Live at Acanteen - Shea Rafferty special guests James White & The Wildfire

Live at Acanteen - monthly Live and Original Country and Americana gigs. Shea Rafferty headlines special guests James White & The Wildfire HEADLINER:- SHEA RAFFERTY (performing as a duo) Northern Irish Americana singer-songwriter Shea Rafferty returns this autumn with his highly anticipated third studio album, Livin', released on 25 September. Produced by the acclaimed Ed Harcourt, the record marks a defining moment in Rafferty's rapidly ascending career, capturing the cinematic songwriting, emotional honesty and expansive Americana sound that have established him as one of the most exciting voices emerging from the UK and Irish roots scene. Arriving at a pivotal point in his journey, Livin' follows a remarkable period of career momentum. Earlier this year, Rafferty performed at London's O2 Arena as part of the prestigious C2C Festival, before making his first nationwide radio appearance with an interview and live session on BBC Radio 5 Live with Patrick Kielty - introducing his music to audiences across the UK. Blending evocative storytelling with sweeping Americana soundscapes, Livin' showcases Rafferty at his creative peak. Across the album, dust-swept imagery, driving melodies and unforgettable choruses combine with raw, heartfelt lyricism to create songs that feel both deeply personal and strikingly cinematic. From late-night highways and fading neon lights to stories of resilience, love and self-discovery, the record unfolds with the scope and ambition of a modern Americana classic. Renowned for his captivating live performances, Rafferty has played sold-out shows at Manchester Academy, Birmingham Symphony Hall, Glasgow's Òran Mór, The 100 Club, Omeara, Lafayette and The Green Note in London. His festival appearances include C2C Festival, The British Country Music Festival and The Long Road Festival, while internationally he fulfilled a career milestone by performing at Nashville's legendary Bluebird Café. Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/shearaffmusic/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/shearaffmusic X: https://x.com/shearaffmusic/ Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/artist/0SvhmAxxxBqrBXj71Flh9d SPECIAL GUEST - James White & The Wildfire It is a real pleasure to welcome back James White and The Wildfire to Chelmsford. The band has chosen Acanteen for their first live outing for the brand new EP 'How To Replace Anxiety With A Broken Heart' . This EP has not only had rave reviews but has achieved pheneomenal streaming chart success. The band will bring a bend of Psychedelic Folk Rock with a hint of Bluegrass to proceedings and a live performance with incedible energy. We are blessed to have them as Special Guests for this show and they will return soon to headline in etheir own right. https://linktr.ee/jameswhiteandthewildfire