For the past decade Acadian powerhouse trio Vishtèn have acted as Francophone musical ambassadors throughout the world. The Canadian trio has dazzled audiences with their fiery blend of traditional French songs and original instrumentals that fuse Celtic and Acadian genres with a modern sensibility of rock influence.

Hailing from Prince Edward Island’s Evangeline area and from the most remote reaches of Quebec – the windswept Magdalen Islands – twin sisters Emmanuelle and Pastelle LeBlanc join musical forces with Pascal Miousse to form a sophisticated sonic signature combing tight sibling harmonies, layered foot percussion, virtuoso acoustic and electric instrumentation to create an expansive sound that would be difficult to reproduce, in sheer complexity, by a quintet. Their trademark blend of fiddle, guitar, accordion, whistles, piano, bodhrán, jaw harp, octave mandolin and percussive dance make for a unique tour de force of traditional and contemporary sounds.

After touring extensively on three continents, the name Vishtèn is now synonymous with Acadian music worldwide. In addition to releasing five albums and performing at thousands of international festivals – from the Vancouver Olympics to France’s Interceltique de Lorient – their music has been showcased on American television (ESPN) and the Japanese film, Finding Anne.

NB *selected shows will feature Rob Longstaff in place of The Little Stevies

The Little Stevies have existed as a band for many years and have taken on many incarnations but the steadfast sisters have always been the heart and soul and they continue to write and make music as The Little Stevies.

Over the years they’ve toured Australia, Canada and the US extensively and have five releases thus far; three full-length studio albums; Diamonds For Your Tea (2013), Attention Shoppers (2011) and Love Your Band (2009), an EP titled Grow Up released in 2006, and 2013′s live album Most Requested 2009-2012.

The most recent release, Diamonds for Your Tea was recorded over 12 months in ‘the spare room’ at nights and on weekends between completing a Masters Degree (Beth) and becoming a mother (Byll).

catch THE LITTLE STEVIES @ Adelong, Girgarre, Dookie, Glenlyon, Apollo Bay, Bonegilla, Balgownie, Orange and Grenfell.

catch ROB LONGSTAFF @ Wauchope, Toongi, Nangiloc, Caldwell, Willaura, Dalgety and Murrah.