South Facing Festival: Richard Ashcroft and his band were on impressive form from start to finish

The driest summer for decades means it is the perfect time to attend outdoor concerts in the UK, especially when Ivor Novello award-winning indie legend Richard Ashcroft is headlining. This summer, though, as Ashcroft tersely references at one point, has coincided with a cost-of-living crisis, which means tickets for tonight and this weekend’s set of shows have not been as close to selling out as promotion for the event suggested.

Based on a 12-song, 75-minute headline set, one might think the audience tonight has been short-changed, especially when you factor in the fact that Oxford’s Ride performed a surprisingly underwhelming direct support set.

However, Ashcroft and his supporting five-piece backing band are on impressive form from start to finish. The only dud in the main set is the tame opener Surprised by the Joy which has been dusted off for its first outing since 2019. The fact Ashcroft has a stand beside him as he performs it shows that even he does not find it memorable either.

Otherwise, the ten-song main set is a succinct and sweet blend of Ashcroft’s solo classics and his former band The Verve’s greatest hits. Though the Urban Hymns singles are supported by whole-crowd sing-a-longs, Space and Time is particularly impressive as it builds to a rousing crescendo.

The two-song encore begins with a solo Ashcroft performing C’Mon People (We’re Making it Now) on the acoustic guitar and the band return for the final chorus to deliver an energised outro that makes you wonder how the Alone with Everybody track never broke the top 20.

Those who foolishly slunk off after the main set closer Lucky Man miss out on the obvious encore finale of Bittersweet Symphony.  It may begin in the updated but lower-tempo Acoustic Hymns, Vol 1 rhythm, but a mild pause near the end of the song signals its rightful return to the anthemic Urban Hymns rhythm that sees Ashcroft screaming “Come on!” until he’s hoarse, throw down the microphone, bask in the applause and leave the stage to allow the backing band to end the song in a rich and beautiful sonic squall of thrashing drums and wah-wah distorted guitar.

Although overall, the night leaves a mild nostalgic pang to hear the full-bodied resonance of The Verve musicians once more, Ashcroft and his band nonetheless leave fans fully satisfied and prove the former frontman can continue to make it alone.

Francis Nash
Photos: Mike Garnell

South Facing Festival 2022 is on 29^th July to 7^th August 2022. For further information and future events visit South Facing Festival’s website here.

Watch the video for the single C’mon People (We’re Making It Now) here: