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Gun’s profile is set to be higher in 2024 than at any time since they reformed, with songs being used in a Samuel L Jackson movie, festival dates already announced and most importantly a new album in ‘Hombres’, their first of all new material in nearly seven years.
The Scots undertook a series of dates to promote the new release with ticket and album bundles, a brave move considering its release was still a few weeks away, and after initially filling slowly, by showtime the London leg at the 100 Club was packed. The only dampener was some stage lighting that must have made the numerous pro photographers at the front wince.
There were a few line-up changes with a trio of female backing singers and a new second guitarist in the long-haired, youthful Ru MacFarlane. Very much still there were the Gizzi brothers, singer Dante coming on stage in typically casual manner wearing a thick reefer jacket that he somehow managed to wear all set without sweating.
Appropriately for an album launch they opened with a new song in the instantly catchy ‘Lucky Guy’ before a trip back to last album ‘Favourite Pleasures’ in ‘Here I Am’ which had slightly more of an indie feel with Dante singing in a low register.
What was immediately apparent was guitarist Guliano ‘Jools’ Gizzi playing with more fire and animation than for some while and this impression continued during the first of a smaller number of oldies than usual in ‘Don’t Say Its Over’, the crowd punching the air to the chorus while Paul McManus produced some added drum fills with a flourish.
With a neat symmetry, impressive (the clichéd desire/higher couplet apart) brand new single ‘All Fired Up’ gave way to their very first in ‘Better Days’, Dante working the crowd, who were particularly raucous shouting out the ‘for better days’ as the counterpoint line on the chorus.
There were then a series of new numbers with ‘You Are What I Need’ one of the less immediate, then by the time of the instantly catchy ‘Boys Don’t Cry’ and ‘Falling’, Ru was taking his first couple of solos of the night very impressively.
A final newie in ‘Take Me Back Home’ had a raw energy that reminded me in the verses of former counterparts The Almighty, indeed summing up the musical vibe of the night.
Nevertheless most of us hankered after some old favourites and were belatedly rewarded with ‘Steal Your Fire’. It was dedicated to one of their contemporaries, Skin guitarist Myke Gray now in a parallel career as a photographer: indeed after he was singing the song’s praises, Dante cheekily instructed him to put his camera away. Ru moved centre stage for an excellent solo, reminding me in style and tone of fellow Scot Brian Robertson, and it was followed, as at nearly every Gun show, by ‘Shame On You’ with plenty of bouncing around.
Although that was the official end of the setlist, feeding off the enthusiasm of the crowd, they returned for an encore of another of those debut album anthems that never get old in ‘Inside Out’. The set was a little on the short side at an hour but this was no ordinary gig, instead a chance to familiarise the crowd with new material. The strength of those songs on first listen suggests that Gun are an act rejuvenated and well worth seeing again later this year for a full length set.
Review and Photos by Andy Nathan
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14:00-16:00 KATARINA PEJAK – Pearls On A String (Ruf Records)
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