Live Review: Gun at The Patriot, Home of Rock, Crumlin, Wales. 29th March 2024 - Paul Hutchings

They’ve been around since 1987, hit the top ten in the UK charts in 1994 with their cover of Cameo’s Word Up, and are about to release their ninth studio album, Hombres. Always a hot ticket in South Wales, Gun returned to the Patriot – Home of Rock in Crumlin for a third successive sold-out show as part of their Hombres promotional tour. 

This was the first opportunity to see new guitarist Ruaraidh ‘Roo’ McFarlane and by the end of the set you’d be forgiven for mistaking him for a ten-year veteran, such was the way in which he has slotted into the band. With the crowd right on top of you, there’s no hiding place at The Patriot and tonight it’s evident that singer Dante Gizzi, alongside brother Jools, McFarlane, drummer Paul McManus and bassist Andy Carr are in fine form.

Buoyed by the enthusiastic crowd and sharpened by a few earlier shows, Gun hold the audience in their palm for the entire show. It's not an overlong evening, in fact, it’s surprisingly short, with just over 65-minutes and 12-songs making up the set. But this is the album launch show, and we are treated to six songs from Hombres. There’s the punchy rocker All Fired Up, the gentle semi-ballad Falling and opener Lucky Guy. They sound good, fitting in neatly with six classics which get the place jumping. 

 

No Word Up tonight, but we get singalong classics Steal Your Fire, Don’t Say it’s Over and the encore Inside Outside which has the place rocking. Confident, enjoying their stage time and in a good place, Gun are as vibrant as I’ve ever seen them over the past years. As the Patriot empties into a surprisingly cold evening, there are smiles everywhere. Hopefully the Scots will be back for a longer set in the very near future.

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