Live: Richard Ashcroft @ O2 Academy Brixton

by | Jul 4, 2017

Iconic frontmen of once iconic bands are all the rage at the moment. Noel Gallagher’s two solo albums are an established part of the landscape. Tom Chaplin (voice of post-britpop housewife’s favourites Keane) played a blinding support to Jeff Lynne (another iconic frontman of another once iconic band) at Wembley last weekend. Hell, even Phil Collins joined the party with a headline in Hyde Park during the week.

Richard Ashcroft performing at the O2 Academy Brixton on 010717 (Simon Reed)

Richard Ashcroft performing at the O2 Academy Brixton (Simon Reed)

It seems entirely appropriate therefore that Richard Ashcroft, iconic frontman of The Verve – surely one of the most iconic bands of the last thirty years – should be getting in on the act. Of course, Ashcroft is hardly ‘getting in’ on anything. These People, his fourth solo album was released in 2016 and tracks from it are all over sound-minded radio stations. Hits from his previous solo outings and of course his work with The Verve is ubiquitous. Ashcroft has never really been away.

Front row audience at Richard Ashcroft: The O2 Academy Brixton on 010717 (Simon Reed)

Front row audience at Richard Ashcroft: The O2 Academy Brixton (Simon Reed)

Last year I saw him fill the O2 Arena and can honestly say it was one of the best gigs I’ve ever been to. The intensity of the performance and the crowd reaction were in equilibrium; a truly special night. I was very much looking forward to a repeat in the more intimate (well, less cavernous) environment of the Academy, and Ashcroft’s performance didn’t disappoint.

Richard Ashcroft performing at the O2 Academy Brixton on 010717 (Simon Reed)

Richard Ashcroft performing at the O2 Academy Brixton (Simon Reed)

Appearing in a sparkling Diamanté jacket and with now trademark gas mask draped around his neck, Ashcroft received the kind of hero’s welcome he not unreasonably expects from the adoring faithful. The mask first appeared in the artwork for These People and is a metaphor for a number of issues the album addresses: love and death; insecurity, depression and civil unrest. Ashcroft these days has abandoned the mop-haired look that fronted The Verve in favour of a close crop and pair of Ray-Ban Aviators that appear to be welded to his face. He retains cheek bones so sharp he could probably use them to open envelopes.

Richard Ashcroft performing at the O2 Academy Brixton on 010717 (Simon Reed)

Richard Ashcroft performing at the O2 Academy Brixton (Simon Reed)

Lit by a searing light from above, the sparkles in Ashcroft’s jacket reflected back into his neck and face – delivering a rather pleasing personal mini-light show. In fact, the staging in general was excellent. A number of remote cameras were filming the band and the images were projected back into a representation of giant vintage TVs behind the stage. The resultant visual feedback made your head spin.

Richard Ashcroft performing at the O2 Academy Brixton on 010717 (Simon Reed)

Richard Ashcroft performing at the O2 Academy Brixton (Simon Reed)

Ashcroft opened with Out Of My Body, first track from the new record – though anybody concerned that he might be going down Radiohead ‘we’re not playing any of the back catalogue we know you’ve all come to see’ Boulevard would have been consoled when he followed it up with Sonnet, one of a few tunes played from 1997’s Urban Hymns; the album that launched The Verve into the stratosphere.

Richard Ashcroft performing at the O2 Academy Brixton on 010717 (Simon Reed)

Richard Ashcroft performing at the O2 Academy Brixton (Simon Reed)

After three songs, I made the walk of shame from the photo pit back through the crowd. The lower level of the Academy has a rake so steep you can ski down it and sightlines are as good as from any floor in London – but it was absolutely rammed and there was nowhere from which to adequately watch. Fortunately (or not) I had kindly been given a ‘VIP Lounge’ wristband so I made my way there to discover you watch the show from behind what looked like three inches of bullet proof glass. It was a strange experience to have such an excellent view and yet feel so detached from the emotion of the performance.

Richard Ashcroft performing at the O2 Academy Brixton on 010717 (Simon Reed)

Richard Ashcroft performing at the O2 Academy Brixton (Simon Reed)

Even so, there were clear highlights and despite the best efforts of the glass I was still able to feel the intensity build. A Song For The Lovers, They Don’t Own Me and Music Is Power were all excellent. The main set closed with a beautiful rendition of Lucky Man – mobile phones shone and pint glasses flew – but for me the apogee of the first half was Break The Night With Colour, which built and built and closed with an epic instrumental outro.

Richard Ashcroft performing at the O2 Academy Brixton on 010717 (Simon Reed)

Richard Ashcroft performing at the O2 Academy Brixton (Simon Reed)

When Ashcroft returned, it was for a five-song encore that was initially performed solo under the light with just an acoustic guitar. You feel that despite the musical pyrotechnics delivered by his excellent band, this is when Ashcroft is at his best. Weeping Willow and These People were brilliant. During The Drugs Don’t Work, the crowd screamed the words and the other musicians crept back on to the stage. The full band closed the song and I’d defy anybody on the floor not to have been at least a little dewy eyed. Hold On, a particularly energetic track from the new record followed. The balcony above me must have been going bananas because the VIP Lounge suddenly started bouncing up and down.

Richard Ashcroft performing at the O2 Academy Brixton on 010717 (Simon Reed)

Richard Ashcroft performing at the O2 Academy Brixton (Simon Reed)

To nobody’s real surprise the show closed with Bitter Sweet Symphony. From behind the glass it was sadly impossible to hear Ashcroft’s interactions with the crowd, but I remember at the O2 he introduced it simply as “The National Anthem”. It takes balls to make a proclamation like that, but to be fair this song registers with the public consciousness at least as much as the real one and at least everybody seems to know the words to the second verse.

Crowd exodus following Richard Ashcroft's performance at the O2 Academy Brixton on 010717 (Simon Reed)

Crowd exodus following Richard Ashcroft’s performance at the O2 Academy Brixton (Simon Reed)

Review & Photography by Simon Reed. Richard Ashcroft at O2 Academy Brixton on 1st July 2017.

Simon has his own music photography site here: http://www.musicalpictures.co.uk

 

 

https://rockshotmagazine.com/25718/live-the-magpie-salute-under-the-bridge/

 

Sophie Lloyd @ Download Festival XXII - Saturday (Simon Reed)

Saturday In Photos At Download Festival XXII

As Download XXII roared into its second full day, Saturday continued the weekend's adrenaline-fuelled ride with...
Charli xcx @ Lido Festival 2025 (Henry Redcliffe)

Charli xcx’s ‘PARTYGIRL’ Rules The Night At LIDO Festival 2025 — A Euphoric Takeover In East London

East London was ablaze with brat energy on Saturday night as Charli xcx delivered a genre-defying, euphoric headline...
Green Day @ Download Festival XXII - Friday (Simon Reed)

Friday In Photos At Download Festival XXII

The sun rose over Donington Park as Download XXII launched into its first full day of music on Friday, setting the...
Roger Daltrey with The Who - Teenage Cancer Trust @ Royal Albert Hall (Kalpesh Patel)

Roger Daltrey Awarded Knighthood for Services To Music And Charity

Roger Daltrey, legendary frontman of The Who and lifelong champion of young people facing cancer, has officially been awarded a Knighthood in the King’s Birthday Honours list for 2025. The honour recognises not only his groundbreaking contributions to British music, but also his tireless work with Teenage Cancer Trust, the charity he has helped elevate to national prominence over the past three decades.

Sophie Grey @ Heilbronn (Kevin Ford)

Sophie Grey Brings ‘Retro Electro’ To The Big Stage With Sting Collab And New Music Video

Armed with a keytar, a singular sonic aesthetic, and an unapologetic love for retro-electro vibes, Sophie Grey is carving her place on the global stage — one synth-heavy track at a time. This summer, the rising artist has not only opened arena shows across Europe but has also shared the stage with none other than Sting, adding her signature flair to performances of The Police classic Spirits In The Material World on his 3.0 tour.

Fiaa Hamilton (Adam Brazier)

Fiaa Hamilton Celebrates Birthday With Empowering New Single ‘Nothing Is Perfect’

Rising pop powerhouse Fiaa Hamilton continues her skyward trajectory with the release of her bold and emotionally resonant new single Nothing Is Perfect, arriving just in time to mark her birthday. The track sees Fiaa cement her growing status as one of 2025’s most compelling new voices in pop, following a breakout year that’s included a New Faces For 2025 nod from The Sun and a performance at TikTok’s Live Fest alongside Jason Derulo and Zara Larsson at London’s iconic Roundhouse.

The Sons Of Guns (Cléa Margaret)

The Sons Of Guns Bring Modern Sunshine To ’70s Folk-Rock With Radiant Debut EP ‘You Shine The Sun’

Emerging from the sun-drenched hills of Nice with roots stretching back to Doncaster and even Bombay, genre-blurring...
Kane Brown (Dennis Leupold)

Kane Brown Drops Summer Anthem ‘2 Pair’ & Gears Up for International Tour

Genre-blending country trailblazer Kane Brown is officially soundtracking your summer with his brand-new single 2...

Pin It on Pinterest

Share This

Share Thing