On this day, 30 June 2010 Northern Irish rock band Ash played Cardiff’s Barfly.
Formed in Downpatrick, County Down in 1992 by vocalist and guitarist Tim Wheeler, bassist Mark Hamilton and drummer Rick McMurray. As a three-piece, they released mini-album Trailer in 1994 and full-length album 1977 in 1996. This 1996 release was named by NME as one of the 500 greatest albums of all time.
Wales Online Music Review: Ash, The Barfly, Cardiff
IMAGINE if you will Speed 3, the latest instalment of the Hollywood blockbuster franchise – this time starring a Northern Irish rock ’n’ roll band which has to keep playing at breakneck pace otherwise a bomb under the Cardiff Barfly stage will explode if the momentum slackens.
For all we know this gig was a trial outing for such a movie given that every ferociously delivered song in a pulsating 17 track set refused to rattle along at anything less than head-spinning, eye-popping, ear-bleeding ferocity.
There was no let up from the off, Ash straining at the leash with the crunch and thump of opener Lose Control – a pretty apt call to arms for the unhinged off-the-scale performance Ash delivered and their fans soaked up with joyful abandon.
The incendiary wallop of A Life Less Ordinary sees frontman Tim Wheeler bouncing around with the same perma-grinned giddiness as when they first started out in Belfast in 1992. Goldfinger rolls back the years as does 1994’s Petrol – a scuzzed-up dragster of a tune that roars like the devil's racetrack.
As the crowd swells and pogos furiously with heads in danger of butting the Barfly’s low slung ceiling, we’re all revelling in a rare chance to see one of the UK’s finest live bands - essentially playing in our living room.
There’s no taking the foot off the accelerator pedal of ridiculously huge songs and romp-along choruses. Shining Light crashes into Joy Kicks Darkness, while the energy surge of Orpheus leaves us gasping.
Then when you think the riotous assembly couldn’t be elevated to greater levels of mayhem Wheeler spits out the whiplash vocals as Kung Fu races along like a runaway express train.
The song, which first introduced us to these indie rock survivors all those years ago, still courses with the same manic energy and vitality as it always did.
Then when you think the riotous assembly couldn’t be elevated to greater levels of mayhem Wheeler spits out the whiplash vocals as Kung Fu races along like a runaway express train.
The song, which first introduced us to these indie rock survivors all those years ago, still courses with the same manic energy and vitality as it always did.
Deafening cheers go up as Ash return for a three song encore – Angel Interceptor, Twilight Of The Innocents and as Tim quips: “Thanks, this is one of the hottest gigs we’ve ever played” they throw themselves into the more than fitting set closer Burn Baby Burn.
After a volcanic show it's only fitting that Ash leave us all in a lava!
by David Owens
Setlist
Lose Control
A Life Less Ordinary
Dionysian Urge
Goldfinger
Petrol
Shining Light
Joy Kicks Darkness
Orpheus
The Dead Disciples
Oh Yeah
Kung Fu
Play Video
Arcadia
Girl From Mars
Return of White Rabbit
Encore:
Angel Interceptor
Encore 2:
Twilight of the Innocents
Encore 3:
Burn Baby Burn
