TONIGHT'S headline set at the Stendhal Festival marks 538 days since Tim Wheeler, Rick McMurray and Mark Hamilton – better known to music-lovers worldwide as Ash – last set foot on a stage to play their inimitable brand of indie rock to a live audience.
As such, tonight's festival show will mark the end of the longest period of the Downpatrick trio have endured without performing live since they first started touring over 25 years ago, and will hopefully move the band one step closer toward a full-on touring comeback.
Just before the pandemic, Ash released Teenage Wildlife, a bumper three-disc collection of all their greatest hits and personal favourite compositions – an incredible compilation comprising over 50 songs.
Unfortunately, they were unable to complete the live tour for the release as the world got to grips with Covid and all that it wrought upon us.
"It was pretty frustrating," says frontman Tim Wheeler.
"The tour had been selling really well, we had some great gigs in Europe and we were heading into the home stretch with some of the bigger UK and Ireland shows when it all just stopped.
"It was really hard to stop at that point and at the time we were thinking, 'well, it might just be for a couple of months', but that turned into 'well, maybe just a couple more months' and eventually into 18 months before we had a live date on our schedule again."
The national lockdowns and everything that went on during the past year affected Ash just like everyone else. Tim explains how the band all tried to cope with the circumstances.
"I think we've been overly optimistic throughout," he said.
"I suppose it is hard to come to terms with everything that actually happened in terms of the live music industry just shutting down for so long, but we've used the time to finish off a new album which we plan on bringing out next year, so while we couldn't tour, we did other things.
"I suppose a saving grace was the idea that, while it was difficult, everyone in the industry was in the same boat. We did an online gig and it was great but we really can't wait to get back in front of a live crowd."
Happily, the band are now in a position to put all that frustration behind them as they prepare for their return to the live stage tonight with a headlining slot at Limavady's Stendhal Festival – a date that Tim says he and the band have been really looking forward to ever since it was booked.
"We can't wait," he enthuses.
"We are so excited to get back to playing live and having the gig in Northern Ireland as a festival headline set couldn't be better for us.
"I'm just absolutely delighted that gigs and festivals are back – for a long time nobody seemed to know if they would be back this summer at all and when we signed on for Stendhal there was still a little bit of me that didn't know if I could believe it."
Ash also headlined the 2017 edition of the Festival, a gig that Tim says the band have great memories of.
"Yeah we had a great day last time," he recalls.
"Headlining any festival is a great gig and we thoroughly enjoyed it. Being at home we had loads of friends and family up to see us and we got to catch up with some of the brilliant homegrown bands that Stendhal does a great job of showcasing. We are really looking forward to coming back."
So, what can those gathered to celebrate at Stendhal tonight expect from Ash as they make a triumphant return to their natural habitat?
"You can expect the release of 18 months of pent-up energy," laughs Tim. "We are super excited for this one."
:: Over 60 acts including Ash, Ryan McMullan, And So I Watch You From Afar, Paddy Casey, Mary Coughlan, Duke Special and Kila play Stendhal festival at Ballymully Cottage Farm in Limavady this weekend. For tickets and more information visit stendhalfestival.com.
Ash will be back in Belfast at the Limelight on December 16, tickets via Limelightbelfast.com
THREE TO SEE AT STENDHAL THIS WEEKEND
WITH over 60 artists performing across the weekend, here's a trio of sure-fire winners you won't want to miss...
:: Turn (today)
NOW here's a blast from the recent past (if you can call 20 years ago 'recent'): Suited and booted Dublin alt-rockers Turn used to do a nice line in quiet/loud catchy crunchiness peppered with lo-fi folkier moments back in the earliest days of the 21st century, but somehow mainstream success eluded them.
Frontman Ollie Cole went on to a solo career, but over the past decade the 'classic' Turn line-up of Cole, bassist Gavin Fox (who defected to Idlewild just as the Scots' should-have-been stellar career started to stutter, bless him) and drummer Ian 'Yes' Melady have re-united every Christmas to rock out with old favourites like In Position, Beretta, Beeswax, Another Year Over and Summer Song. Good on them.
:: Jealous of The Birds (today, Stevie Martin Stage, 8.30pm)
HAVE you heard the album Jealous of The Birds put out last year? It's called Penisula – away and put it on Spotify, ask Alexa to "play Peninsula by Jealous of The Birds" or do whatever it is you do to access your streaming music these days. I'll wait.
Enjoy that? Of course you did, unless you're not into progressive, soulful, neo-psychedelic indie rock/folk greatness, obviously. Today, Jealous of The Birds get a rare chance to play out groovy new songs like Pendulum, Hadron Collider and Young Nanderthal while making their second appearance at this year's Stendhal Festival. Yes, bandleader Naomi Hamilton and co were so good at last month's opening weekend event that they were invited back for an encore at this weekend – surely a recommendation in itself.
:: The Bonnevilles (Saturday, Woodland Stage, 10pm)
DO YOU really need to be told not to miss The Bonnevilles at this stage? Now firmly established as one of the best bands in Ireland, guitar and drums duo Andy and Chris are also one of the best bands in the whole world at what they do – penning scuzzy, fuzzy garage punk blues anthems you can dance to.
This pair have been climbing the walls of their respective lockdown shelters over the past 18 months while awaiting the chance to blow off the Covid cobwebs with their famously frenetic live shows: thus tomorrow evening's Stendhal slot is sure to provide a seismic concussion of deliciously down and dirty rock and roll that will cleanse your mind, body and soul.
