Ash

Being up against possibly the most ill advised main stage headliner in living memory must have suited Ash down to the ground tonight. All they had to do was turn up, play some killer tunes, and just do what they do, and they could not fail to impress. It's a good job they are pretty much the most reliable band around at the moment, and for them, killer tunes are pretty much par for the course.

As Tim Wheeler led the band out in front of a packed tent, flying V held aloft, the roar was unbelievable. Ash are a close as Leeds Festival will get to a house band, and there is only one reason they keep getting invited back - whenever they play here, they are bloody brilliant.



Their apparent ever youthfulness masks the fact that Ash are now hardened veterans of the scene, and the depth in their back catalogue shows this in abundance. Tonight's set stretches all the way from first single, 'Jack Names The Planets', to most recent offering, 'You Can Have It All', and covers pretty much everything in between.

It has to be said that the band were on fire. Wheeler was bristling in his duties, whilst Mark Hamilton attacked his bass like a man possessed. As their career progresses, Ash appear gain more and more energy, and this translates into the live arena as an incendiary show which, for the fan, cannot fail to satisfy.



Highlights of this hit-laden set include a scathing take on 'Kung Fu', the glorious 'A Life Less Ordinary' and recent single 'Polaris', which is easily the standout track of the night, despite its position between a ridiculous number of power pop classics including 'Girl From Mars' and 'Burn Baby Burn'.

Like the Peter Pan of the 90s indie scene, Ash refuse to grow old. Their live show is never the most inventive, but what they do, they do very well indeed. As a band they have pinned their colours clearly to their mast, and if you don't like them now you clearly never will. For the fans though, it doesn't get much better than a set like this, and judging by the look on the faces of most people as they leave the rammed tent, they got exactly what they wanted tonight.

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