As their popularity in Ireland was rising on the back of "Music In Mouth", the band began courting the US. Both "In Every Sunflower" and "Eve, The Apple of My Eye" had been used in hit TV drama The OC. The latter soundtracked a now infamous lesbian kiss between Olivia Wilde and Mischa Barton and was selected for inclusion on the compilation "The OC Mix 4". Looking to capitalise on this, the band played their first ever US shows in New York’s Mercury Lounge and the Viper Room in Los Angeles in 2003. 2004 also saw Bell X1 open for former bandmate Damien Rice on one of the singer-songwriter’s New York dates.