Gun, Barrowland, Glasgow

Jonathan Geddes

Four stars

Black Friday, and while Christmas parties were taking place up and down the land, here were Gun with a suitably Yuletide show. It even worked in a few features that seem to occur at every bash – someone took ill, there was an unsteady attempt at covering a pop song, and the night ended with a sing-a-long to Merry Xmas Everybody.

The first of those points carried the most importance. Dante Gizzi, once Gun’s bassist but now their swaggering singer, mentioned he was sick and had needed a strong prescription just for the gig to go ahead. At times, it showed, with a voice that was more of a rasp than normal and a stage manner that was a little subdued, especially early on.

Yet Gun are a hardy bunch. They have weathered the reunion blues better than most, and a steady diet of unreconstructed rock was served up, barrelling along at a fair old rate. This year’s Frantic album provided a few poppier moments, with the sleek title track and the sashaying One Wrong Turn carrying some character.

The old favourites, meanwhile, aimed for the gut and mostly delivered, from an early double-header of Don’t Say It’s Over and Better Days that went straight for the anthemic punch and connected to a closing raucous run highlighted by towering versions of Inside Out and Word Up, songs that motored along on audience interaction. Such gleeful spirits meant the gig survived a few lulls, notably a take on Every1’s A Winner that never got going.

The remainder, however, offered up no frills classic rock played in punchy fashion, right down to that closing Slade cover. Festive fun all the way.