Austin, set in the heart of Texas, played host to the festival South by SouthWest (986 bands played in just five days). Gomez played on 17th March at La Zona Rosa (one of the biggest and best venues in Austin). When the band arrived people had been in line for well over a hour, the queue stretching around the block with pizza and beer being consumed at a rate of knots.
With the venue seemingly at breaking point, Gomez came on to a hero's welcome. They immediately turned on the style coaxing the crowd into a wild frenzy with Get Miles, Whippin' Piccadilly, Bring It On, Here Comes The Breeze, Get Myself Arrested, and for only the second time live, Revolutionary Kind. The hour long set was considered to be one of the best at the end of the festival, with the crowd chanting Gomez's names at the end. What was very encouraging is that Gomez blew the American bands well off the stage... even local hero Elliot Smith.
A day later Gomez arrived for the last date in the home of the blues - New Orleans. Outside the venue called the House Of The Blues the night was filled with the smell of swamp and high expectation. With pictures of blues legends Muddy Waters and Albert King looking down, the boys come on to a packed crowd. With a slow start the band played sterling versions of We Haven't Turned Around, Hangover, Rhythm & Blues Alibi, climaxing with Ian almost being dragged off the stage by a bunch of girls. As the band left through the backdoor a couple of hours after the show, fans were still hanging around asking for autographs and a chat, the boys looked tired but happy. Gomez are slowly but surely starting to conquer the hearts and minds of an ever growing American public.
