Ashley Cooke Live at The Eventim Apollo
Artists have the ability to get people to gravitate towards them in many ways. Some are relatable songwriters with really deep stories, some have up-tempo anthems to raise the mood, there are powerful vocalists, you see people command an entire room as they just strum their acoustic guitar or get a crowd going wild with sets filled with intense energy and some people have a personality that incandescently glows but it is not very often you encounter someone that manages to do them all. However, Ashley Cooke is one person that can.
During her set at Hammersmith’s Eventim Apollo where she was opening up for Jordan Davis on his European tour dates, she oozed warmth and charisma as she followed up her debut appearances in the UK at last year’s Country to Country festival. Whilst the introduction that she delivered to fans during her first visit was an acoustic taster of what she has to offer, on this second trip to these shores she looked to expand the live experience as was joined on stage by her guitarist and drummer (as she had teased to us ahead of the tour in our recent interview which you can read HERE) which was gratefully received by the audience as full band opening set really did get the crowd warmed up for the energy that Jordan Davis would be following her up with.
During her set at Hammersmith’s Eventim Apollo where she was opening up for Jordan Davis on his European tour dates, she oozed warmth and charisma as she followed up her debut appearances in the UK at last year’s Country to Country festival. Whilst the introduction that she delivered to fans during her first visit was an acoustic taster of what she has to offer, on this second trip to these shores she looked to expand the live experience as was joined on stage by her guitarist and drummer (as she had teased to us ahead of the tour in our recent interview which you can read HERE) which was gratefully received by the audience as full band opening set really did get the crowd warmed up for the energy that Jordan Davis would be following her up with.
The eight song set which lasted just over half an hour, had the right balance between Cooke strutting across the stage full of energy and sass combined with opening up and playing acoustic guitar herself. She is such a captivating storyteller, but she also brings great energy that you are drawn to and this conveys through the entire set whether the songs are being played stripped back or with more of an element of production.
As her twenty-four track album “shot in the dark” was released last summer after she made her UK debut, this tour gave fans the opportunity to hear many of the songs live for the first time in addition to “Never Til Now” (which does appear on the album as a duet with Brett Young but originally was the song off her “Already Drank That Beer” EP that really launched Ashley into the spotlight) but also treating us to a fun little mash-up cover of Morgan Wallen’s “Chasin’ You” into “Buy U a Drank” which was originally released in 2007 by T-Pain.
As her twenty-four track album “shot in the dark” was released last summer after she made her UK debut, this tour gave fans the opportunity to hear many of the songs live for the first time in addition to “Never Til Now” (which does appear on the album as a duet with Brett Young but originally was the song off her “Already Drank That Beer” EP that really launched Ashley into the spotlight) but also treating us to a fun little mash-up cover of Morgan Wallen’s “Chasin’ You” into “Buy U a Drank” which was originally released in 2007 by T-Pain.
This was one of, if not the strongest opening set we have seen in the UK for a country show since the return of live music, following COVID and that was all the way from starting with “getting into” to her acoustic performance of “it’s been a year” and all the way through to ending with “your place”. Ashley Cooke is an instantly likeable and memorable performer whether that be from her energy, her songwriting, her performance or more likely the way that her personality shines through on stage. Her musical style as a songwriter and performer are a perfect fit for the way UK audiences enjoy the story behind a song but also want to have a good time so we feel that these trips across the pond are things that will be finding there way into her a calendar pretty regularly going forward but let’s hope next time we get a lot longer than thirty minutes.
EVENTIM APOLLO, LONDON SET LIST: 1) ‘getting into’ 2) ‘moving on with grace’ 3) ‘i almost do’ 4) ‘it’s been a year’ 5) ‘Chasin’ You’ / ‘Buy U a Drank (Shawty Snappin’)’ 6) ‘back in the saddle’ 7) ‘Never Til Now’ 8) ‘your place’
Ashley Cooke continues her European trip with Jordan Davis on his “Damn Good Time World Tour” which concludes in Belfast on February 22nd with full details available on Ashley’s WEBSITE where you can also find further information on all of her upcoming North American tour dates through 2024.
Her debut album “shot in the dark” is available HERE through Big Loud Records and you can catch up with Ashley by checking her out socially on TIKTOK FACEBOOK TWITTER & INSTAGRAM
Ashley Cooke continues her European trip with Jordan Davis on his “Damn Good Time World Tour” which concludes in Belfast on February 22nd with full details available on Ashley’s WEBSITE where you can also find further information on all of her upcoming North American tour dates through 2024.
Her debut album “shot in the dark” is available HERE through Big Loud Records and you can catch up with Ashley by checking her out socially on TIKTOK FACEBOOK TWITTER & INSTAGRAM