Live at Montrose Town Hall

26th April 2024

Its not very often that I go to a gig that’s two minutes from my home but tonight I’m photographing Scottish rock band GUN at Montrose Town Hall.

The band have been out promoting their new album “Hombres” with a serious of in-store record shops gigs across Scotland and the Northeast England.

The band was formed in Scotland by guitarist Giuliano “Jools” Gizzi, GUN have achieved 3 UK Top 20 albums and 8 UK Top 40 singles over their lauded career. GUN has toured extensively over the years, criss-crossing the globe with The Rolling Stones, Black Star Riders, The Cult, Lynyrd Skynyrd, Bon Jovi, and more, not to mention a slew of memorable festival sets at everything from Steelhouse to Download to Wacken. 2024 looks set to rack up even more miles in fine fashion.

The rock ruffians latest release was 2022’s collection of acoustic reworkings, The Calton Songs, which delighted fans and brought further chart success, clocking in at #2 on the Scottish album chart, #6 on the UK indie chart, and #13 on the UK physical albums chart. GUN also received two awards last November; the band was honoured with the Rock Legend award at Hard Rock Hell in Great Yarmouth and the Hard Rock Café Legends award at the Scottish Music Awards, the flagship event for the Nordoff-Robbins Music Therapy charity.

The band released their first single from the album called “Boys Don’t Cry” Vocalist Dante Gizzi comments on the track. It’s a song about those people who are steeped in a delusion of superiority; they strut through life expecting the world to shower them with favours, oblivious to the reality that humility and genuine effort pave the path to true accomplishment.”

Dante adds: “Gun have been around for a long time. We’ve done a lot. We’ve released a lot of music. But in some ways, it feels like we’re just getting started. We’ve already started writing songs for the next record. We don’t ever want to leave it so long again. This is what we do. We need this band. The pandemic taught us that.”

“I think this record did save us,” declares guitarist Giuliano “Jools” Gizzi. “But now I just want to get out there and play the songs to the fans. Not to waste any more time. People need music. They need to dance and have fun. We’ve all suffered too much. Let the good times roll!”

The band have since released a double single called “Lucky Guy” and “Falling” also taken from then new album “Hombres.”

Discussing the single “Lucky Guy“, vocalist Dante Gizzi says “The song is about a time I had celebrating my birthday in Los Angeles. Having the opportunity to be playing in Gun at that point, and also at such a young age, it was one of the most surreal and amazing experiences I’ve ever had. I felt like I was the luckiest guy in the world. It’s a reminder that sometimes, the memories we create and cherish in our lives are the greatest gifts anyone can ever have.”

Dante also spoke about the origins of the flip side of the single “Falling“, “Falling was a song idea that initially came from Jools. I remember him showing me the chords and the melody, and in an instant, I totally got it! I totally fell in love with the idea, and he knew that. Whenever this situation happens, I have to ask him to leave me to it so I can piece it together the way I hear it in my head, which he wholeheartedly agreed upon. For me, the most important factor of the song was how to make it build the right way. I got so into it; it took just a few hours to finish the demo version which doesn’t really differ that much from the album version…. Probably my favourite song on the album!”

After listening to Hombres for about the tenth time, it was the first three rock anthems “All Fired Up”, “Boys Don’t Cry”, and “Take Me Back Home” which really excited me for the gig in Montrose.

The bands ninth studio album really starts with a bang and doesn’t faulter anywhere across the thirteen tracks so the Gunners and Gunettes are in for one hell of a gig.

On my way to the venue, I was still wondering why GUN would be playing a gig in my small town like Montrose.

I’ve been inside this hall many times, so I was looking forward to the gig. It was back in 2017 that The View last played this venue to a packed house. 

With my photo-pass access sorted, I made my way inside. The merchandise vender was all set up as fans bought their official t-shirts. I made my way to the front of the stage to discover that there was no pit, It was a free-for-all at the front of the stage.

I thought it best to try and get a spot near the front as I would have to weave my way in and out the crowd to get photographs when then band came on.  

There was no support band on the night either, it was just good all Rock & Roll for the next hour or so. The band were on at 8.30 and got straight down to playing tracks from their Top 10 album HOMBRIES.

A few songs into the set the band stopped to introduce their new guitarist Ru Moy and it then became clearer why the band added Montrose into their tour dates. 

It was announced that Ru was a Montrose boy, and he was certainly not out of place in the band. “It was strange being back in my hometown Ru announced, I’ve played the Market Arms, Sharkys and the Star Bar on many occasions.

After a big cheer of support for Ru it was back to entertaining the fans and what a memorable night it was for the small town of Montrose.