YOUNG GUNS
PLUS: Deaf Havana and Stars Of The Search Party
The Hippodrome, Kingston-Upon-Thames
18/07/2010
Words: Kelly Jones
There certainly has been a great deal of talk about High Wycombe band Young Guns, and tonight, in a matinee show hosted by Banquet Records, they certainly prove to live up to their hype. Their debut album, All Our Kings Are Dead, has just hit the shelves and seems to be being lifted from them just as fast.
Tonight Young Guns are supported by local Surrey band Stars Of The Search Party, who crash quickly through their set, occasionally stopping to hand out freebies to the crowd, including T-shirts and CDs. The crowd, notably quite young due to the All Ages policy, are temporarily infatuated and go wild for the up-and-coming band. As they walk offstage a long and strenuous ten minute struggle between a group of people erupts – over the band’s freebie T-shirt. Never the less, Stars Of The Search Party have managed to work the crowd up well, and they eagerly anticipate the second support band.
Tonight, support is also given by King’s Lynn quintet Deaf Havana; like the band before them they manage to put on quite a show. They power through their set with virtually no interruptions, and certainly aurally explain to all people present why they receive such praise for their live shows and music. It almost feels like something is greatly missing with Deaf Havana’s set though, despite grandiose and ambitious music. However, it’s clear without former screamer Ryan they can still put on quite an impressive show.
Anticipation is running high for the headlining act tonight, and screams erupt the second they step out on stage. Tonight, Young Guns own the crowd – no, tonight Young Guns own Kingston itself. The band have played a sold-out UK headline tour, supported the likes of Bon Jovi and are now clearing the way ahead of many of their peers and contemporaries to quickly becoming an extremely successful band. The crowd are frenzied with excitement, gathering energy with every song. Vocalist Gustav Wood has the crowd right where he wants them – and he knows it. At one point he splits them directly down the middle to command a Wall of Death, and without a moments hesitation the crowd find themselves facing each other, full of impetuous enthusiasm. It certainly is a credit to Young Guns’ hard work to know the last time they played here in Kingston just over a year ago it was in a small pub down the road called The Fighting Cocks – to now be commanding a large crowd in the Hippodrome is an achievement they should be nothing but proud of.
The band charge energetically through their explosive set, playing singles such as Crystal Clear and Sons of Apathy. The highlights, however, include the non-singles off their album, including Beneath The Waves and Weight of the World. It’s clear to see they have a loyal following, with the eager crowd passionately singing their songs back to them. Their entire set seems to fly by so fast, it’s simply hard not to be drawn into Young Guns stage presence as they play, an animated Gustav charging through songs and leaping around the stage. As they finally retire from the stage, the crowd is left cheering and chanting for an encore, dying for more – sadly, their wish goes ungranted.
One thing is certain, that tonight Young Guns prove just how far they’ve come from playing the small Kingston pub, and have set a pathway where they can only go up.
