This show happened well before "The Man Who" was released in Canada, but they were already well known in the selective clique that follows the "next big thing" from the UK. Before the show, I got to meet Fran and Andy, who were dead nice, and they signed my Q magazine (the latest issue - with them on the cover). Going into the venue, which only holds about 500 people, I was right at the front, near Fran and Andy, and the show was amazing. The tiny stage was the ideal setting in which to see the band, and they played most of their hits from the first two albums, including their acoustic version of "Baby One More Time". They were in high spirits, with Andy doing his usual kicks and wails, Fran keeping the audience entertained, Dougy looking shit cool, and Neil being enigmatic behind the drum kit.
At the end of the show, both Fran and Andy gave me their guitar picks, which was also really neat. I remember thinking that I have never enjoyed a concert this much, and I haven't since. I feel very lucky to have seen them in such a small and intimate venue, and I knew then (as everyone knows now) that they were bound for the big leagues. Thanks for a great gig!
this was my 12 time seeing travis but my first time seeing them in Canada which was exciting cause I wasn't expecting they would ever come and some of my friends from Ottawa had come down to see them. I got to the venue early, around 2 I think, my friend and I had bussed all night from NY to Toronto and were dead tired. We stopped at HMV on the way to Lee's Palace and were excited to see the Canadian version of The Man Who which I bought for the 5th or 6th time that day.
when we got to Lee's Palace we just walked in and no one said anything to us so we just sat down and waited for soundcheck as we ate some fries for lunch. The band got there around 4 I think and had just done an interview with sook yin lee from Much Music. We watched the soundcheck and talked to Fran before the show. I told him there were a lot of people coming down from Ottawa to see them and that it would be cool if he could say something to them.
The show itself was amazing. The setlist was the pretty much the same they had been playing in England when I had seen them in October. Fran asked if there was anyone from Ontario, and thanked people for coming and I felt really bad cause I think he meant Ottawa since Toronto is in Ontario. During why does it always rain on me Fran put the mic towards me when it was time for the audience participation and I did my best to represent and luckily there were a lot of other people there who joined in and it was a highlight of my night.
paul_c