Ash, live at Whelan's
Downpatrick rockers bring down the house
Maeve Heslin, 07 Jun 2011
It's an unsettling 15 years since your humble reporter got permission from her Mammy and excitedly headed to Dublin's Point Depot to see Downpatrick trio Ash showcase their excellent debut 1977.
And though the boys aren't teenagers anymore, tonight's cracking Whelan's set proves that they're still more than capable of holding their own against the nimble young whippersnappers of today!
Original members Tim Wheeler and Mark Hamilton are temporarily joined by excellent support act LaFaro's drummer Alan Lynn (a worthy sticksman, and something of a hottie) as Ash drummer Rick McMurray's lady is about to give birth to the couple's first child. (See? Officially adults!)
The show, a real trip down memory lane for oldschool Ash fans like myself, teams old and new nicely, with 1977 hits 'Goldfinger', 'Oh Yeah' and 'Girl From Mars' whipping the crowd into a delighted frenzy. Indeed, when 'Kung Fu' gets an airing, the braver section of the crowd embraces their inner teen, opting for an all-out mosh fest. (I cower at the back, lest my 28 year-old toes get stood on).
The trio mix it up, throwing in newer tracks ('Twilight Of The Innocents'), and not-so-new ('A LIfe Less Ordinary', 'Shining Star') and finally finish up with humdinger 'Burn Baby Burn'.
As they make their exit, Tim seems genuinely thrilled as he tells us we were "fucking great to play to". I said it in 1996, and I'll say it again - it was an absolute pleasure Mr. Wheeler.
Maeve Heslin
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