Young Guns - HMV Forum, London - 16th September 2011 (Live Review)
Friday, 23 September 2011
Written by Matthew Williamson
Just over a year ago Young Guns were headlining the Relentless Garage. Since then they’ve done a headline tour last winter, supported All Time Low on their jaunt of the UK and, today, in a culmination of yet another tour, they’re playing to 2,350 people at the HMV Forum in the capital, their biggest headlining show to date.
Dangerous! are just finishing their set as we arrive. The band, personally requested by Young Guns, walk off to warm applause. The quartet from Australia, with their catchy rock hooks and killer anthems are sure to be one of the names to watch, even here, half-way around the world.
The black sheep of the tour would have to be the The Xcerts (small pic). It’s clear that the crowd aren’t really too sure what to make of the trio from Aberdeen (via Exeter), although there’s definitely some of the audience sporting t-shirts and moving along to the music. The band themselves are impressive. Frontman, Murray Macleod, seems intent on making an impression. The finale of the band's set consists of Macleod howling “hurt with me” at the onlookers, some look a little baffled.
In contrast, American pop-punkers Every Avenue have the whole crowd bouncing up and down. Their set isn’t completely smooth though, their guitarist apparently breaking his foot during the first song. Despite all of the crowd participation their set is slightly lacklustre. Even though vocalist, David Ryan Strauchman, bounces around the stage there’s just the, dare I say it, X Factor missing from the performance to propel it into a memorable half an hour.
There's a buzz in the crowd before the start of the evening’s headliners. The band are one of the fastest rising talents of the UK scene and it doesn’t look like it’ll be long before they’ll be making another step up to headline bigger venues. There is however, a problem clearly evident tonight, right from the outset. The lights aren’t working. The first two songs are played in complete darkness, with only a couple of flashes from the rig desperately trying to kick itself into action.
Due to this technical fault the band depart from the stage just two songs in. Gustav Wood reappears almost ten minutes later to explain that it doesn’t look like they’re going to be able to get it working again but, to the band’s credit, they don’t let it phase them. A couple of lights in the stage wings are turned on and then, after a rather spectacular display of everybody’s cameras flashing in sync, the rest of the band re-joins Wood.
Even without the light show Young Guns are impressive. The teenage audience lap up the energy from the band, and vice versa. It’s obvious why the band are rocketing. Songs such as ‘Crystal Clear' and ‘Winter Kiss’ bring massive sing-a-longs and closing song, ‘Weight of the World’, is an excellent way to round off the evening, with yet more voices from the crowd accompanying Wood.
With a new album due out soon and an ever-growing fanbase, there seems to be no stopping the High Wycombe quintet. You also have to bear in mind that in just over a month this will be home of the shows around the Q Awards, with names like Kaiser Chiefs and Snow Patrol gracing the same stage, as well as the Eastpak Antidote Tour stopping here in November with A Day To Remember. It would therefore be a disservice to call Young Guns the next big thing because, by the looks of tonight, they’re already there.
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The black sheep of the tour would have to be the The Xcerts (small pic). It’s clear that the crowd aren’t really too sure what to make of the trio from Aberdeen (via Exeter), although there’s definitely some of the audience sporting t-shirts and moving along to the music. The band themselves are impressive. Frontman, Murray Macleod, seems intent on making an impression. The finale of the band's set consists of Macleod howling “hurt with me” at the onlookers, some look a little baffled.
