Live Review

Yellowcard – Barrowlands, Glasgow

• 10th Mar 2011

Young Guns and Yellowcard both played entertaining and well received sets in Glasgow last night in support of All Time Low.

Young Guns are a young band with a big future. The highly regarded High Wycombe based hardcore quintet have secured a number of high profile support slots and showed exactly why in this short set.

They have a bass heavy sound and are ably led by singer Gustav Wood who performed energetically, standing on the risers at the front of the stage and leaning out over the crowd as he encouraged them to sing along.

The single Stitches was perhaps the standout track, delivered with power and passion and featuring both a fine guitar solo and a keyboard part over softer vocals at the end. Wood encouraged the audience to bounce along to the song, and it almost felt like the punk pogo days of long ago were back.

The whole set was full of power and dynamism, delivered with a passion. Young Guns have a new album out later this year to follow on from their debut All Our Kings Are Dead. It should be worth waiting for.

Yellowcard took to the stage accompanied by a blinding light show that was synchronised to the almost impossibly fast pace of their music. After a two year hiatus the Florida band is back on the road and not a moment too soon for their fans.

Their punk/ pop sound swings from solid hard rock to more melodic pop-influenced punk, all based on a solid rhythm section and that two guitar assault. But it is the playing of violinist Sean Mackin that gives an added edge. It is an unusual sound, but it works well.

Singer Ryan Key apologised for not having played Glasgow in six years and promised to be back later in the year when they tour to promote new album When You’re Through Thinking, Say Yes. It seems unlikely that too many of the mostly teenage crowd had been at the previous show, but they responded noisily to the promise made.

Yellowcard use change of tempo very well, the music falling softly before rising to new heights. They returned to their 2007 album Paper Walls to play Fighting and Five Becomes Four, which starts with almost plaintive vocals before the power of the band kicks in. It typifies their musical approach, as power is blended with finesse to create damned good rock music.

Hang You Up from the forthcoming album saw Key play acoustic guitar for an uncharacteristically slower ballad. And then it was current single For You and Your Denial, which was a highlight with its powerful chords and pounding drums.

The closing Ocean Avenue, a longtime fan favourite, had the audience whipped into a frenzy as the drums got even faster and the guitars wailed, ending the set in frenetic fashion.

It is a pity that Yellowcard only had forty minutes on stage to display their prowess. But they made the most of the short time and demonstrated why their fans are so eagerly awaiting their new album. When they return as headliners later in the year the band will be sure to receive a fine welcome.