LIVE REVIEW: Ash @ The Dome, Liverpool

Given that Ash burst out of the blocks with their debut album ‘1977’ thirty years ago, the youth of today would be forgiven for not being familiar with the nature of these Northern-Irish alternative rock and rollers. But whilst ignorance may be understood, it is certainly still pitied, because an Ash gig is a palate-cleanser that we could all do with - a night off from reality, on a harsh winter’s evening.

Photo Credit: Paul Lang

They kick the gig off with the barnstorming ‘Zarathustra’, an aptly named track for a crowd trying to overcome themselves, by way of cans of lemon Hooch and gentle moshing. The crowd sways politely, as frontman Tim Wheeler thrashes out the power chords like he was born to do it, but it’s not until around the twenty-minute mark when the band bring out crowd favourite ‘Goldfinger’ do the crowd realise it’s their cue to let loose. It’s a visceral track, and a reminder that Ash were perhaps the UK’s only bonafide grunge band - an island of beautiful angst in a sea of Cool Britannia Britpop bands.

From there on out the atmosphere only loosens, as the band hold us the the palm of their hand, doling out crowd-pleasing classics like ‘Shining Light’, ‘Angel Interceptor’, ‘Kung Fu’, and ‘Girl From Mars’.

Photo Credit: Paul Lang

An hour and change is all you need in the company of Ash to know you’ve been dealt a treat by the gig gods. By the time they round out the show with the iconic ‘Burn Baby Burn’, our knees are well aware that they’re not accustomed to this level of effortlessly alternative debauchery. Thank you Ash, we will meet again, I’m certain.