Ash were the classic boys' group, full of testosterone and wishful thinking, before Charlotte Hatherley arrived. The guitarist managed not only to thicken the Northern Irish three-piece's sound and compete with the lads at their own drinking games, but also to add a touch of glamour. Where once the only focal point for fans was the endlessly cheerful Tim Wheeler, now pre-ironic axe duels and a range of costumes (including skirts!) were also on show.

Hatherley is still a full-time member of Ash, but her solo album - the extremely able Grey Will Fade - suggests she has the talent to go it alone, mixing bubblegum pop, twisted ballads and riff-laden alternative rock in a rather dreamy package.

This, Hatherley acknowledges, is her first solo show, and she seems uncomfortable as the centre of attention. Rarely lifting her eyes, she keeps her stage announcements to a minimum and strips the guitar theatrics down to an occasional frowning shuffle. She looks as if she's aching for Wheeler to rush on stage, make a few self-deprecating remarks and set the crowd pogoing. Her backing band - including Idlewild bassist Gavin Fox - shoe-gaze throughout.

Some of the songs fall just as flat. Down, which drifts by pleasantly enough on record, becomes a listless drone. Elsewhere, Hatherley's floaty pop develops a muscular undercarriage: Summer's simple melodics are backed with a toe-tapping throb that unexpectedly recalls the Jesus and Mary Chain, while Bastardo, a vengeful note to a boy who stole Hatherley's guitar, is punchy and lithe, its harmonies touched with a hint of desperation.

Set-closer Ressurrect comes like a fierce rumble of thunder, shot through with the vigour that has been lacking from the rest of the evening - even Hatherley looks as if she's enjoying herself. Given time to loosen up, her solo career might be one worth relishing.

· At the Leadmill, Sheffield, tonight (0114-221 2828). Then touring.