I saw Neil, he recognized me, I talked to the guys from Remy Zero - the lead singer, Cinjun, was really nice, and later, I saw Fran and made him promise me to come out after the show. I heard the soundcheck, and then Sasha (my friend) came, so we stood at the front of the line, and we spotted Andy across the street, so he signed my shirt, and everyone basically mobbed him. Then we went back online, some saw Dougie and his guitar tech Johnny, but they were in a rush so we didn't stop them. Besides, I bothered Douglas enough at NY. The show was incredible, we were right up front with my friend Grace and her friend. Fran talked a lot and was his basic adorable Scottish self. After the show, we waited by the side entrance, and I talked to Cinjun again, and then we waited by the tourbus, and I talked to Greg, Remy Zero's drummer for awhile. We talked about touring, tourbuses, Travis, other UK bands. He was really nice. Andy came out but he was really mobbed, so when he walked by me, I only told him it was a great show. Later on, Neil came out, and I got into the front of the crowd, and I hugged him and thanked him, and we talked about what Travis was doing after going into the studio in the fall. By 1230, Sasha and I had enough, so we left with Grace's friend. Grace was determined to see Fran. I don't know if she ever got to.
I remember this show, because I almost blew it off entirely. I was in the midst of a major depression, and hadn't really left the house, let alone my bed for an entire summer.
I managed to get it together, and made my way down to landsdowne st. I felt horribly unfashionable, as landsdowne is mecca to shallow, rich college girls, awesome for the esteem impaired, anyway- by the time we'd arrived, I'd already missed 2 songs. The place was rammed, towards the back, everyone was talking and carrying on, so we managed to squeeze our way up front, and it turned out to be one of the best nights I'd had in a really long time. Travis' music sounds so damn good live, while their albums are gorgeous, they just don't do them justice live. To see Why Does it Always Rain on Me live is such a different animal than on the record. it's no longer a slightly glum little
lullabye, but a big song with alot of energy. Fran was bouncing all over the stage, Dougie was a solid anchor doing his head bobbing-fliberty-floo-paul-mccartney thing, everyone else started bouncing too. I remeber being so amazed that there were SO many people there. i thought travis was my little band (little here in the us anyway) No one I knew had hear of them, I'd drank in every note on the record, but had no one to discuss the record with, then suddenly wow! Avalon totally packed. They did a song by Joni Mitchell, and some older stuf that time doesn't permit me to remember now...
but what I do remember is being completely energized after seeing the band that night, I'd felt like i could breather again, and I'm not saying this in that teenage-girl "their sngs saved my life" kind of way, but the way in that they made me smile ALOT that night, I'd laughed (I maintain to this day that Fran Healy does some of the best stage-banter EVER) I moved, I was out again and having fun- not that self-conscious kind of fun, but actual good fun, singing along, loving all of it. Thanks!