Live at the Wireless

by Stephen Thomas Erlewine A limited-edition, semi-official bootleg released on Ash's own label, Live at the Wireless is a vigorous but curiously unengaging live recording that just misses its full potential. Recorded live in a radio studio during the group's 1996 Australian tour, the record does crackle with energy, but the lack of a studio audience is a mixed blessing. While the sound may be clearer than an audience recording, the lack of interaction with a crowd prevents the album from being truly transcendent. Even so, Ash are a powerful live band and their exuberence is infectious, whether it's on hits like "Girl from Mars," "Goldfinger" and "Kung Fu" or their punked-up cover of Ween's "What the Deener was Talking About." That alone makes Live at the Wireless worth seeking out for dedicated fans.