As the show progresses, it's clear that Ashcroft and band just love to get into expansive, repeating instrumental grooves and milk them for minutes at a time. 'You On My Mind In My Sleep' benefits from this treatment because it has a dynamic structure to work around. Less varied songs in the 60-40 solo-Verve split seem drawn out and tired. 'New York', though, is profoundly transformed from its fawning recorded version into a bass heavy, industrial piece.
Answering a spirited petition for his return from the dressing room, Ashcroft lopes forward to play the most ardent, poignant version of 'Bitter Sweet Symphony' you could hope for.
The song is performed almost in its entirety by Ashcroft alone with his acoustic guitar. When the background ensemble finally fill in the sound with a familiar electronic orchestral surge, it's warm, passionate and dramatic. In short, it achieves everything that the preceding ten songs have failed to.
That's where he finishes. There's no 'History' and no 'A Song For The Lovers'. One of The Verve's grandest moments and the first single from the LP he's here to promote are both scrapped from the encore to hasten the end of a rather flat concert.
It's hard not to expect something exceptional every time sets of this calibre are presented. This, however, is Richard Ashcroft's off night and the disappointment is almost palpable.
- Source: NME, Osaka Mother Hall
