Tag Archives: Gomez

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Gomez Closes Out Tour at Terminal 5

July 15th, 2011

Gomez – Terminal 5 – July 14, 2011


You can’t predict rock and roll: Just hours prior to last night’s show at Terminal 5, the opening act for Gomez (Good Old War) had to bow out of the lineup due to an injury to one of its members. But the British didn’t let that ruin the night. They called on close friend Joseph Arthur to fill in and then put on a monster set of their own. Singer Ian Ball and guitarist-vocalist Tom Gray did their normal rotation of lead-singing duties from song to song, with Gray handling most of the looser, more melodic tracks (like “Waster”) while Bell handled the louder ones (like “Ruff Stuff,” which had fans literally running back from the bathroom to scream along). And as it was the last night of Gomez’s tour, the band had some crew members come onstage for a few of the shout-out choruses, a nice gesture to the people who help them play so well every night. —Sean O’Kane

Photos courtesy of JC McIlwaine | www.jcmcilwaine.com

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See Gomez Play Terminal 5 on Thursday Night

July 11th, 2011


Back in 1996, five English lads started to play music together. They hadn’t come up with a name for their first gig, so to let their friend Gomez know where to find them, someone posted a sign reading GOMEZ IN HERE. Who knows if Gomez actually found the band, but the band became Gomez. Their first disc, Bring It On, came out the following year. And since then, with consistent time on the road and in the studio, Gomez (above, playing “Just as Lost as You”) has continued to get better and better. Their shows are high-energy affairs and their albums are filled with catchy tunes sung by different vocalists. The group’s most recent disc, Whatever’s on Your Mind, which SPIN calls out for its “compelling and entertaining textures,” came out last month. And Gomez plays Terminal 5 on Thursday.

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An Englishman Sits, Strums and Sings

February 14th, 2011

Ben Ottewell – Mercury Lounge – February 11, 2011

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Ben Ottewell, one of the vocalist-guitarists in Gomez, has a new solo album, Shapes & Shadows. So on Friday at Mercury Lounge, he said, “I’m gonna play a lot of stuff off the new record.” Since that disc is only out in the UK and has yet to be released here, he quickly added, “But I don’t know if anyone here has it.” (He was later excited to discover the new LP was available at the merch table.) Seated, Ottewell proceeded to play guitar, sing and chat about things like the Grammys and some guy at Ben’s Pizzeria who’d said, “You better play some of that deep shit.”

Ottewell opened with the new album’s title track, and his voice proved to be the star of the show over the course of the next hour. During that time, the crowd was respectful yet playful. When someone shouted out, “Play a Neil Young cover,” Ottewell replied, “I did last night. I played Carnegie Hall. Now I’m here.” He then grinned and said, “Moving on up.” Later, noting those hanging on his every word, he added, “It’s so nice to play in a place where people listen.”

The rest of the set included new stuff, like “Lightbulbs” and “Blackbird,” a B-side, “The Best in Town,” and Nick Drake, Jackson Browne and, yes, Neil Young covers. Just a few notes into Young’s “Unknown Legend,” the crowd reaction was so strong (“No way!” exclaimed someone in the back) the taken aback singer actually stopped playing and said, “No?” But the resounding “Yes!” in response was all he needed. Ottewell finished with the popular Gomez tune “How We Operate” but the crowd didn’t budge, so he “dipped into that deep shit” once more and finished with “Pick Up the Pieces.” —R. Zizmor

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Gomez – Terminal 5 – June 1, 2009

June 2nd, 2009
(Photo: Gregg Greenwood)

(Photo: Gregg Greenwood)

As the Gomez show began last night at Terminal 5, singer-guitarist Ian Ball thanked the crowd, an ardent group of fans covering a surprisingly large range of ages, for coming out to the band’s third New York City appearance in just two months. He later added: “We’re gonna play some stuff we haven’t done before” to the delight of those in the comfortably filled room.

Ball and singer-guitarist Ben Ottewell stayed in their respective places onstage while the other band members, singer-bassist Paul Backburn, drummer Olly Peacock and guitarist-keyboardist Tom Gray rotated around them switching instruments depending on the song. Backburn specifically shone bright like an expert utility infielder, moving from bass to keys to percussion and even to a melodica.

Set list

Set list

The music expertly shifted back and forth between mellow mood and dance party throughout the show as the band mixed in sing-along fan favorites like “See the World” with older songs—like “Whippin’ Piccadilly” and a stellar “Tijuana Lady”—and new cuts—like “Airstream Driver” (Ball sang the kazoo parts as they’d been left on the bus) and “Sunset Gates.” While most of the tunes were pretty tight, the band took time to jam out “Pin One Down” with a great flourish of guitars working together, separately and together again. The three-song encore, the crowd-pleasing “We Don’t Know Where We’re Going,” “Sunset Gates” and “How We Operate” sent the audience, smiling, out into the calm, still Monday night. —R. Zizmor

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Gomez – Music Hall of Williamsburg – April 3, 2009

April 6th, 2009
(Photo: Jay Blakesberg)

(Photo: Jay Blakesberg)

It was like a perfect storm, really. The economy is in the toilet. Jobs are disappearing. We changed Presidents and the world still hates us. And if that weren’t enough, it had been raining all day. Basically, it was just another long week in a string of them. The audience, it seemed, just wanted to let loose.

But indie English bands have long weeks, too. Gomez had already played a record-release concert for their sixth studio album, A New Tide, at The Bowery Ballroom on Tuesday. And just three nights later, they were already back in town, at Music Hall of Williamsburg, to finish their East Coast tour—their 13th show in only 15 days. The band, it seemed, just wanted to let loose.

“It’s the last night of the tour, so I have to have a good fucking time,” pronounced Tom Gray (vocals, guitar and keys). And with that Gomez launched into the first song of the night, “Shot Shot.” It was the beginning of a barn burner. The music was expertly played, and the show was filled with great voices—as Gray, Ian Ball (vocals and guitar) and Ben Ottewell (vocals and guitar) took turns singing lead and harmonizing perfectly all night long—plus densely layered instrumentals—anchored by the talented rhythm section of Paul Blackburn (bass) and Olly Peacock (drums)—and, at times, a flurry of four guitars as the band stretched out several songs, jamming to the crowd’s delight.

The guys in the band seemed loose and carefree. And their happiness came across as they covered a wide swath of their musical history, from older tunes like “Revolutionary Kind” and “Rhythm & Blues Alibi” to songs from the new disc, like “Little Pieces” and “Win Park Slope.” It seemed like there was a competition between the band and the audience to see who could have the most fun. But in the end, on a Friday night in Brooklyn, everybody was a winner. —R. Zizmor

Alberta Cross

March 12th, 2009

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In the second opening slot last night at a sold-out Bowery Ballroom, Alberta Cross, with their brooding brand of rock and roll, continued to prove why they are a band not to miss when they come to your town. Playing a mix of tracks from their self-produced EP, The Thief & the Heartbreaker—released in 2007—and newer songs, possibly destined for their debut album, to be released later this year, Alberta Cross firmly took hold of the room for their entire set.

When Swede Petter Ericson Stakee (guitar and vocals) and East Londoner Terry Wolfers (bass) met in a bar several years ago, they bonded over their love of the blues, country and ’70s rock. And that certainly comes across in several of their slow-building songs. While Alberta Cross exhibit shades of guitar-rock bands like Neil Young and Crazy Horse, and some ethereal bits of early Pink Floyd, their music is a breath of fresh air. Similar, in a sense, to when the Band was putting out music that didn’t sound like any of their contemporaries. But it wasn’t all guitar rock. On a gospel-tinged tune the guitars were replaced with an organ, piano and the audience enthusiastically clapping along.

The band seemed as pleased with the crowd as the crowd was pleased with them. Petter took time to address the audience, pointing out “the guy who traveled the farthest to be here. From South America!” And before the last song, he said, “If you want a track to dance to, this is probably it.” No doubt, he was right. Alberta Cross opens for Gomez at Music Hall of Williamsburg on Friday, April 3rd. Do your best to check them out. —R. Zizmor