Travis

   
Sunday, March 07, 2004
Apollo, Manchester, UK

Support: Keane
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Reviews: 8 Post Review
Fran Posted: 30-08-04 1:35
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We?re sitting back stage in the Manchester Carling Apollo, Keane are wowing the crowd as I write. They may have just come off stage.

Dougie and Andy are singing what they think Julian from The Strokes is singing. Something about how he got a packed lunch because he didn?t like the mash potatoes at school dinners, because they were too lumpy.

Ah the joys of parodying our contemporaries work?and our own too, HAPPY TO HANG AROUND becomes HAPPY TO HAVE A W**K. Say no more.

Manchester, Manchester, Manchester. Home of Oasis, Man United, Man City, lovely people who are mad for it, cool shops and galleries.

The hotel we?re in is posh. Port Out Starboard Home. There is one plug socket in my room, on the wall. Minimal. Nice if you are a baldy Zen master but not if you want to write your tour diary in bed.

There are electric curtains, which, by the flick of a switch, open to reveal a view of the city and surrounding office blocks. So there?s plenty of electricity. I just want a plug socket! Give me a socket!

The show tonight was cool. You had the standers on the ground and the sitters in the stalls. We decided to set them against each other tonight. The stalls were worried. The standers outnumbered them 2 to 1. I was going on about how all the folk standing were up for it and the sitters were too old and knackered.

I?m sitting just now, in my socket? sorry my hotel room. As I write I am listening to the best thing I?ve heard in ages. The band is called Mental music. Brilliant. Anyways?the show, ahhh the show?it was very cool tonight. Lots of people.

The venue is great. We are playing there again tomorrow. This is an interesting concept, playing in a venue twice. As a fan of a band playing more than one night in my city, there was always the dilemma of what night to choose. What night would the band be ?on fire??

I remember buying tickets to see R.E.M in Glasgow and deciding that the last of the 3 night stint would be the best one to go for because they?d all be relaxed and it?d be the last show?n?all. In the end they cancelled because Bill got ill. So now as a member of a band playing more than one night I can honestly say that it?s a lottery. And kind of dependent on how much the crowd are up for a night.

If it?s a Sunday, for instance, there is always the cloud of Monday morning looming. It always takes longer for a Sunday crowd to warm up. If it?s a Friday night then generally it?s going to go off because it?s the weekend.

Midweek shows are a mix. You?re used to work by then and are into letting the hair down.

For the record we burst our arses every show we do. Tonight and last night I had to get oxygen between encores.

We made a pact 8 years ago to play every show like it was the last show, we thought that there was no point in getting on a stage and farting about, so whichever TRAVIS show you come to, you're seeing the first and the last. We played More Than us tonight. We hadn?t played that in ages. It was cool.

So I?m lying in bed, computer battery at 73%. I was born in 1973 so this would seem a good a time to stop as any.

Sweet dreams muchachos.
Dibblez Posted: 28-09-04 11:23
Oh i have to say this was my best gig ever of Travis being in my home town:). Keane the support was wicked i have to say i was knocked out by them, they was given the full support of the crowd. Fran was brillant on the night , i had a great view i was right at the front standing just where Andy jumped down, i could see the look on the other guy's faces thinking OMG i think we lost him here LOL Superb gig looking forward to seeing you more:) still got ticket stub!
littlemissrandom Posted: 28-09-04 6:57
Wow! Finally my first proper Travis gig. [I did see the guys at Londons party in the park back in 2000. They of course were the highlight even though it did rain after they played a certain song!] Anyway was a great night for me and my two mates. We got very near the front, about level with Dougie who appeared to be laughing at me for part of the night, not entirely sure why but was fun none the less, (as were his amazing dance moves). Far too many highlights to name and the only low point was it ended far too soon. My review of the night is pretty well summed up by the poem i wrote shortly after:

Travis Manchester Apollo 7/03/04

Oh what fun it was to see,
Dougie laughing madly at me!
And Fran starting up a war,
With those sat down and us on the floor.
Neil booed for sitting down,
He knew twas a joke so didn’t frown.
Then Andy smoking a crafty fag,
No excuse! (thou he tried to blag)

Now some facts the world must be told:
Dougie’s dancing; a sight to behold!
And I bet you never thought you could
Crowd-surf to the song Driftwood.
Fran said was like playing in our front room,
Well you’re welcome anytime but make it soon!
A night of great music, fun and jokes,
Proof that Travis are great blokes.
gemB Posted: 09-10-04 8:29
This gig was the first one I attended with my boyfriend! It was absolutely fantastic, we were in the queue since 5pm in the freezing cold, so much so that my hands were starting to go blue!!
Once we were allowed in, I dashed to the loo (purely out of excitement) and then found my boyfriend stood right at the fron in between where dougie and fran would soon be standing. Keane were amazing!
Then the big boys came on!!
We were both so excited!!
It was a very special night for both of us, we definately want to see them again at such a great venue!!
As we were leaving, my lover found Fran's plectrum on the floor. Which was nice!
haily Posted: 09-10-04 11:11
Firstly I would like to advise anyone going to see Travis never ever to go to Pizza Hut before hand.

Such an amazing day.. from sitting on a train listening to a woman talking about giving birth ("i love all the gore")to walking down a street repeatedly where a camera man seemed to be following us to trying to find the venue, to actually meeting Travis(!!!!!), to going to Pizza Hut (such a mistake) and then having to run to the venue.. to seeing Travis live once again! A day i certainly will remember for the rest of my life!

Meeting them was an experience and a half. Quite nerve-racking really, but definitely worth the wait!!!!!!!!! As soon as we stepped off the train we were on a mission to find the venue, complete with our just printed off maps! (oh so prepared!) ..even with this map we still ended up getting lost, chased by dogs and tramps and stuck at dead ends. Eventually we made it (in time for the soundcheck) and nervously looked around for signs of a backstage door or a tour bus. We joined a few other people who seemed to know what they were doing (as we certainly didn't) We stood around for a while feeling a bit confused when suddenly a bright yellow tour bus appeared (ta dar) Time seemed to slow down as the bus doors opened and the manager came off the bus ("its the manager!!!") and then Dougie ("oh my god.. he's real!") and Fran (looking like a gangster..nice one!)and then Andy (with a hat!) and lastly Neil (who just disappeared! :( no cigar!)
They were soooooooooooo lovely Fran talked to us about inky pen marks.. Dougie checked my eye for pen (we were having problems with this pen) and Andy looked like an egg!
After asking them to sign our maps of Manchester and getting a few pics, we ran down the road screaming (breath people breath!) all the way to Pizza Hut (ARGH!)

When eventually we did get to the gig we secured a great spot near the front were we accidentally bumped into my french teacher. A sick feeling took hold of us.. and it was very downhill from there!
As we waited for Keane.. the pizza was slowly killing our insides and wanting to get out (lol).
Keane came on (wooo) and they sounded great and the lead singer had "chunky legs" according to the woman behind us (nice one!)
Then the long wait for Travis and it was sure a long wait as that pizza was still on the rampage!
As soon as Travis hit the stage all pains were forgotten! (well until As You Are and More Than Us when disaster struck and the pizza finally made its exit and an old beer cup came in useful.. but i wont go into great detail except that i was so sure i was throwing up bright blue liquid.. but anyway) Travis played absolutely magnificently (as always) and we had a good old dance :D

We loved Andy and his speaker antics, Fran and his dancing, Neil (because he's Neil and he's great!) lastly Dougie playing the glochenspiel (spelling?) lol! Congrats man!

What a day! (mad fer it)
Thanks to Travis for being so great! YOU'RE GREAT! See you soon!
(sorry for this ridiculously long review.. anyone who's read all the way down to here should get a medal!)

Katie and Cathy xX
Helen NZ Posted: 13-10-04 8:40
Originally from Chester, now living in New Zealand. Visitng our folks back in the Uk and soooooooooo lucky to be there when Travis were touring. Hope it won't be the last time I get to see you guys. It was amazing. Also felt lucky to see the then "undiscovered" Keane!!
I was one of the standers on the floor !
Please come to NZ sometime soon (and not just Auckland!)
sue_holt Posted: 13-07-05 12:36
Such a fab concert this was! Firstt ime i'd seen them in such a small venue and it was great to feel so close to them. This concert introduced me to Keane too which was extra cool!! xxxx
trace Posted: 12-11-08 10:34
a fab show yet again. I took my 9 year old daughter to this one and came again the next night with my partner silovit! My daughters first travis gig was eventful with keane's drummer hurling a drum stick which we managed to catch then later one of dougies plectrums!!! And to top that my 9 year old's pink piggy rucksack was thrown on to the stage which dougie picked up and sat it on his microphone for the rest of the gig!! Caitlin was so excited. So thanks again for a night not to be forgotten!! X
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