GUN, Scottish rock stalwarts that you’ll doubtless remember from the 90s, brought their Hombres tour to Leeds’ legendary Brudenell Social Club.
Shooting to prominence off the back of a couple of good albums and a big hit with their cover of Word Up, the band were a regular fixture on the rock and festival scene through the mid 1990s. After a few personnel changes and a fourth album that didn’t match the expectations set by Gallus and Swagger the brand took a lengthy break.
But, GUN have been back, around the fringes of the rock scene for the last dozen years and have a further 5 studio albums behind them. Hombres, released in April 2024, marks a return to chart success, hitting the top 10 in the UK. That performance was no doubt helped by the inclusion of Lucky Guy and Pride, in Samuel L. Jackson’s film Damaged, something they band acknowledge as they play these tracks during their set.
It marks a genuine return to form in its own right though, and the show bears that out. This is a group that still know how to kill it out there. It’s a long time since I’d seen them live. A really long time, and a lot of different members ago. When they supported Bon Jovi on the These Days tour, lead singer Dante Gizzi was still playing bass, and the only other surviving member from back then is founder Jools Gizzi.
Now, Dante takes the lead vocal spot and is a natural front man. The voice is raw and resonant and connects readily with the faithful that couldn’t be closer to the stage unless they were on it with the band. Dante’s presence up front kept the energy flowing, but it was coupled with a dose of genuine humility. They’re a band that has seen a lot of changes of personnel over the years and with a lengthy hiatus in their history, you get the sense that they’re relishing their current moment back in the spotlight.
The set is a mix of old and new. 5 tracks from the 10 on the latest record, with the remainder of the 17 song set spanning their back catalogue.
There are predictably strong responses to songs like Word Up, Don’t Say It’s Over and Welcome to the Real World, alongside deeper cuts to keep the devoted happy.
The encore showed a different side, with an intimate acoustic version of Taking On The World, before a final blast into Shame On You, and a raucous cover of Fight For Your Right.
It was a great night, with support from Collateral and the brilliant Kira Mac. This latest success may have been a while coming, but they’ve certainly delivered this tour with a bang.
Set list
Lucky Guy
She Knows
Vicious Heart
Don’t Say Its Over
All Fired Up
Welcome To The Real World
Falling
Pride
Money (Everybody Loves Her)
Take Me Back Home
Word Up
Better Days
Inside Out
Steal Your Fire
Taking On The World (acoustic)
Shame
Fight For Your Right
