs they've performed over the last 18 years. The LP was inspired by the hugely positive reception accorded to the bonus acoustic CD included with their 2003 release, Never Gonna Let You Go.

Their approach to live performance is as simple as it gets: no tricks, no gadgets. Just two vocals and two guitar lines. Utilising clever acoustic interplay, autobiographical songwriting, lovely harmonies, and humorous storytelling, the duo captivate from the first moment they go on stage.
Based out of Tennessee, Earle (sister of Steve) and Stuart draw on blues, pop, country, rock, and more. Eighteen years of touring the folk/Americana circuit (playing 170 concerts a year) have given them a knack for reaching out to the audience in an intimate 'come in to my living room' fashion. Since meeting in 1992 and marrying in late 1993, they have toured the USA, Canada, and Europe repeatedly.
Their back-to-basics take on live performance is complemented by an innovative approach to delivering their recordings. Realising that they were sitting on a mountain of unreleased songs, early versions and demos, they have put together 'Flashback' – a two gigabyte USB flashdrive with over 200 tracks dating back as far as the early '90s.
Lately, they have been winding their way around Europe and hit Irish shores mid-summer when they arrive in Derry for a show at the Playhouse Theatre on Sunday (June 13). On Tuesday June 15 they appear at the Damer House Hotel, Roscrea. The following evening finds them at the Knocklofty House Hotel in Clonmel and Thursday June 17 sees them on stage at Belfast's Real Music Club at the Errigle Inn. Friday June 18 takes them back down to the Naul for a show at the Seamus Ennis Centre. The final show of their brief Irish foray is the following evening at the Bronte Centre, Rathfriland.
Belfast's Open House festival has upped the ante again, announcing more great shows including the Irish debut of the Dave Rawlings Machine. Having played second fiddle to wife Gillian Welch's career, his recent album Friend of A Friend has seen him step up to the mic. He'll be joined in Belfast by Old Crow Medicine Show, who've been to the Open House before and who also played on Rawling's latest album (along with some members of Bright Eyes and Tom Petty's Heartbreakers). He should feel right at home!
Also joining the line-up is Lissie, making her first visit to Belfast. She appears on Wednesday September 8 in the intimate surroundings of McHugh's basement bar, with new local boys Napoleon.
Usually, artists struggle on their second album. But for Peter Baxter it seems to have been the third one that caused problems. He has been working on it since early 2007 but at last it seems he has it licked. On The Blue Black Waves he is joined by Donal Lunny, Keith Donald and a host of others. He plays the Seamus Ennis Centre on Saturday May 29. Other gigs coming up there in the near future are Miss Paula Flynn on Friday May 21, Shaskeen, on Saturday 22 and Sunday 23 May, The Wilders who make an appearance on Thursday May 27 and Zoe Conway and husband John McIntyre who appear there on Friday June 4.
In case you can't make it to the Naul, Kansas City quartet, The Wilders are also playing a string of other dates around the country. There will be shows in the Flowerfield Arts Centre in Portstewart on Friday May 21, Armagh's Marketplace Theatre on Saturday May 22, Belfast's Black Box on Sunday May 23, Letterkenny's Regional Cultural Centre on Tuesday May 25 and the Nesbitt Arms Hotel in Ardara on Wednesday May 26.
Looking a little farther ahead, Tom Paxton will be appearing at the National Concert Hall on Thursday July 22. One of the world's most respected and best loved songwriters, his audience is truly global. Pete Seeger tells a story of being in a village near Calcutta and hearing a local who didn't speak English sing him Tom Paxton's 'What Did you Learn in School Today?' in Bengali.
Finally, on Friday July 30, that most independent of women Michelle Shocked makes a return visit to Ireland to play a show in Whelan's.