Written by Nad Khan
Young Guns have spent the best part of six years tightening the screws of their big rock sound. Second album Bones, contained their most successful material, garnering a positive reception for its stadium-sized choruses and shout-along gang vocals.
Latest album Ones and Zeros is much of the same, although the band seemed to have reigned in their more alternative nuances and honed in on making simple, yet effective ‘Tunes’. This straight –edged approach to songwriting definitely helps tonight as they play Think Tank to a sold out crowd. Everyone knows the words and Singer Gustav Wood doesn’t stop reminding them how important they are to the band’s success ‘Sorry we’ve been away for so long Newcastle’, ‘I’ve never felt better than when I’m playing to an audience like this’. He’s right to be so appreciative, the crowd give everything – screaming the lyrics back in solidarity and some eager fans doing a bit of face-planting off Think Tank’s smaller than average stage.
Young Guns are clearly made for bigger venues than this and it’s easy to see why they’ve gained such a loyal following. Their stage show is slicker than thou – each member looking as if they know exactly what makes the crowd tick. I’d have paid £13 just to see the drummer play so hard, that his face looks like it’s about to drop off. You certainly get your money’s worth with a band like this. It doesn’t even matter if bassist, Simon Mitchell flicks his hair back like a L’Oreal advert every two seconds or Wood’s is wearing the most garish Nike emblazoned snapback – this is pure entertainment.
It could be easy to slag the band’s cliché lyrics off, but you’d be missing the point completely, this is a band made for the immediacy and power of a loud, live setting - there’s no time to ponder what the songs are about. Tracks like ‘I Want Out’ and ‘Rising Up’ are unbelievable catchy and equally memorable as I sit and listen to them days later, immediately recognizing each moment of the gig.
It’s not what you’d expect of a band who supported Bon Jovi and have been likened to Lost Prophets – something that would now be classed as tarnishing. Look past the predictable chord changes and the band’s sound is made up of intricate, glitchy electronics, arpeggios and panoramic ambience that would put them nearer to Pendulum or Enter Shikari. ‘Daylight’ begins like an old Muse track and evolves into a strong rock ballad with some effective Violin-work.
As the curfew looms (to make way for a club night) the band continues to work the crowd, some of whom are passing out near the front. Wood offers them water and makes sure everyone’s ok, before finishing off with ‘Bones’. Young Guns are nothing short of epic live, something that’s down to their craftsmanship and professionalism, but most simply their love of playing to a responsive crowd.
