7 August 2024

Power pop champ and former The Verve (1990–1995, 1996–1999, 2007–2009)
frontman RICHARD ASHCROFT (aged 52 now) came, saw, and conquered Belgium
last Monday at Lokerse Feesten.

He did it with only 9 songs (with long outros) over a one-hour set. 6 epic ones from The Verve‘s grand 1997 opus Urban Hymns and 3 solo songs. This is what all artists/bands should do at festivals (to my ears), limiting their show to 1 hour, performing all the fans’ favorites in 60 non-stop ecstatic minutes.

Ashcroft is an expert in the matter. Every song was sung-along by the exultant crowd.
Every song was worth a gold medal. Everybody had a big smile, from left to right and
back on their faces even long after the show. Passionate music unites people.

And that’s what former weirdo Richard‘s goal is at every one of his concerts (as I witnessed myself several times), connecting the audience in an over-the-moon rapture. This time he got a big helping hand from his new guitarist, who got space and time for some mind-boggling guitar solos à la, yes, Jimi Hendrix. Exhilarating, just exhilarating.

Of course, as expected, RA closed the near-spiritual spectacle with all-time classic Bittersweet Symphony (more than one billion streams on Spotify). One of the best ever concert closers in my extensive concerts book. Watch fan footage here… Hail hail Ashcroft!

Hail hail Ashcroft!

SETLIST

1. Space and Time
2. Sonnet
3. Weeping Willow
4. Music Is Power
5. A Song for the Lovers
6. Break the Night With Colour
7. The Drugs Don’t Work
8. Lucky Man
9. Bitter Sweet Symphony

(All photos by Turn Up The Volume)