After a huge summer on the road with Oasis as part of their momentous reunion and the launch of a brand-new, chart-topping solo album, Richard Ashcroft returned to the Manchester stage this month for his first headlining gig of the year.
Though most associated with fronting up one of the biggest bands from the Britpop epoch, the Verve, Ashcroft has since carved out a path unlike that of other now soloists from the ‘Cool Britannia’ brigade. As an Ivor Novello winner with seven studio albums under his belt, selling out the biggest music venue in the UK might not come as a surprise to those most enamoured with his work. Joined by his fellow Wiganers, The Lathums, the night started as it meant to go on – leaning into the cult indie sound that Ashcroft and his contemporaries helped to define.
Armed with a fleet composed of strings, singers, percussion, and guitar, Ashcroft’s arrival was grandiose to say the least, with a commanding presence that mirrored the singer’s hold over the twenty-three-thousand-strong crowd below. As the singer’s cover of John Lennon’s ‘Bring on the Lucie (Freda People)’ rolled on, it quickly set the scene of what was to come over the course of an hour and a half – a call for peace and harmony through the power of sound.
Greeted with cheers that would silence any doubts about his unfaltering status and relevance in the British music scene, Ashcroft swiftly cut to the chase in delivering his archetypal high energy and frenetic moves, beginning with both cuts from both his revered solo career (‘Hold On’) and time with the Verve (‘Space and Time’). “What a beautiful night”, Ashcroft proclaimed, before transcending into his 2006 hit, ‘Music Is Power’. Elongated instrumentals and outros characterised this first stretch of the set, fleshing out some of his oldest and most loved tracks to date with a little help from his friends on stage.
Despite a brief hint of uncertainty as he seemed to prepare the crowd for a gear change with ‘Oh L’Amour’, the evening bore witness to Ashcroft embracing his newest material to an affirming response. From his latest title track to his beautiful homage to Joan Armatrading, ‘Lover’, these new tracks translated with real vitality on-stage, despite standing in an experimental league of their own compared to the singer’s wider discography.
While the likes of ‘A Song for the Lovers’ and ‘Break the Night with Colour’ generated the expected buzz, the night’s peak came with Ashcroft’s stunning rendition of ‘History’, perhaps made even more special given its historical rarity in his setlists. “I’d love that teacher who said I was the ‘cancer of the class’ to be here tonight” roared Ashcroft – a moment that captured the singer’s vulnerability and pride as he looked to the masses in front of him. Tracks from Urban Hymns saw the rest of the show out, with ‘Sonnet’ and ‘Lucky Man’ expertly showcasing Ashcroft’s enduring appeal 28 years on.
Utterly visceral and moving, the encore commenced with ‘The Drugs Don’t Work’ before the singer paid tribute to the late Ricky Hatton with an extended rendition of the anthemic ‘Bitter Sweet Symphony’.
Signing off the stage with a peace sign, wave, and a seemingly endless applause, Ashcroft’s Co-op Live debut delivered the perfect conclusion to what has been an epic year for him, promising a phenomenal rerun for anyone lucky enough to have bagged tickets to his nationwide arena tour next year.
Words by Ruby Brown
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