Northern Irish band ASH visited Dublin on Monday night for a co-headlining show with British punkers The Subways, and they created an enthusiastic and lively atmosphere that lifted the packed crowd off their feet with a great showcase of some good, solid punk rock. ASH and company have seen a lot in the years since their debut, and yet they don’t seem to have lost the fiery spark that got them recognition in the first place.

The Subways took the stage and delivered a high-energy set from start to finish. The three-piece was positively vibrating, and their clear enjoyment of the performance was irresistibly contagious. Guitarist and singer Billy Lunn's dyed red hair caught in the light as he played his heart out, drummer Camille Phillips had a grin that never left her face, and bassist Charlotte Cooper flitted around the stage clad in a sparkly jacket that dared you to tear your eyes away from it.

Ash at The Academy. Monday 9th of October 2023. Copyright Miguel Ruiz.

They blasted through tracks like the timeless 'Oh Yeah' and fire of 'Kiss Kiss Bang Bang', ending with the rousing 'Rock and Roll Queen' that brought down the house. They knew how to work a crowd, as Lunn's crowd-working abilities have been honed from years of experience. Before launching into the last track Lunn announced his intention to stage-dive, apparently having never stage-dived in Ireland before. Hilariously both he and the crowd seemed a bit apprehensive in the run-up- "Please catch me," he begged- but the dive itself was miraculously successful and apparently one of the "softest landings" he's ever had. "You have soft hands, Dublin!"

Ash at The Academy. Monday 9th of October 2023. Copyright Miguel Ruiz.

ASH then took to the stage at last, greeted with massive cheers from a thoroughly warmed crowd. Lead singer and guitarist Tim Wheeler emerged armed with a real glitzy rocker guitar, joined by bassist Mark Hamilton and drummer Rick McMurray. Dressed as if they were going to three separate events, they were a wonderfully intriguing image from the start- Wheeler wore an elegant light blazer, Hamilton a daringly neon pink v-neck shirt, and McMurray's combo of a white vest, a t-shirt and a trucker hat with the ASH insignia all clashed deliciously with his impressively massive beard.

Ash at The Academy. Monday 9th of October 2023. Copyright Miguel Ruiz.

They barrelled through the first few songs without so much as a pause, whipping the crowd up into a frenzy. The crowd was made up of their peers, probably even a handful of their friends- ASH was formed in Northern Ireland in 1992, and this Dublin gig is as much of a homecoming as they're going to get on this tour with no other Irish date. Subsequently, the crowd was incredibly supportive, cheering and jumping along to the punk rock noise- former teenagers playing to a crowd of former teenagers.

Ash at The Academy. Monday 9th of October 2023. Copyright Miguel Ruiz.

As the set finally drew to a close, Wheeler asked the crowd what the best night out in Dublin. Whelans emerged victorious after his question was met with a deafening chorus of bar names and yells of "my house". He managed to work it into the lyrics of the next song, the raw 'Crashed Out Wasted' off of their most recent album, last month's well-received Race the Night.

They finally played their most popular track, the ubiquitous 'Girl From Mars' that launched their career into the big leagues upon its release in 1996. Catchy and upbeat, people jumped and screamed along, a suitably fun pre-encore ending to the set.

Ash at The Academy. Monday 9th of October 2023. Copyright Miguel Ruiz.

Their encore was perhaps even better than their main set- they were joined by The Subways for an encore of 'Oh Yeah' and were met with the most energetic response of the night. The bands joined forces to create a wall of sound, with two guitars, two basses and two drumkits (!!) blowing out the eardrums of anyone standing a bit too close to the speakers.

Nobody wanted the night to end, least of all ASH- their four-song encore ran a good ten minutes past their 10:30 curfew, as they polled the crowd over what songs they'd like to hear next. They finally left the stage, drenched in sweat and contagious post-show adrenaline.

ASH are one of the great teenage punk rock bands during a time when punk rock ruled the world, and if this show says anything it's that they clearly haven't lost that spark.