It's a rejuvenated Travis that take to the Rock City stage, that legendary stage which seems to transform a night out from good to great...
It’s been a long old road for Travis. This incarnation of the band have been a quartet for 28 years according to Fran Healy; the wiry, talkative, infinitely charismatic frontman. Their second LP, The Man Who was a number 1 in the album charts in 1999, subsequently spending two and a half years in the top 40. In 2000, they headlined Glastonbury Festival, topping the bill alongside fellow Rock City alumni David Bowie and The Chemical Brothers. Their third album, The Invisible Band, only continued this mainstream success.
They sold millions of records, reaching the kind of ubiquity that almost inevitably leads to some kind of cultural backlash. Despite the obvious quality of their melodies and the sincerity of the heartfelt lyrics, perhaps it was the accessibility of their biggest singles which left them in the unenviable position of being the band that was 'cool' to dislike. In fact, one magazine famously created 'I Hate Travis' badges (which Healy himself says he wore as a literal badge of honour).
They continued unbothered, exploring new directions and releasing a steady flow of albums. Most recent is L.A. Times, their tenth LP and the catalyst for this Raze the Bar tour, a jaunt that has already taken in Mexico and South America before this UK leg.
So, it’s been a hell of a journey both literally and figuratively, though you wouldn’t know it to look at them onstage tonight. Despite almost three decades, they are so obviously a group of musicians who love their craft and each other more than ever. More than ably supported by the excellent Juanita Stein and the riotous Hamish Hawk, it’s to a well-prepared and excited crowd that the Scottish legends take to the stage.
They start with Bus, the lilting and catchy opener from the new album. An ode to escapism, it’s a fitting beginning to a transportative gig. They follow with 1999’s Driftwood, which receives a rapturous reception, the crowd absolutely belting out every word.
It’s an eye-opening moment for me personally. You see, I loved Travis before I was really old enough to appreciate music in any intelligent way. In the late 90s / early 00s, my older brother would return from university with whatever album he was listening to at that time. One of those albums was The Man Who. I would hear it being played and listen to it myself, almost unknowingly creating a formative connection to songs like Driftwood.
Time went on and my own - decidedly angsty - tastes moved on. I forgot about Travis. Sure, I would recognise one of their tracks when I heard it, but I never went back to reappraise them with the benefit of my newfound appreciation for music. But here they were, playing this song I loved decades ago. And I knew it! Nostalgia is a word which gets thrown around a lot these days - it seems every industry is rushing to bank in on any shred of positive emotional connection to the past - but this was nostalgia in its purest, most concentrated form.
Suddenly, the gig was transformed. I could see properly now the fans who had either stuck with Travis or who had come to them later. I could appreciate that this isn’t a faceless band the mainstream chewed up and discarded; this is a group of musicians with a devout fan-base and no little integrity. Shorn of the context of their ubiquity and the music industry at the turn of the millennium, these are simply great songs that stand the test of time, performed by a band that means a lot to people.
It doesn’t get any better than a venue like this
"It doesn’t get any better than a venue like this; I can see you!" says a grinning Healy, with no little sincerity.
On they play, through 1997’s Good Feeling, and Re-Offender, the first of three "F- you" songs that stud the setlist. The song follows Healy's defiant and salient advice "Don’t ever confuse niceness for weakness". The joy in the performances are obvious and palpable. Healy belts out tunes like a young’un, while teddy-boy bassist Dougie Payne slinks and smirks behind his instrument (it’s unknown if this is the cause of someone fainting half-way through the set).
F- you song number two, Selfish Jean, bounces along on a rhythm section reminiscent of Lust for Life. Spiky and forthright, it leads into the poetic observations of new song Raze the Bar. The main set ends with Turn, another belter from the turn (no pun intended) of the century. The melodies are memorable, but it’s the depth of the instrumentation and the finely tuned sound that strikes you when you hear tracks like this live.
Post-encore, they return to perform a cover of …Baby one More Time, the Max Martin penned, Britney Spears mega-hit. It’s a blast. Flowers in the Window arrives with an incredibly sweet moment, where all four band mates huddle together around Healy and his acoustic guitar, leading a beautiful sing-along. The togetherness of this group is a hugely heartwarming sight.
It ends with Why Does it Always Rain on Me? accompanied as is tradition by some heavily encouraged bouncing. By the time of the last chorus, the audience’s legs may exhibit varying degrees of tiredness - I’m speaking for myself here - but their joy is unfettered. It’s been a long road for Travis, but if it leads to more gigs like this, it was worth every step.
Travis performed at Rock City on 10th December 2024.
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