To rapturous applause on the last leg of their UK tour, Travis frontman Fran Healy delighted Aberdeen fans with news that they can soon expect new songs.
Wearing a fuchsia suit and pink T-shirt the lead singer of the band famous for Driftwood and Last Train was nearing the end of the first set when he made the announcement.
Celebrating 20 years since the release of the multi-platinum selling The Invisible Band, the group worked its way through the entire album track-by-track, after Ross Leighton from Fatherson, warmed up the crowd.
They were just about to launch into Humpty Dumpty Love Song when Healy punctuated the songs with a natter.
“This is the last concert in our UK tour,” he told his True North festival audience, “and then we’re off all over the world.”
“It’s been a bit like going fishing without bait and waiting for it to just come to you,” he added. “But now we’re back out there… so then we’ll be bringing you some new music.”
Just like old times
Although guitarist Dougie Payne had alluded to this already, the news that new tracks would be coming was greeted with surprise and applause. Hardly a wonder, given the reception the alt-rock ex-art students received in the Granite City.
I was more reserved. It was the weekend of my 21st birthday when I last saw Travis play live, then at T in the Park. A re-run in my 40s had a lot to live up to.
However, the passage of two decades since The Invisible Band hit the charts first time round, did nothing to diminish its charm, or their talent and energy.
From Sing at the offset, if the hearty chanting and swaying was anything to go by, the band’s youthful zeal was a welcome blast from the past for fans too.
Has it really been 20 years?
As they struck up Flowers in the Window, likened sometimes to the sound of Paul McCartney, there was more opportunity to reminisce.
“This is mad isn’t it? It feels like just the other day we released this record,” Healy began. “Like it was just two weeks ago when we first saw ourselves on the telly,” he laughed.
Explaining that the track was written ‘on the spot’ while they were in France ‘back in the day’ he ventured into a more upbeat version of his trademark melancholy. “We just don’t know how much time we have on this earth ball… the point is to make the most of it,” he added, before thanking everyone for turning out to see them.
Worth the wait
With Follow the Light and Afterglow complete, The Invisible Band in its entirety was all but sewn up. But there was just time for a quick costume change before the much-anticipated ‘other hits’.
Judging by the frenzied efforts to reach for phones and be back in seats, I wasn’t alone in getting to the part of the evening I was most looking forward to.
Hoping for tracks from The Man Who, we weren’t disappointed.
Driftwood, Turn and Writing to Reach You featured – with a nod to the fact Fran may or may not have pinched the chords from Noel Gallagher.
But the one we all wanted was Why Does It Always Rain On Me?
Honestly, I feel 20 years younger. Ended with Why Does It Always Rain On Me… thank you @travisband – incredible pic.twitter.com/ray9kApbyj
— Lindsay the Bruce (@LLBruce) September 24, 2022
With a call to pogo during its last chorus, the Music Hall came alive.
A night to remember
Walking out after the show into autumn air, I was reminded of the first time I saw Travis live. It was December 23 1999. They played Glasgow Barrowlands and as we walked out wintery weather got the best of us, but we hoarsely sang ‘Why Does It Always Snow On Me’ anyway. It’s filed under ‘best night ever’ in my memories.
From that perspective this was always going to be a slightly biased review, unless of course, after all these years they disappointed.
That didn’t happen. And September 24 2022 has now joined those visceral memories. The night Travis played Aberdeen Music Hall and took us all back in time.
- For more information on True North go to aberdeenperforming arts.com
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