Yahoo News From Nashville to Newcastle, TV star and country artist returns to Tyneside
On Wednesday evening US-based country artist and TV star Charles Esten made a welcome return to Tyneside for a memorable evening at the Glasshouse in Gateshead.
Perhaps you remember the artist from his leading role on the hit show Nashville, where he played the character Deacon Claybourne.
The television show set in the thriving musical metropolis known as Nashville or Music City by some had a huge following here in the UK. And subsequently, in years gone by Esten and his TV co-stars toured arenas across the country performing songs from the show.
This time around Charles is promoting his independent debut album Love Ain’t Love. The headliner was accompanied on stage by pianist Andy Lucas who also featured on the Nashville reunion tour.
Despite the fact Charles is touring his debut album, this isn't Esten’s first rodeo. The artist has performed in this venue on a couple of occasions prior. And based upon his on-stage banter, it seems to be a room which the country star is very fond of. However, you would have to look back to the pre-pandemic days of 2019 for his last visit to the region.
The star opened the show with a run of acoustic ballads by way of Love Ain’t Pretty and A Little Right Now, before performing the first single from his debut album One Good Move which he dedicated to his wife Patti.
Esten delivered a spellbinding and somewhat locally fitting rendition of Romeo and Juliet by Dire Straits. The latter was a song which he performed in college whilst attempting to win over his future wife who was in the audience at the time.
Country music is a genre that is fuelled by storytelling, and this is a skill that Esten has in spades. Throughout the show, each song was accompanied by a witty and somewhat insightful backstory. During the show, the artist charmed the audience with his tales and anecdotes.
Esten picked things up with a crowd-pleasing airing of When Love Ain’t Love and I Ain’t, before bringing show opener Charlie Greene to the stage for a majestic rendition of Simon and Garfunkel’s The Sound of Silence. The latter resulted in a standing ovation from the Gateshead audience. The connection between the two is more than musical, with Greene set to become Esten’s son-in-law following his engagement to Charles' daughter Taylor.
Sat by the piano, the artist switched things up with the number Halfway Home before joining keyboard player Andy Lucas on piano for Maybe I’m Alright.
Of course, Nashville is a town renowned for its incredible musicians and songwriters. Esten quipped that the song Candlelight was co-written with Eric Paslay and Big Kenny from Big and Rich, before delivering a stunning performance of the song in question.
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There was always going to be a moment in the set for a song from the show Nashville, and No One Will Ever Love You certainly pleased the fans in the audience. Taking them back to the moment Rayna (Connie Britton) and Deacon (Charles Esten) performed the song in the legendary Bluebird Café in Nashville.
As the artist hurtled towards the finish line the tempo picked up via the drinking song I Still Do and foot-stomping country rocker All Down Hill From There before Down The Road closed out the main set in fine fashion.
Throughout the evening, the headliner showed that he is not just a versatile and gifted musician, but he is also a true entertainer. It may have been five years since Charles Esten’s last visit to the region, but it was most certainly worth the wait.
