Richard Ashcroft at 3Arena: Nostalgia, Passion, and Indie Renewal

Richard Ashcroft delivers a powerful Dublin show, blending Verve classics with solo gems, supported by rising stars The Royston Club.

Richard Ashcroft, Dublin 3Arena, Saturday 16 May 2026

A capacity audience filled Dublin’s 3Arena for a night steeped in classic Britpop nostalgia, invigorated by the verve of a new wave of indie rock. The anticipation in the air was palpable long before the first note sounded, a testament to Ashcroft’s enduring legacy and the cross-generational appeal of his music. For many, this was more than a concert. It was a communal experience that united fans who first discovered The Verve in the ‘90s with a younger crowd discovering the emotional depth and poetic edge of Ashcroft’s songwriting for the first time. Richard Ashcroft headlined with the assurance and magnetism expected of one of his generation’s defining frontmen, delivering a set awash with sweeping anthems, impassioned singalongs, and a potent reminder of his enduring stage presence.

Welsh up-and-comers The Royston Club provided support, seizing the moment with a self-assured and kinetic performance. Their crisp guitar lines, infectious choruses, and unabashed youthful charisma resonated with the crowd, affirming their status as one of the UK’s most hotly tipped new acts. Undaunted by the cavernous setting, the band’s enthusiasm and poise shone through. It’s not often that a support act manages to command such attention in a vast arena space, but The Royston Club’s set suggested a band on the brink of a major breakthrough. Their ability to win over an audience eager for the main event speaks volumes about their potential.

Ashcroft’s arrival on stage triggered a rapturous response. Backed by a taut, accomplished band, he dove into a 14-song set that leaned heavily on The Verve’s enduring catalogue. Eight selections from his former band were met with fervent familiarity, each igniting communal singalongs that underscored the timeless resonance of these tracks. There was a sense of shared history in every chorus, the collective voices in the arena blurring the line between performer and audience. In these moments, the music’s enduring relevance was undeniable. This was proof that the best songs never truly age, but only deepen in meaning as years pass.

Ashcroft’s vocals remain undiminished, brimming with the raw emotion and intensity that defined his prime. He navigated seamlessly between contemplative passages and sweeping arena anthems, commanding the stage with a quiet charisma that eschewed theatricality in favor of genuine connection. It is this authenticity, a refusal to coast on nostalgia alone, that sets Ashcroft apart from many of his contemporaries. Even as he revisited old favourites, there was a sense of artistic restlessness, of a performer still invested in the emotional truth of every lyric.

By evening’s end, Dublin’s packed 3Arena had borne witness to a concert that balanced nostalgia with tangible passion and renewed vitality. Ashcroft affirmed that, whether solo or with The Verve, his music retains formidable emotional heft in the live arena. Where some legacy acts risk lapsing into rote performance, Ashcroft’s show was marked by a sense of purpose and creative vigor. It was a reminder that, at its best, live music isn’t just about revisiting the past, but about forging new emotional connections in the present.

Setlist

Weeping Willow
Space and Time
Music Is Power
A Song for the Lovers
Break the Night With Colour
Velvet Morning
Hold On
Lover
The Drugs Don’t Work
Lucky Man

C’mon People (We’re Making It Now)
History
Sonnet
Bitter Sweet Symphony

Ellis Douglas
Editor, BritRock Heaven