Overseas touring can be tough at the best of times for independent artists. Anna Ash was one of a sparse band of Americans venturing to the UK last September as the live music scene began to rewake. Fast forward twelve months and, not to be deterred, a return visit to these shores from Los Angeles was undertaken only to be subject to a significant national event leading to at least one show cancellation. Definitely going ahead was the Kitchen Garden in Birmingham, a return host after utilising its outside facility in 2021. Since that last show the advance of Anna Ash has been propelled forward on the back of her new album SLEEPER gaining press coverage at the start of 2022. This was part of a link up between Black Mesa Records and a UK scene reciprocal in appreciation for the sounds of a sensitive singer-songwriter showcasing the depth of a high quality US folk-Americana canyon.
Only positives can accrue from putting in the long yards to get your music in front of people. Once the two facets are in place good things happen. The gathering in Birmingham this evening consisted of some returning from last time and new recruits willing to take a gamble on a fresh sound. The latter is less a stab in the dark these days, but moving from scrolling a screen to paying your money for a seat is a commendable shift. From a tentative start through to the crowning moment of concluding a pair of mesmerising sets, the metaphorical gap between audience and artist evaporated. This was helped in heaps from a voice flickering from pristine purity to a more throaty drawl. The latter drew comparison with Frazey Ford upon first listening discovery and absolutely confirmed in a live setting. The former is one of the many things to take away from an unfiltered liaison.
Like so many seasoned songwriters, eloquent inter song explanations paint a vivid picture, and we learnt a lot about Anna Ash, especially the challenges of mixing undesirable employment with a career in music. Influences for her music extended to covers from Dolly Parton and Lucinda Williams. Not the usual suspect songs, but ones to supplement the material from SLEEPER and its pre-pandemic predecessor L.A. FLAMES. Whether on acoustic or electric, the soundscape melded into the voice leaving a succession of sincere songs floating for the listener to savour.
The challenges of touring are probably not going to subside any time in the near future. The nuggets of getting your music in front of the right crowd are surely something to fuel the idealism. Hopefully Anna Ash accrued enough from this tour to pursue its further riches alongside the kudos of growing your music in fertile fields.