|
Ash
31/05/04
Carling Academy, Birmingham
|
Put
your glad rags on and join me hon', Ash are back with a new album
that sees them further advancing their legacy, where else can they
possibly go?
When
you go to an Ash gig you know there will not be a dry floor space
in the house; with more bouncing souls than a bank holiday for hell,
this is devil's work but far from an ordeal.
The
Crimea
Support
was provided in the form of The Crimea, a five piece band that may
be recognised by their former title of The Crocketts. Or part of
anyway, following the 'rationalisation' step of V2 records they
were dropped but frontman Davey Macmanus and drummer Owen Hopkin,
picked themselves up rubbed their eyes and plodded on tirelessly
finding a new sound in the form they have today.
Using
fantastically acute imagery, the band kick off with an upbeat number,
but I'm sorry to say it never seemed to go anywhere after that.
Although
there's nothing wrong with keeping a meandering beat, they just
seemed to stick in second and never really find their way up from
there. However they were a very tight band and with the gall to
add in some Apache-style guitar, many people were left mused yet
cheerful.
Saves
The Day
Next
were Saves The Day. When I saw these guys a year ago, they were
touring off the back of the excellent single 'At Your Funeral',
and it would appear that are still playing on this instant seller.
And although it looks as though they've had a good look at their
wares and decided to expand the range a little, they are still something
missing of a full on store.
They
have certainly developed their live sound with frontman Chris Conley
picking up a guitar and adding some much needed harmonics to thicken
out the sound further. With the recent release of 'In Reverie',
the band have pleased critics by maturing a little, and waning from
their 'emo' heritage.
Ash
Onto
the main act. I may be sticking my neck out here but... Ash are
great! Even if you don't like their music, they are simply a phenomenal
band.
Similar
to those people who make changes to peoples lives: teachers, doctors,
air traffic controllers if you will, I vehemently believe Ash have
permeated society such that for countless fans they have provided
lyrics which many favour to use over any word they could utter,
and thus have touched people in ways that many bands may merely
dream about.
In
their ever-expanding history of effervescent pop/rock tunes - nay
masterpieces - they are still developing and adding to an already
much coveted back catalogue.
As
soon as they walked on stage the air was electric, die-hard fans
shoulder to shoulder with new recruits and critics alike watched
a cascade of sheer musical excellence fall from the stage to the
waiting crowd.
Paying
homage to their early records playing crowd pleasers like 'Girl
from Mars', a little later and we are treated to 'Jack Names the
Planets' and 'Kung Fu' and very early hit 'Petrol', interspersed
with various hits from 'Free All Angels' and the new album 'Meltdown'.
Songs such as the real metal inspired 'Orpheus' and 'Clones', the
new and anthemic 'Starcross'd'.
Every
song sounding like it's fresh from the kitchen sizzling hot and
decadent to the last, even the afore-mentioned early material is
still better than the majority of the chart today, and all this
from a band with an average age of about 24!
With
all the energy of Kermit when someone pulls the blender out, they
throw themselves through song after song re-inking their own inimitable
signature on each tune yet never stumbling into a similarity that
many bands fall foul to.
No
song tonight could be construed as a 'filler', each one was primed
until the ignition button was thrown and it sparked into life with
a hellish roar.
We
have only to grip onto our seats to see which direction the band
will go in next, but until then hold on tight as this ride isn't
stopping till hell freezes over.
|
