Page 33 - Black Velvet Rock Magazine Issue 112

BV112 concerts pg32-33 New Years Day.qxp_BV112 pg 33 26/06/2025 19:40 Page 2

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One of the highlights of the set is when Ash and gui-
tarist Nikki head off the stage and into the back of the au-
dience to perform a couple of songs (‘Skeletons’, which
aptly includes the lyrics, ‘I wanna get closer to where you
hide, I wanna see further into your eyes’, and ‘I’m About
To Break You’). The audience surrounds them while they
perform on the floor.
‘Defame Me’ wraps the set up, before the band take
a photo with the crowd. It’s entertaining how Ash organ-
ises the photo, looking into the crowd, telling them, “We
only have a few minutes, so listen to the rules. Can the
people at the side come into the middle?” and “Squeeze
in... There’s a weird gap here. There’s a weird gap right
there, fill that shit in.” “Can we turn the stage lights off
and just the crowd lights on? Perfect! But the front row
is totally dark…”

…”“Everyone down. Now, on the count of three, two hands up in the air and
scream.”
Then, “Now, just the girls… One more.”
Encore ‘Kill Or Be Killed’ seals the night, with Ash preceding it, saying, “New
Years Day is not a band… We didn’t start this to be a band, or to be a famous
band, or whatever the fuck that is. We’re up here because we want to belong to
you. We want to belong somewhere. We want you to belong to us. And that’s all
that matters tonight, especially on this last song. So, show me what you’ve got.”
Heavy chugging guitar riffs dominate, while the audience sings, dances, jumps
and moves along with Ash, definitely showing everything they have left.
Tonight, New Years Day killed it, and, with 2025 being 20 years since the orig-
inal formation of New Years Day, celebrations are in order, and well deserved.
YYYYY
Shari Black Velvet

Photos By Shari Black Velvet
CONCERTS