Live Review: Gomez, Eagle & The Worm

From the moment eclectic Melbourne indie-pop/roots outfit Eagle & The Worm open their set with Angela's Lonely Heart from their new Strangelove EP, the band have everyone's attention, and it's clear they're a perfect choice of support for tonight's show. Vocalist Jarrad Brown is obviously revelling in the challenge of converting the unconverted, addressing the audience with a quiet confidence and sharing insights into the writing process. Futureman, Too Young, Estranged and the titular track from their Good Times longplayer are all highlights, before the band finish their all-too-brief set with a ripping version of the tempo-shifting All I Know.

Gomez amble on to stage and pick up their instruments, with vocalist/guitarist Ben Ottewell uttering a brief “good evening” as the band launch straight into a stripped-back, synth-driven rendition of Bring It On from 1999's Liquid Skin. Fellow guitarist/vocalist Ian Ball then takes over vocal duties for a near album-perfect rendition of Shot Shot, before Paul Gray takes the reins for I Will Take You There from last year's Whatever's On Your Mind.  Hangover garners a predictably rapturous response from the crowd, before Just As Lost As You and See The World get an airing.  The evergreen Get Myself Arrested turns into a massive singalong, with the band falling silent for the audience to shout the last refrain in unison. What follows is a veritable greatest-hits set, with The Place And The People, Rhythm And Blues Alibi and a hauntingly beautiful version of Tijuana Lady up next, before the band wrap up their set proper with Girlshapedlovedrug, All Too Much, Detroit Swing 66, How We Operate and Whipping Piccadilly, which still sounds as fresh as the day it was released.

The band return to the stage for an epic version of Get Miles, which Gray points out is the first song the band wrote together, before exiting again. When it's clear the audience isn't going anywhere, the lads reappear for a second encore, at which point Ottewell playfully tells the crowd “you know we're tired, old men ... Ian needs to go to bed, look at him,” before  taking the mic for Make No Sound.

With such an extensive back catalogue, Gomez were never going to be able to fit everything in tonight's set, but We Haven't Turned Around – which Ottewell has played unaccompanied on previous tours – is particularly conspicuous in its absence. Nevertheless, considering the exhaustive list of hits showcased, it's a relatively minor gripe. Despite 15 years together, the members of Gomez are all clearly still enjoying themselves and tonight's show proves they are still at the top of their collective game.