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Less than 48 hours after the release of his second solo record Blood on the Drums, Ashton Irwin, best known as the drummer of Australian pop-rock sensation 5 Seconds of Summer, took to the stage at the mod-gothic Belasco Theater in Downtown Los Angeles to perform his first ever solo performance on 18 July. From Irwin’s powerful and passionate stage presence to the dedicated fans dressed in Blood on the Drums-inspired red roses and black lace, from signed show posters at the merch stand to the roses thrown onstage with attached notes of appreciation from fans, the Belasco was filled with tangible gratitude from Ashton and fans alike. A one-night-only performance from Ashton has been a long time coming– and he made every second of waiting worth it.
From the moment the lights dimmed, Ashton had the room under his raw and rebellious spell, soaring through a revved-up rendition of “Straight to Your Heart” to open the show, before blazing through high-powered performances of most of his sophomore project. I’m endlessly grateful to Ashton’s team that I found myself in the photo pit during the opening of his set, and his intense magnetism with the fans was only broken in the moments when he ascended to another musical dimension as he stepped behind the drums, adorned with a bold-yet-understated “Ai” logo on their kick drum. Beams of pulsing red light spattered the Belasco as Ashton pounded the kit through “Breakup” and “BLOOD ON THE DRUMS.” Rocking smudgy black eyeliner and shedding his leather suitcoat to reveal a black fringe vest, Ashton embraced his new role as a solo frontman with the vigor and capability of a seasoned professional.
The view from the balcony during “I See The Angels” and “Lose You” was the best place to see the palpable connection between Ashton and the crowd below as he settled into the middle of his set. He simultaneously engaged with fans and belted out vocal lines with the precision of his studio recordings, further flexing his wings as a vibrant multi-talented performer. And while most of the setlist focused on the tracks from Blood on the Drums, the earliest of solo-Ashton fans were satisfied with performances of a handful of tracks from his 2020 debut Superbloom, including electrifying “Greyhound” and nostalgia-inducing “Drive,” which even had Ashton’s bandmate Calum Hood visibly bopping in the upper stage balcony.
From the moment he picked up an acoustic guitar to close out “The Canyon,” Ashton was entrancing in a more simple, unguarded way. He effortlessly created a shining moment in an unforgettable night as he stood under a single violet-hued spotlight, guiding the audience through an emotional, stripped-back duet to “California Holds Her Breath.” Even when the rest of the night's memories have dimmed, the simple power of the connection felt that moment is something I’ll still be able to feel.
After watching and admiring Ashton for the past ten years, it’s hard for me to articulate the feeling of sitting in the center of the photo pit as golden light filled the stage and he poured everything into closing out the show with reminiscent “Glory Days” and triumphant “Have U Found What Ur Looking For?.” It’s this feeling that is the magic that Ashton Irwin created in the Belasco – a place where every person, Ashton included, felt united by an existentialistic love for music and the people and memories it’s brought us. Maybe we should do it again, Ashton?
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