Line-up

Headliner
Shovels & Rope Last time in Springfield: 2 years ago

Venue

Iron Horse Music Hall

18 Center St., 01060, Northampton, MA, US

ironhorse.org/

Capacity: 170

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Shovels & Rope biography

Shovels & Rope are an American folk duo from Charleston, South Carolina composed of husband and wife Michael Trent and Cary Ann Hearst.

Cary Ann Hearst was born in Mississippi and attended the College of Charleston in 1997. During school she began performing music as a solo artist in local bars and venues and realised her talents for folk music. After graduating she toured, recorded and performed with various groups including Caravan and Borrowed Angels. Hearst first saw Michael Trent performing with his band The Films in 2002 and they began touring with various artists including Jump and Little Children. To begin their careers they each recorded solo albums, Hearst released 'Dust & Bones' in 2006 and Trent released a self titled LP in 2007.

In 2008 Hearst and Trent decided to record as a duo and released the album 'Shovels & Rope' as a co-bill under their individual names but they didn't intend to work together permanently. Hearst and Trent married in March 2009 yet still continued to focus on their solo careers, releasing selected EPs and full lengths before committing to the duo in 2012. They released 'O' Be Joyful' under the name Shovels & Rope and it peaked at #123 on the Billboard 200. They performed the single 'Birmingham' on the Late Show with David Letterman in January 2013 and the Americana Music Honors & Awards awarded Shovels & Rope the accolades of emerging artist the year and song of the year for 'Birmingham'.

Following the new exposure and a heavy touring schedule where the couple play mixtures of original material and joint work, their 2014 album 'Swimmin' Time' went top twenty on the US Billboard charts.

Live reviews

There is a scattering of applause as husband and wife Michael Trent and Cary Ann Hearst step onto the open, outdoor stage. Each armed with a guitar and microphone, the two thank the crowd for coming, then launch into their music. Their voices meld beautifully in sonorous, country rock songs. Both are skilled guitar players, and their talent shows as they strum a series of complex and complementary chords. Michael Trent also does percussion with his feet. The crowd cheer enthusiastically as they finish the song, and calls for encores are happily met with more music. Michael Trent and Cary Ann Hearst play a mixture of country rock, folk, punk rock, and rock and roll music. The American duo from South Carolina formed Shovels & Rope in 2008, and released their first album, Shovels & Rope, that same year. Their second album, O' Be Joyful, was released in 2012 and was ranked No. 1 on Billboard's US Heat Chart. Their third and most recent album, Swimmin' Time, was released in 2014. They have also released a single, “The Devil Is All Around”, and a music video, “Birmingham”. Shovels & Rope put on a great performance. Trent and Hearst connect with the audience, talking to them throughout the show and encouraging them to participate, and their friendly personalities coupled with their excellent music make for a good night.

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