Richard Ashcroft stood in front of a sold-out OVO Hydro this week and reflected on cutting his teeth with The Verve, recalling early gigs at the Barrowlands and the importance of being accepted by a Glasgow crowd – something he noted never came easy.
Back in Glasgow at the tail end of a massive UK arena tour, Ashcroft returns a near-mythic figure in British music: a songwriter whose work has endured beyond its era and looks set to take a new generation by storm.
Ashcroft began the gig with Verve hits ‘Weeping Willow’ and ‘Space And Time’ from the modern classic ‘Urban Hymns’. A measured start where Ashcroft’s backing band got to demonstrate their musicianship – let’s just say these guys have made it here for a reason. Whilst many of us would dream to hear these songs performed by the original Verve lineup in their prime, it must be said that guitarist Steve Wyreman brought something special to the performance, drifting through rhythm and lead parts with the flair that only the best players can.
Ashcroft then moved through his solo hits, including ‘Music Is Power’, ‘A Song For The Lovers’ and ‘Break The Night With Colour’. For the latter, he performed an extended version typical of his live shows, building to a crescendo which transformed the Hydro into a cauldron of noise.
Continuing through a setlist packed with both solo and Verve hits, it was soon time for my personal favourite Verve song, ‘The Drugs Don’t Work’. I’m not always the biggest fan of solo acoustic takes on classics, especially in front of a massive crowd. But when Ashcroft stepped forward alone with his acoustic guitar and played ‘The Drugs Don’t Work’, the term ‘Urban Hymns’ made more sense than ever. Ashcroft delivered a vocal performance both raw and rugged whilst effortless and controlled, a style befitting of the track’s authentic emotion.
Pretty soon I was snapped out of my melancholic state with an encore of uplifting anthems: ‘History’, ‘Sonnet’, and, of course, the tune that always delivers, the iconic ‘Bitter Sweet Symphony’.
Reflecting on the gig, what struck me most was the age of the crowd. The train from the city centre to the OVO Hydro was brimming with teenagers, excitement spilling over as they chanted the Verve’s greatest hits. When Ashcroft was announced as the support act for the Oasis reunion tour last year, some rolled their eyes, hoping Noel and Liam might use this opportunity to pass the torch to a new generation. But on this recent tour, Ashcroft is in his prime and better than ever – and who are we to deny a new generation the chance to be introduced to one of rock and roll’s greats…?
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Words: Lloyd Jackson
Photo Credit: Dean Chalkley
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ClashMusic
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