Ashe Closes Out Two-Night Stretch at Chicago’s Metro | Recap & Photos

Ashe closed out the weekend with two sold out shows at Chicago’s Metro as she nears the end of a 27-date tour of the U.S. and Canada before embarking on a European tour. The singer-songwriter’s Fault Line Tour is supporting her highly anticipated 2021 debut album, Ashlyn.

The line to get into Metro wrapped around the block last night as fans eagerly waited to pack in the venue. Most didn’t come empty handed. Bouquets of roses, LGBTQ+ flags big and small, handwritten letters and signs waved from the hands of fans all night long. The energy didn’t go unnoticed by Ashe (aka Ashlyn Willson) and her bandmates. Willson made multiple comments throughout the night about how much Saturday’s crowd had outdone the previous night’s.

Willson’s special connection with her fans stems from the openness she puts into her songwriting. Released on Mom + Pop Music, Ashyln is an deeply emotional and very vulnerable record. Most of its lyrics center around the singer’s divorce, which she described as a result of a "psychologically abusive" marriage. “Ryne’s song” is a tribute to the singer’s brother who died suddenly in 2020 after a 14-year struggle with addiction.

Ashe performed 11 of the 13 tracks off of Ashlyn last night, including singles “Moral of the Story” and “Till Forever Falls Apart”. Willson worked with close friend and collaborator FINNEAS on both tracks. FINNEAS also produced Ashe’s double EP, Moral of the Story Chapters 1 & 2.

One notable moment came during an acoustic performance of “Taylor”, when the singer told fans “if you’re feeling overwhelmed, this is a good part of the set to take some deep breaths…we’re going to get a little emotional together”. The crowd responded by holding up colored, cutout hearts, which were illuminated by cellphone flashlights.

Willson then brought the energy back up with a mesmerizing cover of Queen’s “Somebody to Love”. Willson held her own vocally and then left fans screaming for more after she dropped to her knees and bent over backwards during the song’s signature guitar solo.

For a list of remaining tour dates and tickets, click here. See more photos from the show below: