Richard Ashcroft, Glasgow Barrowland’s Oct 2018
Ashcroft puts in an intense and erratic rock and roll show
The atmosphere is electric as a roadie walks on to place a glass mug of what looks to be steaming hot lemon water on stage. He places it next to a bizarrely-placed mannequin sat posed on the edge of the drum riser donned in RA merchandise.
Ashcroft, the epitome of modern rock and roll in an era of sanitised top 40 acts, is clearly up for the adoration and looks pumped as he bounds on stage adorned in a shades (which remain on for the full set) and a sequin jacket which dazzles in the lights, and launches swiftly into Hold On, Sonnet and Break the Night With Colour.
The voice still sounds incredible and Ashcroft is clearly not just here to pick up a pay check, he sings as if he feels every note reverberate through every sinew in his body.
In a show reflecting Ashcroft’s new album title ‘Natural Rebel’, the singer provided great entertainment, surprise and mirth between songs by breaking into a rendition of Elvis’s ‘That’s Alright Mamma’, lighting up a cigarette, cutting off History mid song because “that’s enough of that”, digressing into a tale about “a bird in WH Smith at the airport when I was buying cigarettes”, and a rant about “junkies”. Erratic and at times slightly bizarre but most definitely rock and roll.
New song ‘Surprised By The Joy’ and ‘Song For The Lovers’ (from Alone With Everybody) were greeted with euphoria from fans. They pushed to the front of the stage when Ashcroft jumped down into the pit during ‘Glorious You’, which contained a long funky guitar solo, clamouring to touch him or get a photo of him.
Ashcroft, clearly swept away by the adoration during the set in one of his favourite venues, repeatedly fist pumped his chest telling the crowd “I love you lot!” to the delight of the Barrowland’s crowd.
At moments Ashcroft seemed completely overcome, pausing with his head cradled in his hands. During ‘That’s How Strong’ the emotion from him was intense and the voice raw.
“I want to dedicate this to my aunt who died a few weeks ago and for my nan. This is the first album she hasn’t heard,” he says before prowling the stage quietly for what seemed like minutes before playing Drugs Don’t Work.
In true rock and roll style he defies the smoking ban and lights up a cigarette “Let’s take the roof off Glasgow. Come On!” and then launches into Lucky Man.
Head in his hands, clearly overcome by the deafening response there is a pause before the iconic sound of the strings of The Verve’s Bittersweet Symphony to woo the crowd for the finale of what appears to have been for many in the room a musical spiritual experience.
Ashcroft’s newer material may not pack as much of a punch as The Verve classics but the singer still knows how to put on one hell of a show.
Mixtape Mum 