Travis

   
Saturday, March 16, 2002
Odyssey, Belfast, UK

Support: Doves
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Travis Web Team Posted: 25-07-05 9:36
The notice in the dressing room at Manchester had warned that a soundcheck was unlikely in Belfast today.

The crew had left Manchester the night before and taken the ferry across to Northern Ireland, and it was going to be a race against time for them to get to the venue and set up in time.

The band have the far more luxurious option of flying in on Saturday. At around 1pm we are picked up from the hotel in Manchester and driven to the airport where the flight to Belfast takes all of 50 minutes.

On touchdown at Belfast City Airport we board two spacecruisers that whisk us off to the hotel we will be staying in that night. As the confirmation comes that there will be no soundcheck, we have a whole afternoon to catch up on some sleep before going to the venue tonight. Zzzzzzzzzzzzzz.

As we are driven to the venue that night we pass groups of people on their way to the venue unaware of Travis speeding past them in the tinted window cars.We arrive at the Odyssey Arena for 8pm and are led to the dressing room through many security men and checkpoints.

It is Andy's birthday today, but unfortunately he has been stricken with some sort of bug and couldn't keep the contents of his dinner down earlier. Cautiously he nibbles on some chocolate to give him some energy for the gig and as an extra precaution Nick is asked to provide a bucket at the side of the stage, just in case!

Showtime is upon us and the roar from the Belfast crowd that greets the band is deafening, living up to Belfast's reputation for a good atmoshphere for gigs.

One song in and Jonny has to hurriedly change a broken scratchplate on Dougie's bass and has around 3mins to do it in, before the next track. Working in the darkness, torch in mouth, he smoothly gets the bass ready and with seconds to spare is handing it to Dougie in time for "Writing To Reach You".

The crowd get fully behind the band and another great show unfolds as Travis play to the enthusiastic Belfast audience.

If Andy's bug is bothering him, he doesn't show it and puts in his usual spirtited performance, giving it his all.

Marty ( did I catch that name right? ) was our driver for Coming Around and displays the classic Playstation tounge out expression through a polished and smooth race, coming in 1st - no problem.

As we reach the end of the encore, Fran starts a rendition of Happy Birthday for Andy and the 12,000 strong crowd join in. As the band launch into "Happy" the crew display a birthday message on the huge "star" animations that play during the song, awww, sweet!

Andy practically jumps into the lighting rig during the song finishing the set without needing his bucket at all and there are many smiling faces on the crowd as they leave the venue that night.

Back at the hotel it's now St Patricks Day and the obligatory pints of Guiness are lined up at the bar, which always taste better in Ireland. Tomorrow we have a day off in which we fly back to Glasgow.

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