Apollo

Set list

1. Lose Control
2. Cherry Bomb
3. Girl From Mars
4. Orpheus
5. Goldfinger
6. Jesus Says
7. Shining Light
8. Renegade Cavalcade
9. Jack Names the Planets
10. Oh Yeah
11. Evil Eye (Live debut)
12. Walking Barefoot
13. Sometimes
14. Envy
15. A Life Less Ordinary
16. Kung Fu

Encore

17. On a Wave (Live debut)
18. Burn Baby Burn

Review

So it’s all set for headliners Ash to deliver the goods. Having spent the majority of 2002 touring the States, this exclusive gig is only their second gig this year and is also the last chance for people to see them before they head back to America to play their biggest headline tour to date. With rumours circulating that they might not show as singer Tim Wheeler’s spent the previous night in hospital having an infection on his arm drained so he could play the gig, it’s a massive relief when all four members of the band make their entrance to set-opener “Lose Control”. And that’s exactly what happens.

The crowd is transformed into a sweaty, thriving mass within seconds of Ash taking to the stage and there’s no looking back. “Cherry Bomb” and “Girl From Mars” remind us exactly what we’ve been missing, before Tim Wheeler introduces “Orpheus”, the first of four new songs in their set. “Orpheus” is a beast of a song, much heavier sounding than their previous material, packed full of dirty guitar riffs, pounding rock beats and a meaty bassline. It’s easy to lose a crowd’s attention when playing unheard material, but after only one hearing they’re new stuff sticks in the head as if you’ve heard it a hundred times before.

Ash really show us how it’s done when they cruise through three amazing hits in a row with “Goldfinger”, “Jesus Says” and “Shining Light”. Not many bands could deliver three songs mid-set of such high calibre and class and not be scared of running out of good songs to play. “Renegade Cavalcade”, another new one, sounds like it could be one of the best songs they’ve ever written - a jagged, jutting intro followed by an incredibly infectious chorus…hear it once and it’ll be stuck in your head forever. Their first ever single “Jack Names the Planets” gets the hardcore Ash fans going before “Oh Yeah” simply takes everyone over. By the time the third new track, “Evil Eye” ends you can see the expectation of their new album rising in the eyes of all their fans.

“Walking Barefoot” explodes from the stage, then it’s a temporary change in pace with the tender ballad “Sometimes”. After last year’s hit “Envy”, “A Life Less Ordinary” and a ripping version of “Kung Fu” the crowd are left breathless and totally hooked. There’s no way Ash can stop now and the crowd let them know it. After a short break they’re back with new song “On a Wave” before “Burn Baby Burn” finishes the set with a crowd sing-a-long to rival any amount of noise from nearby Old Trafford.

Review by Carlinglive