Ash still remains a ‘shining light’ in music and gave the ‘fun people’ of Portsmouth a fantastic night of live music as reported by our Music Editor Emma Harrison….
Ash ignite the stage with cosmic energy and unstoppable musicianship
Fueled by supernova-level energy and out-of-this-world musicianship, Ash launched a career-spanning set that seared itself into the night. From Tim Wheeler tearing through razor-sharp guitar lines to Mark Hamilton’s driving basslines which hit with real force, pushing everything into high gear and Rick McMurray’s unleashed propulsive, no-mercy drumming that hit with serious intent — together, the trio created musical alchemy, delivering a masterclass in performance and drawing the crowd fully into their orbit.
Ash at Wedgewood Rooms Portsmouth: Gig Review
Ash delivered a career-spanning set at the sold-out Wedgewood Rooms that confirmed exactly why they remain one of alternative rock’s most enduring acts. Opening with Zarathustra from their ninth record Ad Astra, Tim Wheeler, Mark Hamilton, and Rick McMurray wasted no time launching into full interstellar overdrive. The energy was relentless from the first note, with the trio demonstrating the kind of razor-sharp musicianship that only comes from decades of playing together. New material sat effortlessly alongside beloved classics, giving both long-time fans and newcomers an electrifying night of live music that left the crowd firmly in orbit.
Why Ad Astra Proves Ash Are Still at the Top of Their Game
Ad Astra is one of Ash’s most ambitious and boundary-pushing records to date, and hearing it delivered live made a compelling case for its place among their best work. Tracks like Fun People, Give Me Back My World, and My Favourite Ghost shone brightly in a live setting, while a rambunctious calypso-punk take on Harry Belafonte’s Jump in the Line sent the crowd into near chaos. The band balanced new material with fan favourites including Shining Light, Burn Baby Burn, and Girl From Mars with effortless confidence. Support act Bag of Cans also deserves a mention as one of the most entertaining and charismatic support acts in recent memory.
Bag of Cans bring wit, hooks, and an unstoppable force to the stage
I was introduced to the support act Bag of Cans and what an introduction it was — in my many years of reviewing gigs, the band were one of the best support acts that I have ever seen. An invariable force of nature, Bag of Cans blend a heady mix of Brit-pop and punk-tinged indie, fusing Libertines-style hooks with the cheeky English wit of early Blur, The Streets, and the Kinks.
The band are laugh-out-loud funny, and their chemistry is electric and impossible to ignore. Their songs are laced with quirky humour and everyday observations, turning the eccentricities and absurdities of British life into clever, irresistible indie-rock treasures. Whilst I didn’t have hearing a song about a coke-addled milkman who is also a stalker on my Saturday night bingo card, little did we know just how addictive it would be — the song, not any suspicious dairy deliveries (of course!)
Bag of Cans bounced through tracks which included one about a ‘Favourite Shirt,’ a ‘Man in the Shed,’ and the dazzling wonder of a ‘Spin Cycle’ — absolute genius! Even with their offbeat lyrics and wildly inventive costumes (‘Tonight, Matthew, we are going to be… butchers!) Each band member proved they’re a musical powerhouse, bringing unstoppable energy, charisma, and humour to the stage.
Ash hit the stage at the Wedgewood Rooms
Setting the tone for the main event — Northern Irish Ivor Novello award-winners, Ash who were in town to deliver the most electrifying cuts from ‘Ad Astra’, their ninth record were ready to rock.
They came on to the stage at the sold out Wedgewood Rooms to the opening track from ‘Ad Astra’ — ‘Zarathustra,’ which taps into Strauss’s iconic 2001: A Space Odyssey theme, launching the set on an unmistakably otherworldly trajectory.
From there, it was very much a case of ‘we have lift off’ as Ash launched their set in full interstellar overdrive with a high octane rendition of fab new song ‘Fun People’ which shines a light on the mess and madness of modern living. On the album, the band collaborated with Blur’s Graham Coxon, but despite it just being the three of them on stage, the bold swirling hooks were still unmissable.
Ash’s ‘Ad Astra’ is one of the band’s most cosmic offerings to date
Always pushing forward, Ash delivered a collection of songs from ‘Ad Astra’, one of the band’s most out-of-this-galaxy, ambition-loaded opus yet — a stratospheric, boundary-pushing record in every sense. Of course, it’s hardly their first cosmic rodeo — the lure of deep space has long fuelled their sound and sparked their wildest creative visions.
From the titular track and ‘Give Me Back My World’ to the quandary of ‘Which One Do You Want’ with its radiant, swirling guitar cascades and ‘My Favourite Ghost’, it was great to hear their newest material delivered live as I was already a huge fan of their new album.
The Northern Irish trio then detonated a rambunctious calypso-punk take on Harry Belafonte’s ‘Jump in the Line’ (which also appears on Ad Astra). It was pure cosmic chaos — they really got the crowd going with Rick’s Ramones-esque drums, hammered out at a breakneck tempo which practically sent the crowd into orbit, creating a relentless supernova of sound.
A nostalgic tour through Ash’s career-spanning back catalogue
With unbridled fervour and youthful spirit, the band also revisited older material, delighting fans with hits like ‘Goldfinger,’ ‘Shining Light,’ ‘Burn Baby Burn, and the ever-essential ‘Girl From Mars.’ One standout saw the band take a more pared back approach with ‘A Life Less Ordinary’ which transported the crowd into a spellbinding, almost otherworldly realm.
‘Confessions in the Pool’ and the punky energy of the brilliant ‘Kung Fu’ was another high-octane inclusion, and one of my most beloved Ash tracks, also hit the spot. The trio effortlessly navigated through their career-spanning discography, mixing hits from across albums and singles into a set that thrilled both die-hard fans and newcomers alike.
On the first night of their ‘Ad Astra’ tour, Ash’s performance was nothing short of interstellar, a testament to their enduring dominance in the alternative rock universe. With their relentless energy, razor-sharp musicianship, and a setlist spanning decades, the trio launched the crowd into orbit, leaving an indelible mark on the night. Every note was met with a rapturous response, and it’s clear these songs will have fans singing, dancing, and riding the cosmic wave with them for years to come.
