This album has been a long time coming, but finally No Hot Ashes are releasing their debut, with this Launch show taking place in Belfast’s Limelight complex. A packed crowd eagerly awaited both bands appearing on stage in this intimate venue.
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Opening for the guys tonight is something a little special, an acoustic set from the always excellent FM, and as good as they are, I really wish they’d have done more of their own songs in a short set rather than so many cover songs. But hey we still got to see a brilliant band (minus Jim, who was on duty elsewhere) and anytime you get to hear that golden voice of Steve Overland is a pleasure. Steve, Merv, Pete and Gem seemed to be having a great time playing their set and a very appreciative audience gave them a great reception. Hopefully FM will be back in Ireland soon, great band with a cracking new album out themselves.
Tonight’s headliners are local band No Hot Ashes who are finally releasing their debut album after some 35 years, and it’s a damn good album too, having just about managed to get a listen to it on the way up on the bus I’m looking forward to living with it for a while and letting it all sink in, but it certainly whetted the appetite for the show. The set is the album in it’s entirety which gives the packed audience a great opportunity to hear all of the new tracks live, including for me an excellent cover of Rick Springfield’s “Souls”, there are some wonderful song on show like the personal and touching “Boulders” whose subject matter is likely to be a story many more of us face in the coming years, beautiful song, to the rocking “I’m Back” and the rousing closer “Running Red Lights”, this is a very well deserved celebration with family, friends and fans, it may have been a long and at times difficult road getting here, but this album will hopefully continue to get great plaudits everywhere. The guys should be really proud of their efforts and by the noise, dancing, singing and general atmosphere in the venue tonight this launch has been a massive success.
