There are a lot of musicians who wish they could live up to the boisterous energy of 80’s hair bands, but only one local band actually pulls it off.

This came to light when Young Bull hit the Bottleneck stage on Saturday night to open for Paper Buffalo’s final show. Honestly, you can’t really peg this band into one genre, because they’re capable of doing it all. But their lively demeanor and insatiable appetite for fun resonates a hair band chord with us.

Even if you hold a disdain for the personality traits of 80’s hair bands, such as overly cocky guitarists or showy douchebag vocalists, you won’t find that with Young Bull. They abandon all of those disagreeable traits, trim the fat, and end up left with a lean cut of pure rock and roll.

What Young Bull does gets your body moving, whether you are prepared to get down or not. The band is made up of a sort of hodgepodge of local musicians from other bands, primarily Amenaza . That means every single member arrives loaded with skill (and witty, pun-filled banter between songs). Together, as Young Bull, they have only a handful of shows under their belts. But their longevity in this scene means an advantage with a bit of a built-in audience, while their exciting approach to performing nabs them a few new fans as well.

They’re too entertaining to miss, and too talented to ignore. Young Bull is a must-see band that deserves to grace several lineups around Lawrence.

Words and photos by Fally Afani