Live Review: Clare Bowen

There's to die for T-shirts available at the merch, in assorted colours, that simply read: Bowen Army. The venue is rammed, which makes it nearly impossible to get to the bar. This may be due to the $100 VIP experience add-ons, which include a Q&A with Clare Bowen, an intimate acoustic performance, meet 'n' greet with photo and a signed item (show ticket must be purchased in addition). Sold out both nights, these add-ons guarantee a certain amount of heads already inside the venue.

So this is what Nashville fans look like (read: don't get out much, subscribe to Netflix as well as Stan). Plus there's a lot of brand spankin' cowboy boots being tested out for the first time tonight. Wild whooping the moment Bowen is sighted, her pixie cut decorated with a sparkly headband. She's all barefoot, bohemian prom in her flouncy textured cream skirt and spangly sheer bodice, smashing a gypsy tambourine with ribbons hanging from it, all ready for a Dixie Tarantella.

Of course, Bowen is delighted "to be here with y'all" and dedicates Free to us. Throughout the evening, she generally intros songs by telling us from which Season of Nashville they belong (as well as what actually transpired in said scene) — no fear of spoiler alerts, though, since all present are Nashville fanatics. "Let's take it all the way back to Season One," is how Bowen introduces Fade Into You. And it's mass swoons as her fiance Brandon Young, all black leather and Mohawk, ably takes on the male lead parts and onstage electricity sizzles. Bowen tells us how much they love bringing Nashville to those of us who can't just randomly jet on over. "I think we should play that song we wrote about us," Bowen turns to address Young.

We're even treated to a song from the pilot! (And, yes, punters sing along to If I Didn't Know Better, during which the piano playing is sultry and superb.) The crowd is charmed throughout, laughing and whooping in response to everything Bowen says (even inappropriate things such as her introducing a song about a lost child?). Young gets his moment under the two spotlights to sing a moving song he wrote for a film.

All crane for a glimpse of Bowen through cracks between audience members in front of them and Black Roses sees these spaces reduce considerably as couples place heads on each other's shoulders and gently sway. Lots of punters also seem to be auditioning to become extras on the musical drama series, with the female contingent favouring the 'way too much makeup with done up hair and flanno' look. As we walk back out onto Swan Street, it comes as a surprise to note that we haven't been teleported directly to Nashville.