Ash went out of this world with their album launch show! It has been 30 years and nine studio albums since rock band Ash first formed, and this tour shows they still have what it takes to get a crowd going.
Performing at Brighton’s own Resident Music, the band took the audience on an intergalactic adventure through their newly released and highly anticipated album, Ad Astra (translated as ‘to the stars’).
From their very first song, the gig’s theme was clear, with the band looking like astronauts as they walked out to Richard Strauss’ Zarathustra (famously in Space Odyssey) before launching into ‘Which One Do You Want?’, a heartfelt song about longing for someone. The band then moved on to ‘Fun People’, a catchy song that boosted the energy, prompting many in the audience to dance and bob their heads. Since it was so fast-paced, Wheeler broke his guitar pick, which a grateful fan happily took as a memento.
However, that wasn’t the end of their comedic show as, throughout the night, the band’s humour was a constant source of entertainment, with Wheeler later joking that, due to the lack of Graham Coxon (who featured on the title track), we should envision him through backing vocalist Rick McMurray, since he also wears glasses!
Perhaps what made this gig extra special for Brighton was their live debut of two new songs from the album, a very romantic ‘Hallion’ and a much mellower ‘My Favourite Ghost’, with both songs making the audience hug their friends and partners alike. Afterwards, we were treated to a spectacular cover of Harry Belafonte’s ‘Jump In The Line’, a song the whole audience were very familiar with, causing many to sing along and dance, bringing a much-needed upbeat tone to the gig. But arguably, the highlight for many and what really got the crowd going was the classic, a throwback to their early days – ‘Jack Names the Planets’; a very fitting closer to the show.
Overall, from the audience’s reactions, it’s clear the album is very popular with fans. I’d recommend anyone to go and see Ash if they ever get the chance to, as it’s clear their success will continue for many galaxies to come!
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