Northern Ireland

Ash celebrate 30th anniversary with special Ulster Hall show

Ash are celebrating their 30th anniversary as a band
Ash are celebrating their 30th anniversary as a band Ash are celebrating their 30th anniversary as a band

ROCK band Ash are to celebrate their 30th anniversary with a special concert at the Ulster Hall in Belfast in December.

Formed by three pupils at Down High School in Downpatrick in 1992, the group has released seven albums and 13 Top 40 singles including Girl From Mars, Goldfinger and Oh Yeah.

Featuring singer and guitarist Tim Wheeler, bassist Mark Hamilton and drummer Rick McMurray, two of Ash's albums have reached number one in the UK.

Wheeler also won an Ivor Novello award for the group's single Shining Light.

Chart-topping albums 1977 and Free All Angels have recently been re-mastered and re-issued on vinyl.

The group headlined Downtime Summerfest in their Co Down home town on Sunday.

Earlier this year, a 'Girl From Mars' mural was painted on the gable wall of a building on Church Street in Downpatrick.

"A friend texted us when it started going up," Wheeler told the BBC. "It blew our minds because it's massive as well."

To celebrate the 21st anniversary release of Free All Angels, the band will reunite with guitarist Charlotte Hatherley to perform the album during a run of UK live dates.

Tickets for Ash's December 16 gig at the Ulster Hall will go on sale at 10 am on Friday