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Gomez | 1.24.04 | The Dunhams' Radio Program (day) & Variety Playhouse (night) | Atlanta, GA
It was a long time coming. The Dunhams have been playing Gomez on their eclectic music program for years. Finally, on January 24, four of the six members of this band were heading to The Dunhams' house for another chapter in the ever-expanding book of Living Room Sessions. This appearance was on the heels of a six-month-plus hiatus for Gomez, and one member (multi-instrumentalist Tom Gray) had proclaimed on their web site, "We're back from outer space with a grin on our face." Strangely enough, this quote sat beneath a picture of the band members looking quite dapper, but certainly not even smirking.
Someone with an incomplete view of The Dunhams' Radio Program might wonder why a band like Gomez is featured so frequently on a show that close to ten years ago sprouted out of the wake of Jerry Garcia's passing, and the dissolution of The Grateful Dead. Why would The Dunhams be so fascinated with a band whose songs rarely exceed five minutes in a live setting?
The answer is twofold. The Dunhams Radio Program is as influenced by the songwriting side of The Grateful Dead as they are by the side that spawned the world of jam bands. Secondly, Gomez is a band with rich, lush harmonies, who have a very serious approach to crafting strong, meaningful songs--many of which are absolutely gorgeous windows into the psyche of the modern day young adult. Most members of the band hail from just north of Liverpool, England and the band has enjoyed the historically significant experience of recording in Abbey Road studios on multiple occasions. Unquestionably, the presence of a Beatles influence in their music is not only palpable, but also legitimate.
As the band took over The Living Room and began to warm up, I was somewhat taken aback when I realized that the man that had been in my front seat just moments ago (I gave a lift to two members from their hotel to the house), was the one responsible for the voice I most associate with Gomez, Ben Ottewell. The combination of acute purity and gentle rasp in his voice produce something truly singular, and it is a pivotal part of the unique sound of this band. I had just been chatting with him about his dad, American politics, Boston, how bands develop differently in Great Britain than they do in the states (my goodness, they recorded, shopped their first CD, and got signed before playing a single gig!), and all kinds of other stuff, and HE'S the guy, with THAT voice. It set me on my heels for more than a few minutes.
Anyway, the band seemed somewhat uncomfortable when they first arrived at the house. But Maria Dunham's easygoing spirit and warm hospitality clearly set them at ease. The next thing I knew Gray was leading the band through a brand new tune called "Catch Me Up" which is scheduled to be included on the band's forthcoming CD, slated for a May release. When a string broke in the middle of the song, the band broke into hysterical laughter, and any last bit of lingering tension had flown out of the room, and over to the nearby I-285 where it belonged.
In fact, a DAT glitch during the second attempt forced the band to start the song a third time (reading this article will allow those who get to hear the radio broadcast when it airs on WZGC on February 15 (the program will air during The Dunhams Radio Program, after The Grateful Dead Hour) to understand some of the not so veiled references to this incident). True professionals as the members of Gomez are, each version became progressively better, particularly Gray's spirited lead vocal. The "rave-up giving way to delicacy" ending of the song was also quite enjoyable.
The discussion that ensued was peppered with talk of Tony Blair, the Glastonbury Festival, Graham Nash, and a daring escape attempt by the Dunhams' harried feline, Cedric. The cat bolted out of the room of the Dunhams' nine-year-old daughter, Stella. Upon reaching the semi-circle of musicians, Cedric froze with a horrified glare, at which time I scooped him up and returned him to his temporary confinement.
Stella herself then emerged from her room, but conversely, she burst upon the scene with a face full of delight. It was the familiar strains of "Rhythm and Blues Alibi" that had coerced her from playtime with Hal The Broken Clown. The band was performing this for the first time in close to a year as a special request for her (it is one of her favorites). Ottewell introduced the song as "a joint effort, written over the phone in Sheffield." Ottewell and the stoic guitarist (and the band's token American citizen) Ian Ball shared extremely expressive lead vocals, with Ottewell adding not only a sweetly sparse guitar solo, but also some nice accents behind the repeated "try anything twice" lyric. Ball even took advantage of the song's stop/start to grab a quick sip off of his nearby Newcastle. Bassist Paul "Blackie" Blackburn drove the song with his (I would learn by the end of the night) typically flawless bass. Toward the end of the song, the band caused the hair on the back of my neck to stand up as they sang the "la la la las" which built from a gentle whisper to eventually fill the walls of the house with harmonic beauty.
By Sydney Atkinson
1.24 | Variety Playhouse, GA |
Ball and Ottewell exchanged guitars and the band again featured Ottewell's unusual but unquestionably musical lead vocal on "Revolutionary Kind." His voice, like that of a world-weary seraph, fit snugly into the gentle melodic backdrop that the band was presenting. Ball took a gorgeous lead, which moved into a circular section. Ottewell first interspersed sprightly little trills behind Ball's lead, then they worked a collaborative lead for a few moments, and finally Ottewell brought it home with a solid solo of his own.
The band discussed their upcoming trip to France ("Do I have to go as well?" one asked in a sad tone), their return visit to the states to perform at Bonnaroo in June (which will be accompanied by a "mini tour"), and their recent performance in Boston after the New England Patriots had won the AFC Championship.
They then closed their set with a folk trio take (Blackie sat this one out) on the title track of their In Our Gun release. The song was written in response to the election of George Bush and the riots in the United Kingdom in the summer of 2001. Again, the Dunham house was filled with tight, sparkling three part harmonies, and smartly crafted, restrained guitar work. The song was punctuated by an instrumental section that sprouted from a minimalist seed into a full hard-strumming trio onslaught, which signaled the end of the piece and the end of their visit to Dunwoody, Georgia.
By Sydney Atkinson
1.24 | Variety Playhouse, GA |
That night the band performed an 18-song show at one of my favorite Georgia venues, The Variety Playhouse. The house was so packed that I just found a seat in the corner of the balcony and took in the show from there. The band appropriately opened with the first song from their 1998 debut album Bring It On, "Get Miles." The crowd was very attentive for the whole show, but they seemed to be a bit docile for an Atlanta audience. Grey also noticed this listlessness, as midway through the set, he chided the audience, saying, "You don't come to a Gomez show to stand still. Don't hate me, I don't mean it, but it would be nice, you know (if the crowd would be more responsive)." Clearly, the band expected a bit more body exuberance from their faithful.
I was surprised at how their boisterous stage presence and loud guitars seemed to be the focus of the show, and the mix, rather than the band's perfect pitch harmonies. Perhaps that is what the younger members of their fan base look for, and it did make for an entertaining ride. The band did unveil for Atlanta a slew of new songs, and this is surely to be a fantastic CD when it comes out in three months. "Silence," "Sweet Virginia" (not The Stones' song), and "Do One" all were well executed and well received by the audience. The chugging rhythm of "Trombone" had my bones shaking, and they took the delicate "Bring Your Lovin' Back Here" to a frenetic conclusion, spearheaded by Ottewell's stinging guitar solo, suggesting that the voice of the song had evolved from harmless desire to dangerous obsession.
Late in the show, the band brought the house down. "Revolution" was punctuated by an ethereal, effects-enhanced conclusion during which they teased their popular song "Hangover," then departed, while the electronic psychedelia played on. When they returned, their encore included "X-Ray," which was flavored with a violin sound coming from somewhere. Wah-wah guitar and hip-hop beats made "Detroit Swing 66" a genre-bashing ride, and the crowd was sent to the streets with "Whippin' Piccadilly," which featured a bluesy intro, and some frenzied drumming from Olly Peacock.
Rob Turner
JamBase | Atlanta
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