On the final date of this leg of the Young Guns headline tour, Blitz Kids say their goodbyes as the main and only support band. Their set is a well-chosen collaboration of the biggest choruses in their back catalogue- and being a band who know how to write a big chorus, they have A LOT. As they rattle through some of their most upbeat material like Run For Cover and Sometimes, much beer is consumed while they battle the smoke shot on stage by tonight’s headliners. ‘The smoke machine is being controlled by Young Guns!’ Cue many terrible puns about smoke before half of the band drop into an impromptu rendition of the intro to Korn’s Blind. With this in mind, you’d be hard pressed to not have even a little bit of fun while watching a Blitz Kids show.
On their first UK headline tour in over two years, Young Guns are not doing things by halves. This tour is split into two; spread out over three months with a stint in America in the middle. With this touring schedule it would seem Young Guns really are back and more than ready for the future.
Opener I Want Out is welcomed as an old favourite now, after it was given its first showcase in their slot supporting Bullet For My Valentine on their arena tour in 2013, as well at last year’s Reading and Leeds Festivals, and the band’s preceding warm up shows. As is the case with the recently released Rising Up- this is an absolute dance anthem which gives this Liverpool crowd the biggest chance they could possibly need for an all-out sing along. The band look incredibly happy to be back on stage, especially Gustav Wood who seems to be the very embodiment of the idea that albums are a product of the time they were made for a band; this is the most innovative and exciting time for Young Guns yet and it’s easy to see that here in a live setting.
Revelling in their renewed energy, not only are Young Guns playing brand new songs, there are also some older songs on the setlist that have rarely been played live in the past. After The War from their debut album, as well as Everything Ends from Bones, hit a level of seriousness and honesty that is necessary during a good show to bring balance to the dynamics. Plus, the crowd are ecstatic to hear something a little different.
In true Young Guns fashion, they opt to play a never before heard song entitled Daylight- which according to Gustav is the only word you need to know. Of course he’s right, and as he does his thing on the keyboards, it further promises nothing short of game-changing things for their new album. The same is true for another newer one, Speaking In Tongues, which paired with super-oldie Weight Of The World, makes for a fitting end to a night of appreciating the old and embracing the new. It’s difficult to ever imagine a time that closer Bones won’t send the recipients all kinds of crazy. Whatever feeling it is that Young Guns have in their bones about the future, it can’t possibly be anything but a good one.
Young Guns’ third album, Ones and Zeros is out June 8th and is available for pre-order now!
Photos by Erin Moore at Forte Photography UK
