Richard Ashcroft brings pure joy to South Facing Festival 2022

7 August 2022, 19:47 | Updated: 7 August 2022, 23:05

The Verve legend played a powerful set of his most iconic hits at the Crystal Palace festival. Find out what went down here.

Richard Ashcroft played a euphoric headline set at South Facing Festival on Saturday (6th August) offering up the perfect slice of nostalgic bliss for a summer's evening.

Topping off a stellar line-up at Crystal Palace Bowl, which included special guests DBRMM and Ride, the Wigan bard treated fans to a selection of his most iconic tracks from his time as frontman of The Verve frontman as well as his solo career.

READ MORE: The inspiration behind The Verve's History single

After kicking things off with his 2018 Natural Rebel single, Surprised by the Joy, Ashcroft treated fans to his enduring Urban Hymns ballad, Sonnet, as well as the anthemic Space and Time.

As he performed the likes of The Drugs Don't Work, Velvet Morning and Lucky Man with his stripped-back set, it was clear Ashcroft intended to celebrate The Verve's seminal 1997 album as he had with his recent Acoustic Hymns Vol. 1 release.

However, it wasn't all about Urban Hymns. Ashcroft also sprinkled his performance with solo favourites such as the stirring Alone with Everybody classic A Song For The Lovers (which he dedicated to "all the lovers" and his wife Kate), Hold On, from his 2016 These People album and his Keys to the World classic, Break the Night with Colour.

READ MORE: How Richard Ashcroft's Song For The Lovers was inspired by Joy Division

Richard Ashcroft isn't shy when it comes to talking about his songwriting prowess and his ability to transfix and transform a crowd. As you watch the 50-year-old singer hold the audience in the palm of his hand, you realise he's definitely got a point.

Returning for an encore, Ashcroft played a rousing rendition of C'Mon People (We're Making It Now), before ending his gig on the iconic Verve anthem, Bitter Sweet Symphony, bringing his cathartic set to a euphoric crescendo.

If Music Is Power then Richard Ashcroft has it in spades and the Crystal Palace Bowl was the perfect setting to watch him in action.

South Facing Festival concludes on August 7th with a headline set from Becky Hill.

Richard Ashcroft's South Facing Festival setlist on Saturday 6th

1. Surprised by the Joy

2. Sonnet (The Verve song)

3. Space and Time (The Verve song)

4. A Song for the Lovers

5. Break the Night With Colour

6. The Drugs Don't Work (The Verve song)

7. Hold On

8. Velvet Morning (The Verve song)

9. Lucky Man (The Verve song)

Encore:

10. C'mon People (We're Making It Now)

11. Bitter Sweet Symphony (The Verve song)

Richard Ashcroft on his new acoustic album and more

READ MORE: The story behind the sample on The Verve's Bitter Sweet Symphony single