Ash – The Academy – 11/12/25 – Live Review
by Killian Laher

A real treat to see Ash in one of the smallest venues they’ve played in Dublin for years.  Unsurprisingly, the Academy was packed out for what turned out to be a complete party atmosphere.  The three-piece kicked up a glorious poppy racket, with Rick McMurray walloping the bejaysus out of the drums, Mark Hamilton throwing rocker shapes on bass guitar and frontman Tim Wheeler, complete with Flying V guitar, at the centre of things.

Playing a mix of songs from their recent Ad Astra album along with some of their classic songs, the band looked to be having the time of their lives.  An early highlight was a rocked-up version of A Life Less Ordinary, and the band powered through Orpheus and Goldfinger.  Given the time of year, they unleashed a cover of Santa Claus Is Coming To Town, but it was the likes of Kung Fu and Petrol that really got the crowd going.

The encore saw Wheeler pull out the acoustic guitar for My Favourite Ghost before the band returned to finish with Girl From Mars and Burn Baby Burn.  It was a night of nostalgia mixed with upbeat rock and roll and…. fun!  The band appear ageless, and Tim Wheeler and co, without trying, remain some of the finest exponents of Irish power pop.