Gig review: GUN – St Luke’s, Glasgow, 14 September 2017

With Gun about to unleash their excellent new album ‘Favourite Pleasures’ on an expectant public, what better way to introduce a few of the songs than a short showcase gig. The fact that the show was on home turf for the Gizzi brothers just added to the atmosphere with Dante regaling us with tales of his younger days, hanging around the area downing cheap cider and Super Lager and waking up the following morning covered in tar!

The 400 strong crowd for tonight’s show was made up of fans who had pre-ordered the new album and had been lucky enough to get pulled out of the hat for a pair of tickets. As this was the night prior to the album release date for most they would be hearing the new tracks for the first time and as such anticipation was high.

The band took the stage to a rousing cheer and kicked things off with the opening track from the new album, ’She Knows’. The track is an all-out rocker with an urgent riff which set the tone for the night. The twin guitar work of Jools and new man Tommy Gentry impressed throughout with Tommy’s soloing adding a more technical edge to the band’s sound.

The new tracks continued with the stomping ‘Here’s Where I Am’ followed by the album title track ‘Favourite Pleasures’ which sounded as sassy as its subject matter. The crowd may have been unfamiliar with the new material but judging by their reaction the guys have produced a winner.

More new tracks followed including the heavy and brooding ‘Black Heart’ and ‘Tragic Heroes’ with it’s U2 like guitar sound and soaring chorus. The highlight of the new tracks for me though was the album closer ‘The Boy Who Fooled The World’. Gentry swapped his guitar for the piano on this track and accompanied Dante on vocals to great effect.

Dante has come on in leaps and bounds as a frontman over the last few years and this track allows him to showcase his new found confidence in his abilities. The lyrics again return to the brothers’ younger years and will resonate with many ageing rock fans who listened religiously to the radio late on a Friday night for their weekly music fix.

Gentry then remained at the piano as the guys headed in to more familiar territory with ‘Crazy You’, the first of a few crowd pleasers. ‘Inside Out’ followed with the band being joined by a 400 strong choir as the crowd sang along to every word.

‘Shame On You’ continued the party which then led into a storming version of ‘Fight For Your Right To Party’ which should have rounded off the night according to the set list. The band though had other ideas and quickly took to the stage once more for a blast through another crowd favourite, ‘Steal Your Fire’, finally bringing things to a glorious climax.

This was an excellent showcase for the band’s new material and judging by the reaction of the crowd and the critical acclaim ‘Favourite Pleasures’ has already received in the press they are on to a winner. The band left the stage bathed in sweat and smiling from ear to ear, no doubt off to down a few cans of cheap cider and super lager. Well, some things never change…

Review and photos by Dave Wilson

Album review

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Power Plays w/c 9 December 2024

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