Sisters and children of the seventies, Allison and Catherine Pierce, enjoyed something of a romantic notion of a childhood. Born in Birmingham, Alabama, to a musician father and painter mother, the girls travelled frequently with the family and were home-schooled.

Much of their education seems to have come from the family soundtrack of Simon & Garfunkel and Joni Mitchell, and both Caroline and Allison were encouraged to express themselves through the arts.

Allison, the elder by two years, began to dance from the age of three (probably not that jumping-up-and-down-on-the-spot dance our four-year-old used to do) and both girls became capable ballerinas, though both developed as strong vocalists.

Their break came when both were attending university in Alabama and their debut release, 2000's 'The Pierces' followed. Since then, they have released another three studio LPs. May 2011's 'You & I' reached No 4 in the UK album and, helped by the playlists at Radio 2 and 6 Music, the sisters made a belated impact in the UK.

All of which means that UK fans are discovering a 'new' band with a ready-made back catalogue of harmony-filled haunting, beguiling indie folk. Their single 'You'll Be Mine', released in 2011, drew comparisons (in sound) with Stevie Nicks-era Fleetwood Mac; part-folk, part-'countriana'.

In any case, toes tapped, heads nodded and mental notes were made to check out the sisters on YouTube, maybe download the latest album and perhaps even make a date to see them live the next time they visit these shores. Well, that time is upon us.

The Pierces' autumn tour begins at the Leadmill in Sheffield on 7th October, moving on to Manchester, Birmingham, London (Shepherd's Bush Empire), Cardiff, Oxford and others, before the final show in Liverpool on 21st October.

We will have tickets from 9AM on Friday 29th July, priced £13.50 (£16 for Shepherd's Bush).

Ahead of the October dates, the Pierce sisters are appearing at the Summer Sundae Weekender 2011 at De Montfort Hall, Leicestershire, on Sunday 14th August (day tickets £50) and at V Festival 2011 on 20th (Staffordshire) and 21st August (Chelmsford) [face value day tickets for both of those events have now sold out - Ed].