GUN Favourite Pleasures Album Launch

Date: 14 September
Venue: St Luke’s, Glasgow
Support: 100 Fables

If you’ve followed decibelROGUE for any length of time you’ll know that one of our favourite pleasures is watching GUN perform live. So when we were given the opportunity to go along to the launch of their new album at the wonderful St Luke’s in Glasgow last night, we weren’t about to pass it up.

Favourite Pleasures is GUN’s seventh studio album and is without a shadow of a doubt one of their very best. It’s certainly their strongest and most accomplished collection of songs since reuniting almost a decade ago. By now all of the pre-ordered albums should be dropping through letterboxes and y’all can check it out for yourselves!

Support at last night’s show was provided by the brilliant 100 Fables. It’s been 2 years since we first saw Lyndsey Liora and her band perform on the big stage at Linlithgow’s Party At the Palace. A high energy mix of post punk and new wave, 100 Fables are one of the most exciting new bands we have come across in ages. Performing a stripped back set here, they included old favourites like Metropolis and new single Wake Up.

In recent times decibelROGUE has seen GUN rock out to packed audiences in some of Glasgow’s biggest venues. So as Dante and the guys took to the stage of the intimate 450 capacity St Luke’s  last night, we couldn’t help but feel that this had the all the makings of being an extra special occasion – especially since GUN were bringing new material to the table.

The first seven songs of the set came from Favourite Pleasures. And the good news for all GUN fans out there is that their new material translates brilliantly from the album to their live performances. Far more guitar-focussed and (dare I say it) gallus than anything since Swagger, GUN have returned to the kind of vibe that made us fall in love with the band in the first place.

It was also a night where ‘new boy’ Tommy Gentry showed his talents extend far beyond being a superb guitarist, as he switched to piano for The Boy Who Fooled The World. And he stayed behind the keys for what was the best live version of Crazy You I’ve ever heard the band perform.

Highlight of the new songs was Black Heart. To my mind it’s the stand-out track of Favourite Pleasures and was the one I was looking forward to hearing performed live most of all. Take your pick of adjectives for this song: anthemic, swaggering, arena rockin’. It’s all of these things, and is sure to become a cornerstone of GUN’s live performances after last night’s blistering introduction.

As the band rounded out the night with some crowd favourites, it was hard not to think of Favourite Pleasures as being a defining moment for GUN. Although they have a back catalogue to die for, it’s almost as if everything they’ve done in the last decade has been cast in it’s shadow. Until last night I couldn’t imagine a GUN gig without them playing signature song Word Up. It wasn’t in last night’s set, yet the gig was none the worse for it’s omission. I never thought I’d EVER hear myself saying a thing like that!

With the release of Favourite Pleasures it feels like GUN have stepped out of their own shadow.

What a gig! Buy the album.

Setlist

She Knows
Here’s Where I Am
Favourite Pleasures
Silent Lovers
Black Heart
Tragic Heroes
The Boy Who Fooled The World
Crazy You
Inside Out
Shame On You
(You Gotta) Fight for Your Right (To Party!)
Steal Your Fire

Gun Gallery

100 Fables