Review: Young Guns return home for gig (From St Albans & Harpenden Review)

Review: Young Guns return home for gig

3:06pm Wednesday 8th February 2012 in This week By Victoria MacFarlaine

FROM hearing the high-pitched, girly screams, you’d have thought you were at a Take That concert.

But far from it. The stage was set for rockers Young Guns - who were performing at High Wycombe’s Bucks New Uni - and the students were whipped into a frenzy of anticipation.

The five-piece certainly looked the part as they arrived on stage. Singer Gustav Wood flicked back his tousled hair as he led the way, resplendent in tattoos and skin-tight trousers.

But it wasn’t just style. Wood and the band delivered a fine and enthralling rock performance, as they leapt about the stage and threw themselves at the barriers to be greeted by sweaty youngsters who clamoured to get closer.

Young Guns, who wrote their new album Bones in a shed at drummer Ben Jolliffe’s home in Little Marlow, started their set with the title track, and led the audience through a rock journey of songs including Towers, Weight of the World and Elements.

Special mention must go to Jolliffe, who blew the venue apart with his ferocious power and speed. Beads of water could be seen flying into the air as he worked hard, hitting every beat with precision.

Wood was clearly at ease on stage as he chatted to the audience, explaining how their devotion and support meant so much to them.

The band, which includes bassist Simon Mitchell and brothers Fraser and John Taylor, who are both guitarists, originally came together at The White Horse pub in West Wycombe Road. He told how they were excited to be back home as they returned to this venue.

This gig served as a reminder why Young Guns have shot to fame so quickly and why they have such dedicated supporters who knew every single lyric and shouted them back at the band.

Just one criticism: why no encore?