Ash  - Live @ The Venue, Derby

Ash, The Venue, Derby.

Set list;

Lose Control,A Life Less Ordinary,Goldfinger,Girl From Mars,Binary,Walking Barefoot,Someday,Oh Yeah,Kung Fu,Evil Eye,Shining Light,Orpheus,Twilight Of The Innocents,Jack Names the Planets,Return Of White Rabbit,Burn Baby Burn

Yet another 'warm' venue for yours truely, the Venue in Derby is a deceptively spacey place with a long bar and proper dark in places, especially on the stage which doesnt help the piccies.  Two support acts had been booked before, and I need to give quick a mention for the second, The Castells, from Durham who have a new single out now.

Celebrating their 20th Anniversary Ash have embarked on a tour that will take them to China and Korea via numerous stops in the UK including this one here.

Ash were originally formed in Northern Ireland by Tim Wheeler (vocals and guitar),Rick McMurray (drums) and Mark Hamilton (bass), and they are still the same band that released their first studio album ‘1977’. After a short inclusion of  Charlotte Hatherley on guitar for 3 albums they were then back to a trio which is how we see them tonight.

They sounded their intent right from the off. The guitar contorsions from Mark winding his way around the stage like some double jointed panther complimented by the anthemic  still impressive vocals of Tim and backed by the thumping rhythms of McMurray behind still pack a punch worthy of any venue. How on earth does he get into those positions and still be able to play the bass?  They tackled tracks from past albums ‘Nu-Clear Sounds’, ‘Free All Angels’ and ‘Meltdown’ as if it were the same day of each's release. Shockingly good.

They had the crowd enthralled and captivated from the start and by the time theyd got to the encore and the last song of the evening 'Burn Baby burn' it was even warmer. They will release an EP on 16th June on download & what seems to be now the obligitory  limited edition 12" vinyl for those long time fans to get their mits on.

Special thanks to Brett. Enjoy China.

DG