GOMEZ live review

Funny thing about Gomez. They seem to be more popular in Australia than they are in their homeland. They frequently visit our shores and sell out everywhere, whereas their shows in the UK aren't that well received. Obviously there is something about Gomez that appeals to the Aussie psyche.

This is a look back at a Gomez show at the Enmore, Sydney on Easter Weekend in March 2005..

Good Friday?

Good Friday?

If you believe the bible then that is the day that Luke Skywalker died. What's good about that? There was nothing good about it then and there's nothing good about it now either.

Take gigs for example. They're all screwy on Good Friday. I arrive at the Enmore a little after 9pm thinking Gelbison will be due on stage any minute - but oh no, it's fuckin’ Good Friday isn't it. Gelbison have been and gone hours ago and Gomez are 10 minutes into their set by now.

It's a public holiday for fuck's sake - gigs should go on later not earlier. Good Friday? Do me a favour.

Anyway, my apologies to Gelbison who I'm sure played a very excellent set. They're gigging quite a lot in Sydney at the moment and (going on past experience) I recommend you check 'em out.

And so to tonight's main attraction...

Somebody has obviously put a rocket up the collective arse of Gomez. The last time I saw these bozos they were idly strumming in an English field and being largely ignored.

A far cry from the fire breathin' rawkin' monster they've become now.

My first instinct is to warn them: "Those are electric guitars boys - put them down before you hurt yourselves", but they’d never hear me above the raptuous reception the crowd is lavishing on them.

Gomez may feel a bit neglected back in Blighty these days but they still have the hearts of the Sydney public it would seem. Every song is greeted like an old friend by the audience: 'Hangover Girl' brings squeals of joy down the front, 'Chicken Out' sparks off some impromptu pogoing and the reaction to 'Silence' is entirely inappropriate given the song's title.

To universal delight there is also a liberal smattering of old favourites thrown in. 'Rhythm & Blues Alibi', 'Free To Run' and 'Get Myself Arrested' are all given extra oomph thanks to increased tempo and/or injections of electrification.

By the time the opening bars of 'Whippin Picadilly' kick in Ben and Ian are throwing Slash-like guitar hero poses which (unbelievably) they carry off. Gomez may still look like the school chess club but somewhere along the way they learnt how to ROCK. If this is their 'warm up' for Cockatoo Island then I can't wait for the main event. Bring it on.