Taking time off from filming the 4th season of the ABC show Nashville, Clare Bowen and Charles Esten have been touring the country singing for their fans. Accompanied by the band Sixwire, these multi talented artists, songwriters and actors took the stage to sing original songs and hits from the show. Long Island’s Tilles Center hosted Bowen and Esten this past Saturday evening and they were so grateful to be in New York with their fans.
The crowd erupted into applause as Clare Bowen glided across the stage, dressed like a real life fairy, wearing a beautiful flowy white dress and of course her signature flower crown, in her hand a tambourine. She opened her set with “My Song” from season three of Nashville. Alternating between songs from the show and original songs she has written, Bowen sounded absolutely angelic. She sat on the edge of the stage cross legged to sing the popular song from season one of Nashville, “When the Right One Comes Along.”
Bowen then invited her boyfriend Brandon Young to the stage to sing a couple of songs with her that they had written together. She stated after singing “When the Right One Comes Along,” “I didn’t understand that song till this man came into my life, I didn’t get this song till I met you, it is sort of the story of us.” She also sang “Fade Into You” with the lights dimmed as Young sang Sam Palladio’s part.
Stating that they had to “pep it up a bit,” Bowen sang an upbeat version of “Something’s Got a Hold On Me” as she danced around the stage with the band. She bestowed the audience with some inspiring words, “Be who you are, dream what you dream and love who you love, be different because that’s what makes this world so beautiful.” Bowen ran throughout the audience singing a song she and Brandon wrote together called “Drum.” Closing her set with a cover of KT Tunstall’s “Black Horse & The Cherry Tree” she showed her versatility and vocal strength.
Next up was Charles Esten to the stage. Dressed sharply in a white button down shirt, dark jeans and black boots, the females in the audience went crazy as he strutted across the stage. Esten opened his set with two of his original songs and then told a story about how his college roommate was here tonight in the crowd. He wanted to sing a song that was popular when they were in college so he belted out a soulful version of “Take Me to the River.”
“How about we slow it down a little, get a little Deacony up in this joint,” Esten said before playing a medley of “Back Home” and “Side Show” from Nashville. He then discussed how this show has changed his life, how the scene at the Bluebird in the pilot episode acted like a cataylst for the rest of the season and how it was the moment he knew that it was going to be a big hit. He sang a stripped down, raw performance of “No One Will Ever Love You” behind the keyboard without the rest of the band, which ended up being an absolute highlight of the evening.
It was so interesting to see Charles Esten performing his own original songs; most of them were upbeat, fun songs and he seemed so happy to be up there jamming with the band. The contrast was so significant to the role he plays on Nashville as Deacon. Esten played a new song that he had just written a couple of weeks ago for his lovely wife Patty called “When It’s True.” The lyrics were so genuine and the crowd was mesmirized during the song. “When it’s true, you don’t have to change a thing / like me and you holding on together for whatever life brings / it’s like gospel to your soul / like beer is better cold / like one and one will always make two / can’t believe what love can do when its true.”
For the encore Esten sang his current single “Hot One” which is currently being played on Sirius XM the highway. Bowen joined him for the final song, “A Life That’s Good” which was awarded by a standing ovation.
Watch videos from the show below: