Words by Ed King
Gomez perform at the O2 Institute on Tuesday 28th August, coming to Birmingham as part of their Bring It On 20th Anniversary Tour with support from RUSSO – as presented by SJM Concerts/Gigs & Tours.
Doors are open at the O2 Institute from 7pm with the minimum age of entry 14yrs, although under 16s will need adult accompaniment. Tickets are priced at £34.50 (including all fees) for both seating and standing – for direct event information, including venue details and links to online ticket sales, click here.
Gomez released their debut album, Bring It On, back in the tail end of a dance music Vs Britpop dominated 90’s – as Paul Oakenfold was battling Blur across the Matthew Bannister banished airwaves of Radio One, five lads in Leeds played their first gig together. And as the student throng staggered around Hyde Park, a well placed sign (and a catchy surname) gave the fledgling ensemble a name.
Pretty soon after that fateful night at the Hyde Park Social Club, Gomez had signed to Hut Records – a Virgin owned subsidiary that was set up to champion the burgeoning indie scene. And pretty soon after that Bring It On was out of the studio, on the shelves (oh yes, handheld purchases in them days), and burrowing its way into the shortlist for the Mercury Music Award. A self produced mix of growling vocals, stripped back indie swagger, words rhyming with Mexico, and short and curly grabbing melodies, Bring It On was a masterful debut – eventually beating some pretty tough competition for the aforementioned trophy.
And whilst Gomez’s sophomore album, Liquid Skin, was arguably as lauded – and the band’s following five albums showed confidence, exploration and range – it is perhaps this 12 track introduction that gets more hairs on certain necks still standing up on end. Mention to anyone over 30 you’ve “got some friends in my BMW…” and chances are they’ll know what to say.
It is also the reason Gomez are back on the road – playing nine dates across the UK and Republic of Ireland as part of their Bring It On 20th Anniversary Tour, which kicked off across North America in June.
And for those (lucky-life-still-ahead-of-them-bast*rds) who are too young to remember flicking through HMV racks on a Saturday afternoon…
’Get Myself Arrested’ – Gomez
Gomez come to the O2 Institute with their Bring It On 20th Anniversary Tour on Tuesday 28th August, with support from RUSSO – as presented by SJM Concerts/Gigs & Tours. For direct event information and links to online ticket sales, click here.
For more on Gomez, visit www.gomeztheband.com
For more on RUSSO, visit www.russo.lnk.to/hwap
For more from SJM Concerts/Gigs & Tours, including further event listings and online ticket sales, visit www.gigsandtours.com
For more on the O2 Institute, including venue details and further event listings, visit www.academymusicgroup.com/o2institutebirmingham
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NOT NORMAL – NOT OK is a campaign to encourage safety and respect within live music venues, and to combat the culture of sexual assault and aggression – from dance floor to dressing room.
To sign up to NOT NORMAL – NOT OK, click here. To know more about the NOT NORMAL – NOT OK sticker campaign, click here.
