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On Tuesday November 17^th Gomez returned to Southampton to an excited reception at Southampton University. Garden Court filled up early and the crowd was seething with anticipation well before the support act even took to the stage. Frightened Rabbit opened the show, an earthy and energetic band from Scotland who took the audience through a selection of material that showed off the range of their writing styles.

Frightened Rabbit had brought along a decent fan base of their own, and it was easy to see why. They have a real gift for writing, with some very satisfying arrangements and great lyrical ideas. Some of the vocal harmonies really added texture to the sound of the group and they displayed a good range of dynamics with powerful build ups from tender and reflective moments to driving powerhouse energy that had the crowd rocking out. The musicians were extremely versatile, with each band member performing on a range of instruments during the set as well as most of them adding vocals to the overall sound. The lead vocals were sometimes unconvincing pitch-wise but the singer had a great vocal texture and indulged the audience with some superb guitar playing. It seemed as though the pivotal performer was the drummer, who was the most communicative towards the audience and whose relentless energy appeared to be a powerful force within the group. Frightened Rabbit proved they were a very tight band made up of fantastic instrumentalists, and their performance that night made them a lot of new friends.

Gomez knew exactly what the audience wanted and they delivered it with ease, throwing a couple of surprises into the mix for good measure. The headliners played a vast range of their original material, from their early albums right up to their latest release ‘A New Tide’. The set began quite mellow and gradually grew towards heavier material by the end. Many of the older tracks were given fresh new arrangements, which was extremely satisfying for the fans. Each band member was so comfortable on stage that they appeared to play effortlessly. From the understated but satisfyingly tight bass lines to the languid yet engaging lead vocal delivery, the group played flawlessly and really seemed to enjoy themselves. Gomez managed to cater for additional instrument sounds on some of their tracks using synths and had also worked some laptop programming into the overall mix, giving them a varied sound throughout the performance.

Gomez have always had great lyrics and subject matter, and their new material proved that this talent is in no danger of waning. Their trademark balance of interesting yet accessible chord sequences, intelligent musical textures and powerful melodies has developed into an impressive arsenal of undeniably great songs. Along with this, the band has developed into an impressive group of great musicians. All the vocalists showed a real professionalism to their delivery and technique, and the counter-melodies and solos on guitar were brilliant with no overkill that would have spoiled the meticulous arrangements. The keyboard, synths, laptops and percussion made superb additions that were essential to the overall sound and performed faultlessly. The drummer was very tight, with an extensive kit set up that allowed for both the sensitivity and the energy that the material required.

Gomez showed a really good rapport with their audience and had a great reception. An impressive set had the crowd cheering and singing along to ‘Whipping Piccadilly’ and when the lights came back up after three encores it seemed as though everyone still wanted more. Gomez have really grown as a group, and showed a maturity in their music that was reflected both in the variety of new writing styles and the unexpected rearrangements of some of their classics. That said, the band have still retained their exuberance, energy and the unmistakeable sound that they have used to hone their musical identity.

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