Travis

   
Monday, March 18, 2002
AECC, Aberdeen, UK

Support: Doves
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Travis Web Team Posted: 25-07-05 11:19
After, our "day off" sitting in the stimulating environs of Belfast City Airport, we meet up in the lobby of the hotel in Glasgow at 11.30 am to board the bus and make the trip to Aberdeen.

The band all took it easy last night, and Dougie's very proud of the fact he was in bed by 11pm. This is no mean feat, as I have discovered that the routine of touring often means you are tired all day only to miraculously revive around the hours of 9pm - 2am which on a night off can be a little disorientating!

We settle into the journey with Dougie writing up a feature called "Health Tips for Touring" I have discovered on this tour that Dougie has the most extensive medical general knowledge and Dr Doug's Healthtips are full of wisdom and good advice, these will be published at the end of the tour.

This sparks off a flurry of creativity from the band and during the journey both Neil and Jeremy write up some stuff for the site, while myself and Fran sit in "the pod" at the front and watch the beautiful Scottish scenery roll by.

3 hours later we pull into the carpark of the Aberdeen Exhibition Centre and drive straight through the massive roll doors straight into the hall, where the stage is set, ready to soundcheck.

Backstage at Aberdeen looks more like a Caravaning trade show, Travis' dressing room is a 38ft trailer home decked out with all manner of flowery furnishings. Upon entering we come across Andy who had flown in that morning from Ireland, he's out cold so we tiptoe out and get something to eat from the good people of catering.

Soundcheck completed many head back to the bus for a sleep before the show tonight. Cat-napping is on the increase now as the tour goes on and any chance is gratefully seized upon. Come 8pm we all reassemble in the Travis trailer where the adrenalin starts kicking in once again as The Doves receive a rapturous reception from the Aberdeen crowd. 8.45 and Pete begins his 15 minute mantra.

Jimmy of The Doves pops in to wish Travis luck tonight and they end up swapping tour aches and injuries, Jimmy had to visit a chiropractor the other day and another of the Doves has apparently broken his toe in a tourbus bunk accident. Andy meanwhile straps up his knee to avoid twisting it during the speaker jumps. We're all getting in a bad way it seems, but this week is the last push.

Pete get's the all clear through the walkie talkie and Aberdeen is Travis' for the taking. The band exit the trailer and go into the huddle backstage. Jimmy makes a surprise appearance and is incorporated into the age-old Travis Ritual.

The band take to the stage for the customary opener Sing and the many lights that colour the back screen fire into action.

The decibel level of the Aberdeen audience is impressive and possibly the loudest yet, and there are many people on shoulders as I look out over the crowd from side-stage.

Standing beside Nick (Andy's guitar tech) is an education in guitar tuning and lead untangling as Nick follows his every move to make sure Andy's never unplugged or out of tune during the set. Beside him is the huge desk of LJ's monitor mixer with a dedicated speaker down below him where Fran can be heard asking for adjustments to levels, between or even during songs, through the little radio mic attached to his t-shirt.

Side is blistering and Turn raises the roof once again as the crowd give it their all ( you haven't really heard this song until you've experienced thousands of people singing it, awesome!)

Fran dedicates Flowers' to all the girls from all the boys and there has been good news about this future single today as it has climbed to number 4 in the radio airplay positions.

During Slideshow Dougie does some shadow play behind the sheet that masks the stage and there is much fooling around towards the end of the song, so much so that Fran loses his rythm and misses a few lines from the last chorus!

The flashing blue light fires on for the song of the same name and we are treated to a particularly venomous version with Andy ending the number laid out on the stage rolling around in the feedback.

Dougie's Rocket man follows and Fran watches him on the huge screens that lie either side of the stage, inbetween sharing a mic for backing vocals with Andy.

Gemma is picked from the crowd for Coming Around and drives a plucky but unlucky race finishing well down the field due to a bad start. Consolation comes in the form of a handshake from Fran and a good natured cheer from the crowd and we're into Happy to close the show.

As the last strains of feedback die out Travis are off the stage, running through backstage pausing only to grab a towel from Helen, as they reach the backdoors the security men form a cordon and we pile out into a rainy carpark and straight onto the bus, which promptly rev's up and shoots out of the carpark back to Glasgow, with an out of breath Travis still recovering from their exertions.

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