For anyone who doesn’t know Charles Esten a brief resume, actor both on stage, film and TV, singer-songwriter and Guinness World Record holder for releasing 54 songs over 54 weeks, wow. But most will know him as one of the lead actors in the massively successful country music drama, Nashville. Here he is at the Town Hall promoting his self-released album ‘Love Ain’t Pretty’ and judging from the nearly full and very appreciative audience, he certainly has fans, and why not. He is a class act, very funny, likeable and with a very good voice, with a knack of writing good songs, I think I hate him! No messing about he kicked-off with the title track, and with a mixture of slower and up-tempo tunes, had everyone enthralled. Even throwing in the Buddy Holly song ‘True Love Ways’, reflecting on his starring role on stage as the bespectacled one, in the eighties, especially that his director in that was in the audience tonight.

A crowd favourite, ‘Candlelight’, had the very unusual effect of getting most of the audience light up their phones without being asked to, this clearly pleased Esten, as witnessed by the enormous smile on his face. Esten was joined on stage by his future son-in-law and singer with the band Betcha, on a brilliant version of Simon and Garfunkel’s ‘Sound Of Silence’. And finishing off an excellent night with another cover, no less than ‘Champagne Supernova’, proving how versatile Mr Esten is, and everyone here left knowing they had seen a very talented man. We would love to see him come back with a full band next time, soon as possible please.

Photos by Geoff Griffe
Review by Jenny Griffe