Travis

   
Friday, March 15, 2002
Evening News Arena, Manchester, UK

Support: Doves
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Reviews: 7 Post Review
bigbuzzybumblebee Posted: 25-09-04 12:18
i had been to pop concerts before but not a proper "gig" so i wasnt sure what to expect when i went to my first ever travis gig. Well what can i say? WOW. i was totally blown away.

i couldnt have wished for anything better. although i was as far away as humanly possible and travis looked like little dots to me, it was an amazing experience.
i remember just standing there with my mouth slightly open in awe for the whole time until my favourite song of the moment - which has a lot of meaning for me, was played and it brought a tear to my eye.....what am i saying? it brought more than just one tear, i was a mess! my boyfriend just held me while i quietly "sang" along, with a smile on my face and tears streaming everywhere!!
i have never experienced anything like it before and that is why i am counting the days to the newcastle gig (8).
travis, you were absolutely amazing, thank you.
secretsmile Posted: 04-10-04 2:30
this was the best night of my life... it even eclipsed my boyfriend proposing, getting accepted for my degree.. I was front row, so close that I got covered by Andy's sweat! Classy.
The hairs on the back of my neck stood upwhen the entire arena began singing turn... i looked behind me and all i could see was a sea of faces all lost in the song... thank you Fran. You are a genius and i love you!!!
Helen *the original* Posted: 04-10-04 4:04
This was my first ever Travis show. I'd been a fan since 'The Man Who' and had been waiting desperately to go to a gig. After finding out the tour was sold out i was gutted until one very lucky night. My best friend's dad had a raffle and one of the top prizes were two Travis tickets...i didn't win them but the woman that did offered to sell them for around ?10 for both tickets! I leapt at the chance and i was so unbelievably extactic!! I took my best friend with me too. The gig blew me away, the seats were great and the ideas for backdrops for each song was amazing. Travis made me laugh, made me sing and made me even do a little dancing. The highlight being the 'Sing remix' and the dancing that followed... lol. I was blown away and became even more of a fan! All due to one lucky day and a gig that has now changed my life!
Ruudio Posted: 10-10-04 12:16
My second Travis gig and the lads didn't fail to amaze me! I loved the slide show they did during Slide Show! More Than Us was a personal highlight with it been one of my favourite Travis songs! Despite it been an arena gig, the band managed to pull it off really well and the atmosphere was amazing! The night finished with singing Happy Birthday to Andy which was pretty cool!
LOU Posted: 22-10-04 4:03
I convinced my boyfriend to get a ticket for this gig! He had never seen you live and thought you were good! He's not a live gigger like me though but glad I convinced him to go at least one and it was your live gig that i persuaded him to go to! Remember we all went for a curry after the gig in Rusholme! mmmmmmmmmm
sue_holt Posted: 13-07-05 12:42
What a fantastic concert!!! The first time i'd specifically been to see just Travis- not at a festival. I loved it when they brought a child up from the audience to a car game on the big screen while the band played 'Coming Around'- such a nice touch! xxxx
Travis Web Team Posted: 25-07-05 9:07
Fran and I are picked up from the center of London at 11am. It was a "day off" yesterday, but Fran's Thursday was full of commitments, a haircut, a phototshoot for GQ and a screening of a film that he has been approached to write a song for, so not much time to relax at all!

We are driven to a motorway service station, where we meet up with the tourbus, Fish, Pete and Dougie.

Everyone is looking a bit frazzled today as the culmulative sleep deprivation of the tour takes it's toll, and many throat lozenges and pastilles are consumed to keep voice and throat in good shape.

After some breakfast on the bus we head up to Manchester to rendevouz with the rest of the band and crew, a journey of 225 miles that should take around 3 hours.

Dougie and Fran discuss the Wembley gig which both think was a great show, especially for London which for some reason can often be lacking in atmosphere. Both agree that this is one of the most enjoyable tours that Travis have undertaken and talk turns to the Manchester gig that night which will be their biggest UK show, to an audience of around 15,000 people. With a couple of hours still to spare before we arrive they take to their bunks to snatch some more sleep before the soundcheck.

2 hours turns into nearly 3, due to tailbacks and heavy traffic on the way to Manchester, and we're running late by the time we make the venue. Dougie and Fran literally walk off the bus and onto the stage in the vast cavernous space of the arena and start the soundcheck.

Travis run through Flowers, Rocket Man and Sing and along the way Andy is given a ribbing about the plasma screen that he accidently smashed with his guitar at the end of the Wembley gig on Thursday - rock 'n' roll!

A few people have been let in to the soundcheck including Juliet, Jane and James who makes a request to hear a song that means a lot to him - "More Than Us" played that night. The setlists are consequently changed with "Indefinitely" making way for the dedication.

Soundcheck over it's the calm before the storm once more, and as the massive venue slowly fills up Fran checks up on the messageboard from the production office and Jeremy and Nick play some footy in the dressing room.

The dressing room still bears the scars of a Boyzone gig from long ago, with masking tape labels of Ronan, Keith etc still stuck to the hangar rail, where Travis attire is now hanging. Neil sets up his laptop and posts a few messages before testing his virtual rally skills.

Pete starts the fifteen minute countdown and the band do their last minute preparations.

The Travis huddle takes place behind the heavy black drapes of the stage and we can hear the noise of a massive crowd beginning to stir. The video clip of people singing Travis songs starts and the band make for the stage with Pete lighting the way.

This arena is vast, one of the biggest in Europe, and the final ticket count for this gig is 15,225, which is a impressive sight, the huge floor space is rammed with people with the seated audience rising steeply up three sides.

Travis more than rise to the occasion throughout another consistently solid and entertaining show. "More Than Us" is dedicated to James and although there was some trepidation among the band about playing the track (they hadn't rehearsed this one pre-tour) it sounds great and makes for one of the many special moments during the night.

Jack makes his way down the pit, which now has daffodils strewn across the floor ( thrown during Flowers In The Window) to take the wheel during "Coming Around" and drives a solid race, leading most of the way up until the last few bends and receives a big cheer from the crowd at the end of the race.

Before the last number, Fran turns to the crowd and informs them that it's Andy's last gig of his twenties, and a huge roar goes up. They play a blistering "Happy" and Andy jumps from the stage at the end to shake a few hands with well wishers in the audience before going backstage.

By the time a few beers have been drunk autographs signed and band cooled down it's 12.45 and we make our way to the tourbus to check into the hotel. Tomorrow we fly to Belfast, which has a reputation for a totally "up for it" crowd.

See you there!
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