News / Gun to rock the isles in March
ROCK fans in Shetland are in for a treat in March when one of Scotland’s best loved rock bands head north to start their UK tour in the isles.
Gun, who supported the Rolling Stones 20 years ago, play the Burra Public Hall on Friday 5 March as the first show of their Popkiller 2010 tour.
The Glasgow-based band formed in 1987 and two years later signed to A&M Records, enjoying instant success with their debut single Better Days entering the UK chart at number 33, while the subsequent album Taking On The World charted in the top 40.
In 1990 Gun toured the US for the first time and picked up quite a number of fans along the way, not least Mick Jagger, who personally invited the group to join the European leg of the Rolling Stones Urban Jungle tour, which included a gig at Hampden Park in the band’s city.
The early ‘90s brought continued success for Gun with the release of two more albums, 1992’s Gallus and Swagger which made the UK top five on its release in 1994.
The band also had eight top 40 singles, most notably Word Up!, which charted at number eight and remains Gun’s most famous release.
After 10 years together Gun called it a day in 1997 and the band members went their own way. Bassist Dante Gizzi reappeared in 2005 as the frontman in glam rockers El Presidente.
Gun’s story picks up again in 2008 when the founding members decided to reform the band along with new vocalist Toby Jepson, the ex-frontman in Little Angels, for a charity gig in Glasgow.
The show proved to be a great success and Gun decided to reform permanently with Jepson replacing original singer Mark Rankine.
A full UK tour ensued taking in venues such as the Shepherd’s Bush Empire in London, the Carling Academy in Glasgow and a main stage appearance at T In The Park.
2009 saw the band enter the studio together for the first time in over a decade, resulting in the mini-album Popkiller, a recording which proved Gun had not lost the ability to craft hook-laden anthems.
This year will see Gun tour their new material alongside their impressive back catalogue.
Alan McLeod, from promoters A Northern Soul, said he was delighted that the band had chosen to start their new tour in Shetland. “It’s a huge coup for us to get a band of Gun’s stature coming to Shetland to play a show and I’m sure that both the band and everyone attending the concert are in for a great night,” he said.
Support for the night comes from veterans of the Shetland rock scene, Rip Torn, who themselves used to cover Gun songs when they started out.
Tickets are on sale now, priced £17.50, in person from the Shetland Box Office at Islesburgh Community Centre or by calling 01595 745555.
Doors at the Burra Hall open at 7.30pm and the event is open to over 18s only.
For more information on Gun, log onto their website at www.gunofficial.co.uk
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