If you don't know Ash are by now, I can understand. They've received very
little press here
in amreica. The're an exciting Punk/pop band from Ireland, and have a fanatical following
there. They've released two albums and several singles in the UK, I've only seen the albums
in most stores. Occasionally you can find one of the singles in the
import section.
I got to meet Ash one weekend in November here in Orlando. They were touring in support of
Drill and Stabbing Westward. They played the University of Central Florida's homecoming
concert (with Chalk Farm, Drill, The Refreshments, Dishwala and Stabbing Westward). Ash
played 3rd on the ticket. During the show they announced that they were going to be playing a
show at a local club at midnight, but why anyone would want to miss Stabbing Westward and
Dishwala was beyond them. I Drove across town to go see them, and was one of three people
there to see Ash. It was a good set, but I felt bad because they were getting harassed by
some other people there for the rave room. I got them to sign a shirt of mine I had bought at
the Homecoming Concert, and got the luck to go backstange and hang out with the guys.
Mark sat off my himself reading a Star Wars memorbelia magazine (go figure eh?). Tim was
extremely friendly and really cool to talk to. We both share the bug of being Kung Fu
afficianados, but I play guitar as well. Rick walked around and lay on a couch most of the
time. Ash put me and my friends on their guest list to see them in Tampa 2 nights from
then, and for their next Orlando show, in support of Weezer.
Well, I showed up late to the Tampa show and ended up seeing only the last 20-25 minutes of
Stabbing Westward (not a bad set either). I had brought Tim a tape of Kung Fu movies to watch
on the road, but everyone had said that Ash had left to go to their next show in Athens,
Georgia, so I gave the tape to the lead guitarist of Drill to give to Tim for me (He seems
like a really nice guy also).
As a last ditch effort, we went back behind the club they were playing at, in search of tour
busses, and lo and behold we found Tim in their bus. He let us in and we talked a bit about
music, Kung Fu movies (his favourite is Drunken Master, by the way), he played their rendition
of the Cantina Song from Star Wars. I got My picture taken with Tim (Soon to be developed and
scanned here) and told him that the lead guitarist from drill had his tape. Can't Wait to see
them play again.
The saga continues...
December 10th came and I went down to the Club at Firestone to see Ash
open up for Weezer. I get there and I'm on the guest list!!! So I get up
to the front of the croud (or as close as I could, always seems to be a
bevy of small highschool wannabe punk chix that cry when the get crashed
into from behind because they're up at the front) and wait for a bit.
They guys are sitting off to the side of the stage, waiting on the roadies
(I can't remember the guy with the green hairs name, nor the older black
haired gentleman...) They come out to play and open up with Lose Control,
and did Darkside/Lightside, Girl from Mars, Jack Names the Planets,
Goldfinger, Oh Yeah, and Kung Fu (sort of a short set if you ask me... and
they didn't even play Angel Interceptor!!!). I kept yelling for them to
play the cantina song. Well after they played, I moved over towards Stage
Left, hoping to catch someone's eye to get back stage with the guys... Got
to meet the drummer for Weezer while I was waiting (seemed someone went to
high school with him and said hi to him as
he was walking around, not a bad thing..) After about 20 minutes, I got
to go back and hang out. Tim had a terrible cold (main reason for the
short set I find out) and had gotten my video tape, but shipped it back
home while he was in New York. (Oh well, I'll have to rent those again,
not like I didn't like 'em in the first place.) I gave him a second tape,
with his favourite HK movie, Drunken Master, on it, as well as some
others, I think Fong Sai Yuk (Jet Li) and A Better Tomorrow... Got to
meet the lead singer from Weezer and his girlfriend who is from Japan. I
got to use my one Japanese phrase on her... I guess I pronouneced it
correctly because she smiled and answered back. They had these cool Ash
and weezer fliers from the Univ. Georgia show but I didn't get to get one,
oh well... I look forward to seeing them when the come back, and I'll drag
most of my friends along next time.
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Last updated: Sunday, March 23, 1997
people have wandered in in search of Ash.