Ash // O2 Institute 2, Birmingham

Ash took the UK by storm in their sold out Ad Astra tour

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ (5/5)

Ash, taken by Mel Tumber

Ash took the UK by storm in their sold out Ad Astra tour, which came to a close in Birmingham’s O2 Institute 2 on February 19th. The Northern Irish rock band, formed in Downpatrick in 1992, released the album Ad Astra back in October 2025, and proved that their music is timeless, with people of all ages in the crowd. Whether fans discovered their music at the conception of the band, or have just started listening, the sold-out status of the tour shows without a doubt that they are a band that is deeply loved and cherished by their listeners.

The supporting artist that accompanied Ash on much of the tour, Bag of Cans, were a delicious blend of britpop and comedy, echoing artists like Blur and The Kinks. Dressed in matching outfits, they rocked the stage with catchy, and humorous songs such as Favourite Shirt, Spin Cycle and Hair of the Dog, combining relatability with the massive talent of the band members to put on a fantastic and unforgettable performance.

The band also included audience participation in their set, doing an amusing ‘dance’ where they all pointed to the sky in time with the music, with the audience copying while laughing incredulously. Despite their music having a different kind of tone to Ash’s, they played with confidence and won the attention of the crowd, leaving them sufficiently warmed up for the main act.

Ash emerged onto the stage to a roar from the crowd, but the lights remained dim to build tension. Accompanied by Bag of Cans’ singer and trumpeter, they played their own rendition of Richard Strauss’ Also sprach Zarathustra as an introduction, an already magnificent piece of music, elevated by the grungy guitar. With the lights finally illuminating the stage, Ash went straight into Fun People with huge enthusiasm and a rocking bassline, and the show got properly going. Up next was Keep Dreaming, followed by the track that the album and tour got their names from, Ad Astra, both of which were full of insane guitar solos.

Keeping true to their old music all the way back to their first full-length album, 1977, the show was chock-full of heavy, powerful guitar chords and those guitar solos previously mentioned, one of which had me frantically rushing for the perfect shot as frontman Tim Wheeler stood shredding on the very edge of the stage, basking in the light that shone behind him.

Throughout the entire show, bassist Mark Hamilton struck countless poses, keeping it cool as he strutted around the stage, showboating and appealing to the fans while effortlessly keeping the bass going strong.

Next, the band departed from songs featured in Ad Astra and returned to their older music, travelling back to the 90s and early 2000s with A Life Less Ordinary, and Orpheus. I would be doing the band a disservice if I failed to mention Goldfinger, one of the classics from their first album, with more grungy guitar, booming drums and a brilliant mix between loud and soft sections to the verses. Which One Do You Want? also appeared in the setlist, a song that reminded me a lot of The Smiths, with guitar notes sliding up and down in pitch, and the acoustic guitar in the bridge combining with the drums and tambourine.

Featured on Ad Astra and also on the setlist was Ash’s rock version of Harry Belafonte’s Jump in the Line which everybody in the crowd knew. While being a fantastic song on its own, it sounded incredible with the shift from calypso music to classic rock. Covers of songs where the genre is changed wildly are always a treat to hear, and Ash certainly did Belafonte justice with their rendition.

The main portion of the show ended with Girl From Mars, which had yet another stunning guitar solo and, to my delight, ended up opening mosh pits in the crowd. It’s been a whopping three decades since the song was released and even longer since it was conceived, being written by a sixteen year-old Wheeler, and it clearly still resonates with the audience just as much as it did when it was first released into the world. It feels like a full-circle moment with both this song title and the tour name bearing themes of space, and truly lives up to its name; it feels like you’re having an otherworldly experience when listening, even more so when hearing it live.

The show was closed out with another classic, Burn Baby Burn, and with that, the Ad Astra tour was over. Wheeler gave an incredibly heartfelt thanks to all members of the band, the crew, and of course the fans, promising to return on tour soon, before the band departed the stage with wide smiles on their faces and a deep sense of love.

Ash are a true gem, having tremendous motivation and passion for what they do, and they make sure it shows on stage. Each person left the venue blown away by the energy darting around the room the entire night, with no doubt that the same vivacity would be brought to any of the shows they do in the future.

Review and photos by Mel Tumber