Gut Reactions (post-gig memories and other trips): GUN, "The Calton Songs Tour 22", Barrowlands, Glasgow. Sat 10th December 2022

Despite arriving later than intended, we found a parking space near to the venue. The short walk was Baltic with a real chill in the air and black ice on the pavement (I nearly went on my arse twice). Fortunately, we didn't have to wait long outside as the queue was tiny by this time.

This, unfortunately, meant the security team were under no time pressure and my frisking official did his duty with forensic diligence, even locating two pockets in my wallet that I didn't even know existed. He demonstrated a determination hitherto unseen by concertgoers, akin to a junkie looking for a fix, as he pulled out my credit cards and sorted through the notes and coins searching for illegal contraband. His eagerness was probably the consequence of him finding the Wagg dog treats that I'd forgotten were in my change pocket, which he didn't believe weren't illicit. I commented, "a sniffer dog could tell you they're not drugs", but then realised that suggestion would backfire if put into practice, the excited dog wagging its tail for the snack, ending up with me getting a cavity search. For all his fastidiousness though, he forgot to look under my hat, a small tip for all you drug mules out there.

Gin Annie, the second support act (we'd arrived too late to see the first one, Empyre), were excellent with a tight sound and great tunes. My wife didn't like them much because of all the gratuitous swearing, particularly from the guitarist (I'd never take her to see Biffy 'Fucking' Clyro). In a certain light, the lead singer could pass for Guz Khan in what became the first of three lookalikes of the evening.

The third support act, King Herd, disappointed me. I only enjoyed one of the songs, Halo. When the bassist and guitarist added their backing vocals, they were so out of tune, they sounded F**king Awful (as I later dubbed the band). By the end of their set, there were more audience eyes on their phones than the stage as people followed the final minutes of added time in the England World Cup game against France, the result coming through as the band left the stage. I like to think some of the muted cheers were for the band's departure.

The night's second lookalike came in the shape of the band's bassist, rocking some army reservist clobber, akin to Nick Frost in Spaced.

I missed GUN's Barrowland show last year because I had to isolate after being in contact with someone with Covid so I was excited to see them (even though I'd caught them at their Hard Rock Cafe show recently). They'd had to cancel the two previous dates on the tour due to illness so I wasn't sure what kind of performance to expect. They'd also replaced Tommy on guitar for reasons never explained.

When ACDC's It's a Long Way to the Top (If You Wanna Rock 'N' Roll) came on loud and clear, the excitement started to build. A plain white curtain formed a backdrop along the entire length of the stage. The lights went down and the image of a Chinese dragon flew across the backdrop, twisting and turning until eventually, it came for the audience, jaws widening, revealing the GUN logo. And we were off...

If they were under the weather, it didn't show. Dante's vocals were powerful (though later in the set you could sense they were beginning to crack) and the band rocked us loudly. The audience was loud too singing along to their anthems in a set more focused on the older songs, the ones written at the Calton.

Introducing the second song, Dante had a cheeky wee pop at England, renaming it, "It's not Coming Home", followed by Vive La France, much to our amusement.

They hadn't come on till 9.30 pm so fourteen songs later at 11 pm, I figured they were going to have to cut the set short. But no, they kept playing, finishing on a high at ten past with Shame on You and Fight For Your Right ( to Party). Or Paaaaaaaaaar-tay, as we all screamed.

The third lookalike of the evening came in the shape of new/old guitarist Dave Aitken who I believe is a dead ringer for Ricky Warwick of Black Star Riders (albeit with fewer tattoos and longer hair).