Tonight’s headliners, Young Guns from Wycombe, take to the stage; a wave of cheers welcomes them. With this being their biggest headline show, they waste no time in starting their set. They begin with the explosive ‘Elements’ and follow up with fast-paced ‘Sons of Apathy’ from their album All Our Kings Our Dead, but due to lighting difficulties the venue is left in darkness and they are forced to leave the stage.
Lead singer Gustav Wood returns, calling the group a self-confessed “DIY band” and saying they’ll continue on with only two spotlights. They burst back onto the stage and straight into ‘D.O.A.’ The energy is high after the unexpected break, with growing excitement when Young Guns share with the audience their new track ‘Bones’, which has the whole room joining in with the catchy chorus.
The highlights of their set include ‘Stitches’ and ‘Crystal Clear’, as well as surprise appearances from ‘Daughter of the Sea’ and ‘There Will Be Rain’ from their EP Mirrors which the audience jump and scream too. Due to the earlier wait, they abandon the encore tradition and stay on stage to play three more tracks, finishing with ‘Weight of the World’. Passion seeps from the band as they control the stage, engage with their fans throughout, and as Gustav jumps into the audience on the final chorus he is swallowed by the delighted fans. He re-emerges and thanks the audience before his rock quintet leave with wide smiles on their faces.
Despite technical difficulties, Young Guns proved to the keen crowd that they do not need big lights to put on an enthusiastic show. With a thirst to play great music, this talented band left fans eagerly awaiting their new album, and another headline tour.
