Indie-pop artist Ashe recently visited Chicago for a two-show stop on her Fault Line Tour. On Saturday, May 7th, the vibrant artist and her talented entourage took to the stage for the second night of her sold out stop at the Metro Chicago. The intimate venue was a perfect representation of the communal atmosphere that the show created. For an inspiring 2 hour run time, the packed room of musicians and fans connected to form a supportive family brought together from their shared appreciation of the art being presented on stage. The Fault Line Tour was a safe place for each and every attendant to feel accepted. Every person in that theatre left contented knowing that they were a part of something truly magnificent.
Two hours before the concert began, Ashe took to the stage for an intimate VIP Q&A session with a small group of fans. The way that she communicates with her audience is so special, and this was proven by her casual conversation and friendly mood when speaking with fans at the session. Her priority is to make her supporters feel accepted, and for the duration of time that Ashe was in their presence, every audience member felt seen and appreciated for who they are. During the private talkback, Ashe answered questions about her inspiration and handed out advice about navigating the music industry and life in general. When asked about the best piece of advice that she has received, Ashe responded with a quote from her friend and collaborator FINNEAS who told her that “You have to make music for yourself, because no matter your success, if you're doing it to get approval from other people, you will have failed.”
The first people to take the stage was the southern-rooted alternative band The Brook & The Bluff. The Nashville-based quartet brought soulful vocals and a groovitational pull that got the whole audience dancing. The group was a standout for the evening, showing off their outstanding musicality throughout their set and playing their way into the hearts of everyone in the audience. The band made sure to warm-up the audience for the high-energy night ahead and offered a joyful introduction to the concert experience. The Brook & The Bluff consists of vocalist Joseph Settine, guitarist Alex Bolton, bassist Fred Lankford, and drummer John Canada. Their opening set blessed fans with tunes from both of the full length albums within their discography.
The Brook & The Bluff held the attention of the entire audience, kicking off their performance with “Shelby,” a groovy, up beat piece off of their debut album First Place, which served its purpose of sparking the interest of everyone in the venue. The hypnotizing vocals of Joseph Settine were put on full display with a performance of “Midsomner,” which proved to be a crowd favorite due to the catchy melody that the audience could not help but belt along to. Their set was closed out by an iconic performance of “Doobie Bronson” off of the band's most recent album Yard Sale, which got the whole crowd bursting with energy as they rocked out to the southern-fueled banger.
After a short break, the crowd was hit with a wave of adrenaline as they witnessed headliner Ashe take to the stage. Decked out in her eye catching sequin lime outfit, Ashe made a powerful entrance to the venue. She kicked off her set with the empowering feminist tune “Me Without You” off of her debut album Ashlyn. Next up was call and response single “I’m Fine,” which got the audience shouting along with the singer as she pranced around the stage fueling the crowd's bursting excitement.
As the concert progressed, the artist pulled back for a more sentimental moment during a second act of the set. Sitting down center stage with guitarist Donnie Laudicina, the two performed a stripped back version of “Taylor” and “When I’m Older.” Emotions were high all around as the audience watched projected visuals of the Ashe’s childhood, fueling the acoustic and sentimental vibe that Ashe curated for this section of the set.
Ashe then switched gears again, performing her danceable track “Another Man’s Jeans” to an electrified audience. A true highlight of the night was Ashe’s cover performance of “Somebody to Love,” where she danced along to the well-known melody and pulled attention towards her incredible band. Dazzling us on the keys was Ashe’s violinist and pianist Morgan Paros while Tim Spier drove the song’s energy with his spectacular drums and Donnie Laudicina stole the show with his impressive guitar riffs.
Next up, the audience at the Chicago shows got an exclusive treat from the singer. Ashe performed her brand new single “Hope You’re Not Happy,” released the day she arrived in Chicago. However, the surprises did not end there. Directly following her performance of the new single, Ashe shocked her fans when she played an unreleased song titled “Angry Woman.” The sexy tune got the crowed moshing to the feminist-rooted lyrics, and even through the track was unreleased, Ashe’s dedicated fans did not miss out on the opportunity to display their obsession over the song.
Ashe closed out the concert with a tearful performance of “Always,” where a fan project to show the audience’s appreciation took place and left the singer quite emotional. Lastly, Ashe sang her hit singles “Till Forever Falls Apart” and “Moral of the Story,” which had the whole audience belting out the lyrics to the songs that they know so well.
Ashe’s Fault Line Tour was an emotional trip which brought her listeners excitement, intensity, and warmth. Ashe and her team do an amazing job creating a positive atmosphere full of love for her fans. This artist never disappoints when it comes to audience interaction, and you can count on an amazing experience if you ever get the opportunity to see her live. There is a mutual sense of gratitude shared between Ashe and her fans, contributing to the outpour of love which filled the Metro Chicago on that eventful Saturday evening.
Visit THIS LINK to buy tickets for one of the remaining shows on the Fault Line Tour.
Watch Ashe's Tour Diaries on her YouTube channel below!
Comments