Leadmill
Sheffield, United Kingdom
Show notes
With Winnebago Deal & X-Tigers.
Set list
- Girl From Mars
- Meltdown
- Orpheus
- A Life Less Ordinary
- Evil Eye
- Clones
- Walking Barefoot
- Starcrossed
- Out of the Blue
- Shining Light
- Renegade Cavalcade
- Detonator
- Goldfinger
- On a Wave
- Won’t Be Saved
- Envy
- Vampire Love
Encore
Review 1
Arriving at the Sheffield Leadmill on the 4th of March the first impression from the outside seemed to be slightly Moulin Rouge and dingy but never the less everyone waited anxiously outside the venue listening to the faint sounds from within. From what seemed like out of our daydreams Rick and Charlotte walked casually past a crowd of Ash thirsty fans.
The venue was tiny and with such a mass of people it could be predicted that it was going to be crowded and intimate gig. Kicking off the evening was a band that was just what the audience ordered to get warmed up. Their songs just the right for us Ash lovers to get in to the mood for some kick-ass action. Sadly this was taken away with the main support band, Winnebago Deal. After half an hour of them head banging and screaming that only the band seemed to be enjoying, it’s surprising that anyone was actually still standing without severe brain damage. The problem was no one actually cared they were playing to a room of Ash lovers not a bunch of drugged up teenage Slipknot fans.
When our foursome finally get on stage there presence is much greeted and screamed about, being right at the front I looked back to see a room of packed people looking rather ready to pounce at anytime Ash kick off with the always amazing hit “Girl From Mars” setting the audience into full throttle with moshing rates high and crushing at the barriers the bouncers problem. This was resolved by throwing water at the crazed Ash fans. Next on the set was “Meltdown” hard hitting, exciting and new! From this it was evident that this was going to be a great night. Ash were on top form when they burst into “Orpheus their” forthcoming new single. Ash play casually through their carefully selected play list giving us a full boost of their new album.
The audience are like a mass of lunatics on speed all night and crowd surfers not a rare occurrence. Ash finish with “Vampire Love” and walk off stage bidding a farewell although both audience and Ash know very well this leave is temporary and after several tense moments of audience screaming Tim and Ash the foursome emerge looking bright eyed and bushy tailed ready for another three killer songs. This time they play some golden oldies as you might say: “Darkside Lightside”, “Projects”, and how could they not play it: “Burn Baby Burn” this sent the whole place into orbit and made the night go out with a bang!
Ash where amazing, the crowd was amazed, the whole thing was fan bloody amazing!!!!
Review 2
Ash have grown up. Singer Tim Wheeler’s wounded baby-faced look has gone, replaced by a hard-eyed stare, a mop of unruly hair and a scuzzy beard. Drummer Rick McMurray’s laughable ’punk’ hairstyle has grown out, bassist Mark Hamilton actually looks like he’s in his twenties and guitarist Charlotte Hatherley… well, she’s still pouting.
From their life experience comes a new, heavier approach. New album Meltdown marks a natural progression from the rocked-up, urgent guitars of songs like “Burn Baby Burn”. Downloadable single “Clones” is hardly recognisable as an Ash song - it starts with a heavy drum beat, breaks into a pure, live headrush of sound and ends with a primal scream. As the wave of noise crashed to an exhausting close Tim’s knees buckled and he exclaimed “f****n’ hell, did you see that? That song was so heavy I just fainted!”
The new material sees more co-operation between Wheeler and Hatherley. His sometimes monotone style is lifted by her innocent vocals. “Meltdown” is a hard-hitting track set off by an almost sixties-sounding harmony, while “Evil Eye” sees a similar style. In “Detonator” the technique is less effective, though the song itself sounds great - guitar rock with a satisfying touch of sleaze, clearly created for a live setting.
They’re not going to be supporting Slayer anytime soon, but this new momentum makes their back catalogue look a little thin. “A Life Less Ordinary” sounded weak and “Walking Barefoot” slipped into dreariness.
However, previous hits like “Girl From Mars” and “Goldfinger” sound great in a small venue, the hooks bouncing off the walls in waves of familiar, fun intimacy. By the end Tim was waving his arms to roars of encouragement and even Hatherley managed a flicker of a smile.