In late 2003, Winterville played their first live shows as the support for the long-standing British blues-rock act, Thunder. They then went on to play their own gigs at smaller venues. In March 2004 the band played as part of the South by Southwest music festival in Austin, Texas, where they were received very favourably. At the start of 2005, Thin Lizzy guitarist Scott Gorham personally requested that Winterville support his band on their tour. Touring with such well-established artists as Thunder and Thin Lizzy helped Winterville reach an audience greatly appropriate to their musical style and thus enlarge their fanbase.