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V
Stage, Sunday 9.15
Richard Ashcroft has some persuading to do tonight. Most of V can be found
at the MTV stage watching Moby (as Ashcroft says, "maybe I should do a
few f***in' car adverts") and those here, for the most part, seem to consider
his solo stuff a poor relation to the songs of The Verve . And - oddly
for someone so often painted as confidence personified - he seems to need
to hear that some people out there, however few there might be, want to
hear his new music.
The
set begins without fanfare - he wanders onstage, acoustic guitar round
his neck, says 'Brave New World ' and plays a tender version of this sombre
track. It soon becomes clear that he's establishing ground rules, showing
us in live performance the links that tie 'Alone With Everybody' to 'Urban
Hymns' , while reclaiming the likes of 'Sonnet' and 'The Drugs Don't Work'
as his own. 'Space And Time' is probably the most affected by this, transformed
as it is from the psychedelic ballad of yore into a vast gospel affair
that takes your breath away.
'I Get My Beat's subtle charms follow (as the man sings, "it's a beautiful
thing"), then a heart-stopping 'Sonnet' and imminent new single 'C'mon
People (We're Making It Now)' . "This one's for Liam Gallagher, the greatest
rock and roll star this country's ever produced", he says by way of introduction.
Bearing in mind the well-publicised spat between the brothers Gallagher,
and the presence of Noel backstage (see the Paul Weller live review) could
Richard be taking sides?
A transcendent 'Lucky Man' comes next, deftly reworked to bring its finest
moments to the fore, followed by new album highlight 'On A Beach' , which
concludes with a gorgeous instrumental coda.
Then 'You On My Mind In My Sleep' , as intimate as anything sung to tens
of thousands of people could be. The sadly overlooked groove of 'Money
To Burn' is next in all its gospel-drenched glory, and then we get 'New
York' , a mess of squealing sirens and subterranean bass lines. It's the
one moment where Simon Jones and Nick McCabe are fleetingly missed; not
even trumpets, flutes, pedal steels and keyboards can muster the sort
of abstract sounds McCabe could draw from his guitar... He scarpers briefly,
before returning with what will be the outright sucker punch. 'History'
, the most heart-rending tune The Verve ever made, comes first, as acoustic
as the day it was born. 'A Song For The Lovers' also gets the acoustic
treatment, augmented by a solo trumpet; for those who considered the single
a confusion of overproduction, this version captures its heart.
What else could bring the night to an end? 'Bitter Sweet Symphony' , again
acoustic, in a raw performance that reveals it to be every bit the modern
day blues song Ashcroft always claimed it was. And then, just as it appears
to conclude, the string sample bursts into life as a rapturous coda.
Bloody hell. Many have bemoaned the this festival's lack of soul, with
it's sponsored everything and video ads between bands. As we leave tonight,
though, we realise: they were saving it all till last.
All
told, he wasn't half bad. Consider us persuaded... David Kelly
taken
from www.dotmusic.com
21/8/2000
- V2000 - an emotional return
This
weekend saw Richard's solo UK live debut at the V2000 festival in Chelmsford
and Staffordshire. Saturday in Weston Park, Stafford was Richard's first
UK live show for two years. It was a fittingly emotional and dramatic
set that included highlights from "Alone With Everybody" along with tracks
from "Urban Hymns" and a charged, acoustic version of "History". Set list
was as follows -
BRAVE NEW WORLD
THE DRUGS DON'T WORK
SPACE AND TIME
A SONG FOR THE LOVERS
I GET MY BEAT
SONNET
C'MON PEOPLE
ON A BEACH
LUCKY MAN
YOU ON MY MIND IN MY SLEEP
MONEY TO BURN
NEW YORK
HISTORY
BITTERSWEET SYMPHONY
During the show Ashcroft thanked the crowd for their rapturous reception,
remarking that it gave him confidence, and during the closing "Bittersweet
Symphony" he repeatedly sang out further thanks for their support. It
was an emotional and passionate end to a stunning live return. Highlights
included a massive "Drugs Don't Work" a re-invented, gospel-ised "Space
and Time",a sublime "You On My Mind In My Sleep and a balls-out version
of "New York". Chelmsford followed on Sunday and with a few tweaks to
the set-list, Richard and the band have now really started to click into
gear. He dedicated "C'mon People" to Liam Gallagher ("The greatest rock
n' roll star this country has ever produced) and without the guitar during
"New York" he prowled the stage in familiar style, exhorting the crowd
to come with him - it was one of those great moments and the audience
responded in kind. "Bittersweet Symphony" closes the weekend on a high,
starting out bare and almost blues-like with just a voice and a guitar,
before those soaring orchestral strings kick in and the place erupts.
The exciting part is the realisation that this is only 3 shows into Ashcroft's
solo career - by the time they get to Europe - it's going to be even better
- get your tickets now. The set list was as follows -
BRAVE NEW WORLD
THE DRUGS DON'T WORK
SPACE AND TIME
I GET MY BEAT
SONNET
C'MON PEOPLE
LUCKY MAN
ON A BEACH
YOU ON MY MIND IN MY SLEEP
MONEY TO BURN
NEW YORK
HISTORY
A SONG FOR THE LOVERS
BITTERSWEET SYMPHONY
That
was taken from the official site
(NME)
In a weekend defined purely by its utter blandness, Richard Ashcroft is
determined that his return to the live arena will be an event, and certainly
not upstaged by a fumbled guest appearance from Noel Gallagher. Ashcroft
wants every note of every instrument to be in its right place - he´s
waited long enough for this. So it´s no expense spared. Strings,
a brass section, a gospel choir - Ashcroft wants, perhaps needs that kind
of texture to get his vision across.
Dressed
in a pure white jacket with a skin tone to match, he opens with 'Brave
New World' - himself drenched in pure white light, his backing band almost
invisible in the shadows. Behind him are three giant screens. This is
the only scale that Ashcroft seems to be able to understand, but he still
retains the ability to make it feel intimate. 'The Drugs DonÌt Work' follows,
and it´s the country-tinged version the Nick McCabe-less Verve premiered
at V98. 'Space and Time' takes the Verve/solo ratio to 2:1, a gospel choir
replacing the absent cosmic strumming of McCabe.
'Sonnet' and a rejuvenated 'I Get My Beat' all feature, as well as a stirring,
basic version of 'C´Mon People (We´re Making It Now)', dedicated
to the other Gallagher, Liam, "the greatest rock and rock star this country
has ever produced". By now he is in his stride.
After 'Lucky Man' he looks out into the audience in almost utter disbelief.
"I can´t believe I wrote that song. I´m a skinny bastard from
Wigan with a spliff in his hand," he grins. He pulls it all together with
a final run-through of 'New York', Free for the first time free of the
restrictions of his guitar, he strolls around the stage, eyes closed,
conducting his band. It´s the most Verve-like moment of the entire
evening. And then, the encore is the sucker punch. Walking on stage with
a simple acoustic guitar, he runs through solo, skeletal versions of 'A
Song For The Lovers' and 'History', before bringing things to their obvious
conclusion with 'Bitter Sweet Symphony'. Again starting with a simple
acoustic, the song builds and builds until their famous string loop crashes
in.
Finally,
with the last kick of the match, V2000 has witnessed a true star.
Taken
from NME
RICHARD
ASHCROFT TRIUMPHANT AT V2000
Despite
rumours that tonsilitis had put his appearance in jeopardy, RICHARD ASHCROFT
made a triumphant UK solo debut in front of thousands at V2000, Weston
Park, Satffordshire on Saturday night (August 19).
Showing
no signs of nerves, Ashcroft took to the stage punching the air and waving
excitedly at the crowd. The singer punctuated his set with classic moments
from The Verve catalogue including an acoustic 'History', a gospel tinged
'Drugs Don't Work', 'Sonnet', 'Space And Time' before finishing with a
dazzling rendition of 'Bittersweet Symphony'. Songs from his debut album
'Alone With Everybody' were received warmly by the audience with highlights
including 'Song For Lovers', a divine 'You On My Mind' and a trip through
'New York' which ended in a blaze of Verve-like white noise. Revelling
in his moment in the spotlight, he produced a joint and commented: "We’re
at a festival so some of us may as well get stoned - or is that against
the rules now with Dickie Branson and his crew? Do you think
he would approve?"
At
the end of the show, Ashcroft ran across the front of the stage pointing
at people in the audience and shouting "Thank you, thank you, thank you,
that was for you...and you... and you." At one point he was even seen
blowing kisses to the front row. Comments on the set from those in the
audience ranged from "fantastic" to "awesome", from "Just how good was
that?" to "I'm off to Chelmsford to see him play again on Sunday!"
The
general feeling was Richard Ashcroft's debut solo show was a winner.
RICHARD
ASHCROFT: V2000 WESTON PARK, STAFFORDSHIRE, SATURDAY, AUGUST 19, 2000
Enigmatic
former Verve frontman makes dazzling UK solo debut
All hail the return of the conquering hero, back to stake his claim as
the UK’s premier songwriter/singer, and on this performance RICHARD ASHCROFT
has won his place on the throne as the king of the nation’s leading performers.
As Ashcroft launches into ‘Brave New World’ there’s no sign of nerves,
no sign of any weight upon those bony shoulders of his, he simply walks
it like he talks it and then some. Every single song served up tonight
is a dazzling display of musicianship, craft and entertainment, and yes
that includes the material from his debut solo album ‘Alone With Everybody.’
True,
the spirit of The Verve is still alive and kicking, as ‘Sonnet’ and a
heart-rending rendition of ‘Drugs Don’t Work’ testify. Yet, ‘Song For
Lovers’ and a divine ‘You On My Mind’ both show there is life after all
that ‘History’, which played tonight is stripped down to one man and his
guitar baring his soul and displaying so much cracked emotion. However,
this is no stage-managed show of emotion, this is ‘for real’, this is
indeed music. All you have to do is look across at everyone watching Ashcroft
and see how thousands of jaws hit the floor simultaneously in awe and
wonderment during ‘New York’, which hits light speed and brings back memories
of The Verve live imploding in a wall of white noise.
Witness how Ashcroft runs across the stage pointing at people in the front
row yelling “This is for you, and you, and you, and you, for all of you!”,
all the while beating his chest and punching the air in sheer delight.
Surely Ashcroft would never in his wildest dreams wish for such an ecstatic
response with thousands yelling his name and shouting “Come on!” as one.
Tears
flow, people are hugging strangers and V2000 inhales one collective spliff
and just goes “Wow!” The endearing memory of tonight is how Ashcroft is
practically on the point of tears towards the close of ‘Bittersweet Symphony’,
brandishing his guitar as a statement of intent, blowing kisses to the
crowd, then hugging himself in disbelief. Stop pinching yourself mate,
this is real, this is music.
Fucking amazing. Period. 10/10
Text:
Anthony Gibbons
Richard
Ashcroft setlist:
Brave New World
Drugs Don’t Work
Space And Time
A Song For The Lovers
Take Your Time [sic, should be I Get My Beat]
Sonnet
C’mon People
On A Beach
You On My Mind
Money To Burn
New York
History
Bittersweet Symphony
Eyewitness
Report: - Before playing ‘On A Beach’, Ashcroft produces a large reefer,
takes a toke, turns to the audience and says “You’ll have to wait a minute,
while I have a couple of tugs on this. I hope this isn’t against the rules.
I mean, someone’s got to be stoned at a festival haven’t they?” He then
inhales deeply before adding “I do hope Dickie Branson approves.”
The above is taken from the music365.com site.
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