Atlanta was the lucky host to the last stop of a 30-show tour across the U.S. for singer Ashe’s Mom’s First Headline Tour, featuring fellow artists-to-watch Charlie Burg, and Gavin Haley. The three acts performed an energetic and collaborative show to a nearly sold-out crowd at Aisle 5 in Little Five Points.
The night began with Red Bull Records artist Gavin Haley who played an intimate set singing his way through personal experiences that anyone can relate to. Early in his set he beamed saying, “There’s a big group of kids that don’t feel like they fit in anywhere, but they fit in right fucking here.” The audience was completely tuned in to Gavin who stood and sang at the mic with a guitar for most of the show pausing ever so often to return “I love you’ s” from the audience and even to take a cleansing ginger shot with a front-row fan. Gavin notably has a unique style that floats between singing, talking, staccato guitar strums, and bursts of falsetto notes. The performance was not perfect but that may be what drew the audience in the most. Gavin has a comfortable familiarity. Reminiscent of the talented friend around college bonfires that actually has the talent to make it. This feeling magnified when he led the venue in a rendition of “How to Save a Life” by The Fray before leaving the stage to Charlie Burg.
The first-time visitor to Atlanta, Charlie Burg began his soulful set by scatting into the mic, so well that the room was silent except for a “Damn” that echoed from the back of the crowd. And that “damn” was well deserved. He wore glasses, an electric guitar and a goofy smile that was hard not to return, but the focus remained on his remarkable music that rests comfortably between R&B and Indie Rock. A natural performer, Charlie Burg commanded the stage without moving farther than a few feet. He especially shined on fun songs like “U Used To”. He moved to the piano and was joined by headliner Ashe for a beautiful rendition of “I Don’t Wanna Be Okay Without You” at the piano. The artists on the tour had clearly also become friends as Gavin Haley also sang his song “Scars and Tattoos” with Charlie Burg during his set. Ashe proved a great partner for Charlie both vocally, and energy-wise as she happily danced, scatted & dabbed next to her tour mate.
The crowd lip-synched along to a fun playlist of ABBA and Stevie Nicks before Ashe re-appeared on a smoky stage decorated with large teacup cutouts. Her long blonde hair cascaded down a jean jacket gifted from a fan that night which was painted with teacups to match the stage. She began her set promising fans “I will try my best to hold my shit together, but I feel a cry a coming. Thank you for all the love you give me I hope to give it ten-fold back. Let’s have the best night of our f*cking lives.” If Ashe didn’t deliver her fans their best night yet, she surely gave it strong competition. The Mom’s First Headline Tour was of the most energetic crowds I’ve seen at the intimate Aisle 5 venue. The crowd could jump and sing and the top of their lungs one moment and be enamored by Ashe’s impressive live vocals the next. One of the most powerful moments of the night Ashe had the audience repeat an affirmation after her before singing “In Disguise”. You could hear the emotion in the chorus sung with closed eyes and raised fists. Ashe’s performance was a perfectly powerful ending to a fun showcase of budding talent.
Sadly, the tour has come to close, but Ashe, Charlie Burg, and Gavin Haley undoubtedly have long careers ahead with many stops to come. Be sure to catch their next live shows and stream their music on Apple Music and Spotify.
