Ash/Chicks

The great Chicks opened up proceedings tonight with a clutch of eight songs that confirmed their status as serious contenders – providing they can move at their own pace. Especially pleasing was their confidence in their own abilities, which will surely guarantee their longevity.

But what of those golden-fingered boys from up north, Ash? A couple of summers ago they could do no wrong. Yet the second album has been a long time arriving, and instead of using this occasion as a genuine platform for the new material they played it relatively safe and opted for a regurgitation of old familiar tunes. Five out of sixteen songs from the next long-player is hardly adventurous, is it?

More worrying still is the fact that of the new material, only ‘I’m Gonna Fall’ is in any way memorable, for the simple reason that it was the slowest, most reflective song of what was otherwise a one-paced evening.

Having said that, Tim Wheeler looked splendidly lean and healthy. New girl Charlotte Hatherly was magnificent and was only outdone in stage presence by the main kiddo himself. All told, Ash were up for it in the sense that they never came across as complacent.

I suppose, ultimately, it all depends on what you want from your pop music. Should it be more than about teenage summer love, nostalgia for martial arts and bland, guitar noise? Methinks it has to be. Downpatrick’s finest will have to shine with a great deal more complexity if they want to impress this reviewer.