We’ll Love Her, ‘Always:’ We saw Ashe And Special Guests in London!

Brittaney Penney for THP

The Honey POP - The fan's voice on pop culture.…

Attend Ashe’s headline tour in London? Done it. Meet her at a local record store, chat with her and have her sign your vinyl? Yep, sorted. Get to hear the incredible Sam Fischer’s upcoming new single, before its release? Yep, did it! Fall to the floor as Ashe brought out surprise guest Niall Horan for a duet? Yeah, we don’t even have words for that one to be honest.

We’re just putting it out there, this was one of the most magical days of our life! Tomorrow’s brightest star, Ashe, was in London in September, for her first-ever headline shows, and we were right there with her. We still haven’t climbed down from cloud-9, so buckle up for our simping, crying and adoration, as we take you through our Ashe day in London!

Location: Rough Trade West, London

As we strolled through Notting Hill, London, an hour earlier than was necessary, our Ashe based adrenaline was pumping. We spotted the small record store and greeted the handful of fellow Ashe fans waiting outside. But we weren’t there to shop. Nope, we were going to be meeting Ashe! As we chatted to fans who had traveled far and wide to meet Ashe, we were quickly interrupted with a cry: “It’s her!” We turned to see Ashe, dressed in a beautiful powder blue suit walking towards us, eyes gleaming while giving away the smile hidden beneath her mask.

Before long, we were welcomed into the record store, which was playing Ashe’s debut album Ashlyn throughout. With our new clear press vinyls and CDs in hand, we awkwardly sauntered to the desk and greeted Ashe. “Hi, wow, I like your dress, how are you?” said Ashe, as we stumbled over how to say the word “thank you,” and tried to pretend that we had any chill left in our minds! We got a good few minutes to chat, and while others gave Ashe handwritten letters, we explained that we had written all about our love for Ashe, in our magazine, written by fans, for fans. Without missing a beat, Ashe responded, “are you The Honey POP?” and our souls actually left our bodies. We let Ashe know how excited we were to see her later that evening at her show, and we chatted about the last 18 months and how much we loved her album. Throughout our time with Ashe, she made us feel like we were old friends. And with that, she graciously signed our vinyl, and invited us to take a selfie!

Image Source: Jen Southern, The Honey POP

Location: Lafayette, London. Simping for: Sam Fischer

Later that day as we descended on the venue near Kings Cross train station, little did we know what we would be about to experience. Musical magic at it’s finest.

Sam Fischer has entered the chat, and he now owns us. This was the first time we’d had the pleasure of seeing Sam live, as he opened the show for Ashe, and we were amazed. The songs, the stage presence, the voice, oh, the voice. Sam lifted up the entire room with his smile, his chemistry with his wife (and backing singer) Erin, and his astounding vocal flexing. Our highlights just had to include Sam’s performance of ‘This City,’ his 2018 chart-topping anthem. Also, don’t turn green with envy, but Sam may or may not have performed his upcoming single ‘Hopeless Romantic’ for us, which drops on October 15th! It’s everything, we promise you.

Location: Lafayette, London. Simping for: Ashe

Oh Ashe. Where do we start? Finally getting to see Ashe perform in person, topped even our wildest dreams. The setlist was everything we could have possibly wanted and more. With plenty of our fave songs from Ashlyn, including a very special duet of ‘Till Forever Falls Apart’ with Sam Fischer. We also got treated to ‘In Disguise’ from the 2019 EP Moral Of The Story: Chapter 2, and ‘Sometimes People Suck’ from her 2018 EP The Rabbit Hole.’ Ashe also gave us two unexpected covers – Cyndi Lauper’s ‘Time After Time’ and Queen’s ‘Somebody To Love,’ and she absolutely ate up and spat out both. The crowd belted out Queen with Ashe, who hit every note with strength and warmth. Also in the setlist was ‘Always’ which Ashe didn’t perform at the first show. It’s an absolute fave of ours, and there wasn’t a dry eye in the house, including Ashe. We’re so glad this got added in for night two! The entire gig so perfectly shone a spotlight on Ashe’s vocal ability, which left us with the hairs on our arms, standing up.

Not included in the setlist, was the heartbreaking ‘Ryne’s Song,’ and as much as it’s one of the songs we love to curl up and cry to, and lyrically one of Ashe’s most heartfelt songs, we’re thankful it was skipped in the setlist, to preserve our sanity (and mascara!)

Ashe Is Officially A Peng Ting

There were so many highlights of the night. From Ashe and her violinist doing their little dancey dance, to Ashe dancing with pride flags, there were so many special moments that we will treasure forever. And high up that list has to be the “peng ting” debarkle. A London slang phrase meaning “attractive, high quality or beautiful” which, when shouted to the floral suit clad superstar, began a ten-minute confusion, with Ashe mishearing the phrase as “Painting” and then referencing the Mona Lisa! From Ashe’s Instagram feed after the gig, it certainly now seems that she’s taken to the word! Ashe, you are our peng ting, forever and always.

‘The Moral Of The Story’ Is That We Will Never Be The Same Again

Fun fact, Ashe doesn’t do encores. As she explained towards the end of the show, she wants herself and her fans to live in the moment at her concerts. So when Ashe introduced ‘Moral Of The Story’ and told us we’d only ever get this moment once, we knew it was A) the last song, and B) going to be special. But we were not prepared. In fact, we’re still not prepared and it’s already happened. As Ashe began the piano melody and opened the final song of the night, emotions were high and the celebration of Ashe came to it’s peak. And then it happened….

Niall James Horan walked on from stage right. And at that moment in time, our souls left our bodies, our knees buckled and we don’t even know how to describe the noises that came out of our faces. And Ashe’s face said it all, she knew what she had done. She knew what she had done for us, and how special this was for so many of us in the room.

For so many Ashe stans, including us, we fell in love with Ashe following ‘Moral Of The Story: Part 2’ featuring Niall Horan. That was evident at the gig by the sea of One Direction and solo member phone cases held high across the crowd. So when that man, that lovely beautiful talented man, came swanning on from the side of the stage in his little cap and jeans, we didn’t know what to do. In fact, inside knowledge: it took around four seconds for the crowd to mentally accept that it was Niall, we kinda just stared at him. The duo came center stage and sang to each other and the crowd, as they performed the song that solidified their friendship. It was one of the most beautiful moments of our entire lives. They mocked each other, they laughed, they sang their hearts out. And then it was over. As they ran off stage, the crowd stood rooted in shock at what had just happened. In fact, so blown away were the crowd, that after 15 minutes of crying and nobody moving, we had to be ushered out by security.

We had a truly phenomenal night at The Fault Line Tour. Ashe was an angel, who glowed on stage, with love for her fans that knew no bounds. Her voice took the roof off Lafayette in London, and mentally, we are still in that room with her. Ashe continues her tour next year across Europe and the US, and we can’t give you better advice than this, you lovely Honey Poppers… go to the tour. It was one of the best concerts we have ever been to, and we will treasure that memory for ever. Ashe, we will see you next year! You can check our tour info and tickets here! And as always, take care of each other.

Check our Ashe’s London vlog diary below, for BTS footage and excitement!

Bring Me The Horizon’s ‘Kool-Aid’ Is Guaranteed To Kool You Down

Where you at Ashe’s London shows? Maybe we met you! Maybe you’re heading to the tour next year! Tell us all about it! Head over to our Twitter @thehoneypop, or talk to us on Facebook and Instagram!

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