A sense of timeless elegance filled the Islington Assembly Hall in London as Ashley Monroe took the stage. The historic venue, known for its stunning Art Deco architecture and intimate atmosphere, provided the perfect backdrop for her performance. As a Grade II listed building that has hosted everything from variety shows to modern rock acts, its rich history seemed to harmonize with Monroe’s own artistic journey, which has seen her gracefully return to her traditional country roots
After a brief detour with her 2021 album, Rosegold, Monroe has made a triumphant return to her country roots, and her recent UK tour is proof positive that she’s back where she belongs. Following her 2024 live performances with Chris Stapleton and Little Big Town, Monroe has hit the road to showcase her new album, Tennessee Lightning — a rich tapestry of swampy blues-rock, traditional country, and Americana.
All that’s to say is that her live tour – a double header with Fancy Hagood – following on from an appearance at The Long Road Festival is full of those kinds of songs, more roots than pop. Combining the fiery country leanings of Tennessee Lightning with the 10 year anniversary of The Blade just means that her live show has a deep and varied selection of songs to work through. Those 10-year old songs take leading roles in the setlist, especially in closing with the breakneck ‘Winning Streak’ and beautiful ‘The Blade’, and the inclusion of the much underrated ‘Wild Love’. Monroe bring an easy going Tennessee stage presence to the show, which contracts the Hagood more homespun humour that he displayed in the opening hour. Forgetting the words with a keep calm and laugh attitude shows the kinds of relaxed vibe she brings to the stage.
The new songs from Tennessee Lightning were magnetic. ‘Risen Road’ proved to be a powerful showcase for her impressive vocal range, while the grungy Americana of ‘Hot Rod Pipe Dream’ injected a fiery burst of energy into the set. Peppered with warm anecdotes about her legendary friend Guy Clark, a nod to her friendship with Miranda Lambert, and a couple of her chart-topping hits, the 60-minute set was a compact but powerful testament to her talent. Monroe’s performance underscored her status as one of Nashville’s most criminally underrated female singer-songwriters
