although i've been a travis fan for ages (at least ever since the man who), this was my first travis gig i've been to. don't ask me why, but for some reason, it went always wrong... either, i was too late and the show was sold out or i was away, and the year i spent in london, was the year when travis was playing in switzerland and freiburg/germany (very close to my city basel) and only once playing the uk and that was the day when i had visitors... well, to make a long story short - concerning travis gigs, bad luck had always been on my side. but not this time!

i was accidentially listening to the radio, just when they were announcing the gig in zurich and i called for my tickets 10 mins after the sale went on. so i was going to make it this time!

at first, i was a bit dissapointed because they were going to play in the hallenstadion, which is a huge place, instead of the volkshaus (a lot smaller), where they had previously played. i don't like big places like that because they're so unpersonal... anyway, i quit work early and travelled to zurich. we were quite early, just when the doors opened. i usually don't have the ambition to go right up front in big places, 'cause i don't like to be squashed. but when we came in, only a few people were standing there in front, so i persuaded my boyfriend to go there and we actually managed to be there for the whole concert.

the support band wasn't quite my taste, to be honest, but it was good to know, that the best thing was still to come! when travis finally came on stage, i couldn't believe that i was actually just standing right in front of that stage between fran and andy, getting a real personal feeling in a really unpersonal venue! FANTASTIC! i think, even fran was a bit surprised about the size of the place!
i can't remember the setlist, but i just remember it being REALLY; REALLY, REALLY good! singing along to all the songs and just finally see my favourite band live - what an experience! they played all my favourite songs and talked a lot to the crowd (so i even got loads of that lovely scottish accent to hear). they just really rocked! also, i think they quite like the thing people in switzerland do when they want an encore, this kind of "waving" with their hands... well, we got encores, that's for sure!
in the end, i even almost caught a sweatty towel, just that the person right behind me almost jumped over me to catch it...:-)

the only thing i thought was a bit scary was that i felt really old with my 27 years, as the crowd around me seemed to be really young! they were even througing stuffed hearts on stage, which felt a bit strange...:-)

anyway, i thought it was such a great concert and it made me listen to 12 memories a lot more afterwards. this gig put a smile on my face for the next few weeks - thanks for that! i really, really hope that travis is going to come back to switzerland soon. maybe back to a smaller venue again? would be nice, and maybe you could even come to basel once (i mean, keane did...:-) that would be best - seeing travis in my hometown!

one thing is for sure, i will never miss a travis gig in switzerland again! and maybe i'll even make it to one in the uk sometime soon!

thanks for being such a brilliant band!

... as posted on the board a a day or two after the gig.....

TRAVIS in Zurich what a night it was !

Ok , I think I have recovered sufficient enough for a wee (or not :-P) report … here it is

Arrived at the venue shortly after door opening and so we managed to find the ideal spot; .. not at the very front (I think I leave that for the Glasgow gigs ;-D) but at the side on this raised platform, great unobstructed view and still near enough. Cool

So the long wait began.

8 pm on the dot (ahh Swiss precision timing!) Dada (anti portas??) the support band started their set. They are a Swiss band but sing in English. They are not too bad, Bon Jovi entered my head, must say everything sounded a bit the same, still they seemed nice guys, overawed that they were chosen to support Travis J

Next we had to while through the longest ? hour I have ever experienced so far, it seemed endless!, kept checking my watch every five minutes! Urgh

By now the venue was pretty much full up - an awesome sight!

Finally! The opening bars of Happy to Hang Around… even this seemed endless. But then wow !! Travis were on stage and one of the most amazing shows began!

Happy to Hang Around was followed by U16 Girls and this got the crowd going from the start. It was amazing to watch, the normally quite staid Swiss decided to let go ! yay !

After U16 Girls they played .. sorry the order is def not correct

Re-Offender
All I want to do is rock
Sing
Side
Pipe Dreams
Driftwood
Humpty Dumpty Love Song
Beautiful Occupation
AS You Are … awesome !!
The Fear …. the place turned into a cauldron
Midlife-Krysis
Something Else
Quicksand
Love will come Through…. Swaying from side to side :)
The Cage ?? maybe not….
and to end the first part
Turn as always this song just blows my mind

After a wee break Fran did an acoustic version of Flowers in the Windows which was outstanding as ever :)
Then it was Dougie’s turn ! yay Know Nothing ! I just love this song, especially played live. It’s got this wow factor ! excellent Dougie !
With WDIAROM I knew the gig was coming to an end but not before as it’s got to be …
HAPPY!!! Woohoo !!
Jumping and singling like mad the show came to an end all too soon!

It was soo good to see the crowd so happy. Travis have certainly won their hearts. Next time they come to Zurich, watch out, the gig will be sold out in a flash, that’s for sure!
Not right from the very start but soon after I became aware that the sound was absolutely top notch ! Fran’s voice so clear, the whole ‘noise’ it was brilliant ! I’ve been to the Hallenstation a few times and the acoustics are usually quite good but this was outstanding! Great job Giles !
So a fantastic gig came to the end and I became aware again that very soon something truly amazing was going to happen…….. and it did……. My mate Martina and I had a chance (thanks to some very lovely folks ;) to go backstage and meet Neil, Dougie and Andy and I still can’t find words to adequately describe it. ……. Guys you are just so lovely !! Every one of you ! Thank you soo much for the time you gave us. Oh hell! even now, writing it down, it’s overwhelming!

What a night ! it will be with me for a long long time :)

Thank you guys !!
Sina:)

HI,

"mal ?pis uf schwizer-d?tsch, danke f?r die f?teli, wer au immer sie druf da h?t. ich bin au d?t gsi und bin w?rkli na h?t verzauberet vo dem fantastische konzert. i de erschte reihe het sichs au w?rkli toll gf?hlt."

it was really amazing, the best concert i've ever seen/listened.

bye

I wanna travis come in to argentina. we are waitnig for u!!!!

it was during my year in newton dee village when i decided it would be most lovely to celebrate halftime at a travis concert. jesus, i loved it! my friends were just staring at me for i could sing along every single song (they played so many of my favourite old ones). yes, the crowd was deafening. i was on full blast too and i guess that's where i have to plead guilty.. only there might have been one person louder than me: the naked guy who was standing next to me. unfortunately i can't remember his name, but he was fun. perhaps it was him throwing the granny pants? let's get a little pathetic now: sometimes i put on the green tour t-shirt, go to the conservatory, listen to travis live and sing out loud. that way the afterglow keeps fresh.

aberdeen is fantastic: loads of short skirts and open-hearted people all through the year. however, thank you, travis, for putting so much colour into granite city.