LIVE: Richard Ashcroft @ AO Arena Manchester 14.10.22

Review and photography by Jonathan Taylor

Instagram: jonathantaylorphotography

With just two October live dates announced for the back end of 2022 in Manchester and then Brighton, The Verve’s iconic front man Richard Ashcroft takes to the stage at the AO Arena in Manchester. The moment Ashcroft walks onto the stage with that trademark swagger dressed in baggy cords, matching bucket hat and a pair of adidas, the crowd erupts into a wave of affectionate applause for the man from Wigan whose music clearly means so much.

The set opens with ‘Surprised By The Joy’ from 2018’s album ‘Natural Rebel’, which is followed by ‘Sonnet’. To feature one of The Verve’s most exemplary tracks from the album Urban Hymns as the second song of the evening is without a doubt a testament to the fact that over the decades, Ashcroft has created a back catalogue of outstanding creativity and fine musical invention. The evening continues with ‘Space In Time’ and the magnificent, string laden ‘Song For The Lovers’.

Between tracks Ashcroft addresses the crowd and highlights the importance of the coming together of people united by music regardless of what is taking place in such a volatile world that is currently full of so much prevalent discord and uncertainty.

There is no respite from the evenings anthemic masterclass with the likes of ‘Break The Night With Colour’, ‘Velvet Morning’, a rare outing for ‘Are You Ready?’ from the United Nations of Sound project and ‘Hold On’. Classics such as ‘Drugs Don’t Work’ and ‘Lucky Man’ confirm the importance of great song writing and the power of live music and its capability to transcend an audience into a sense of solidarity and togetherness.

The evening is brought to a close with ‘Come On People (We’re Making It Now)’, a rousing cover version of Barrett Strong’s ‘Money (That’s What I Want)’ and the exemplary musical masterpiece that is ‘Bittersweet Symphony’.

Icons in music are very few and far between. But tonight, in packed arena in Manchester, it was clear that Richard Ashcroft confirms yet again that he is worthy of such an accolade. His music from over the decades is timeless, remains relevant in both lyrical and musical content and its ability to unite the generations was truly an incredible site to behold.

Full Set List:

Surprised By The Joy

Sonnet

Space In Time

A song For The lovers

Break The Night With Colour

Velvet Morning

Music Is Power

Are You Ready?

Life’s An Ocean

Weeping Willow

One Day