A slightly shorter set than that I saw in Manchester a few days prior, but a really good one - it was rather different from that gig, with a lot of different songs played. Here is the shocker - NO FLOWERS! But on the upside, there were more than a few I have never heard live before, including one which they claimed they have never played live until tonight.

All I Want To Do Is Rock was lovely - earlier on in the gig, a small child at the front barrier (just in front of me) had called out asking for a pick, to which Fran said he would give him one at the end. When "Rock" came along, said small child was given a pick by Andy and played the solo, being allowed afterward to keep the pick! This in addition to being given a pick by Fran at the end too. Just shows how sweet the band are.

Here is the setlist:

Chinese Blues
J Smith
Selfish Jean
WTRY
Beautiful Occupation
Side
Love Will Come Through
Closer
Something Anything
Long Way Down
Friends
Song To Self
Sing
More Than Us
Driftwood
As You Are
All I Want To Do Is Rock
Turn
-----
Colder
I Kissed A Girl
My Eyes
Why Does It Always Rain On Me?

Fantastic show as usual. Travis never disappoint and are an inspiration to musicians like myself. It is great to see them always enjoying what they are doing and giving us all an example of how to be a friendly, humble, giving, and charitable band. They seems so happy performing in any venue small or large. And they just want us to enjoy their performance and music giving us permission to take photos and download their material. They are unique!

The sound quality was good for Travis but unfortunately it was hard to hear the support group over the bass at the back of the room and there was some distortion. I thought it was great that Fran introduced the support group himself, an unusual gesture.

Fran promised they would be back in the region again soon. I really hope so although I would travel again to see them as they are such a great live act. I would love to see them in the Sage Gateshead a few miles from where they performed last night. The sound quality there is amazing and it would be great to hear such a unique band in a unique venue.

Travis, thanks and please keep touring for many years to come!!

Haven't seen travis live before, but on seeing they were coming to Newcastle Uni had to bag a ticket. the new songs i didn't know, but have now bought the album. but the boys were brillant and my legs still ache from the group pogo during why does it always rain on me. Fran you rank amongst the best front men in the business. one of the best gigs i have ever attended. come back soon

Its 18.30 hours when we arrive at Newcastle’s University’s Student Union and ordinarily, the only people you would encounter hanging around here at this time of day, are booze hungry students, protestors and the odd nicotine addict enjoying a cigarette break! But tonight, the pavement is crawling with some of the bravest of Travis fans who are enduring some pretty unforgiving weather just to make sure they get a good viewing position at was is without doubt, a small venue for such a big band to be playing! We join in the crowd and huddle under an umbrella, hoping that the steel rain won’t dampen (ha) our enthusiastic mood! After all, I am a self confessed die hard Travis fan and tonight; I will be attending my 12th show!

The anxious stomach twirls kick in as the University doors eventually open at around 19.40 hours. As we approach the entrance, it becomes apparent that there has been some kind of ticket mix up and more than a few angry fans are having to queue to wait for their little paper friend to be issued. You can see them losing their sense of humor as the are more than aware that the longer they stand there waiting, the more they are losing out on their good viewing position! You have to feel sorry for those amongst them that had endured the weather for nothing, but luckily for us; we got our tickets before the day of the show and we are allowed down into the basement before everyone else… BONUS! We burst through the Basement's main doors, completely ignore the bar and head straight for the front of the barriers… If I could lay an egg out of my ass at this point, I would have!

Enter support band “The Republic Tigers” a band from Missouri, USA.
They kick off their set to a rather less than interested crowd, but after a few songs, manage to get a few heads nodding and a few toes tapping along to the beat of their jovial offerings! Personally, I am enjoying their music and I would suggest that you check out their new single “Buildings and Mountains” which is taken from their new album offering "Keep Color".
The Tigers soon exit stage to a hearty, decent applause and before you can blink, roadies are clambering over equipment to get the stage ready for Travis…

Some time after 21:00 hours, the background music that we were enjoying is turned off, the lights go out and the audience erupt into frantic hand clapping and cheering, however, this quickly stops when a screen at the back of the stage begins to show a face that proceeds to deliver a somewhat interesting speech that could rival Baz Luhrmann’s “Sunscreen” attempt … Shortly after this, Travis explode onto their stage, taking it over with an energetic “Something Anything”, a new song from their new album “Ode To J. Smith”. You can see the crowd are receiving this well and Travis themselves just seem to be on fire tonight. Fran is obviously enjoying himself and in fine spirits as usual and after one or two of his chirpy stories, he manages to cajole the audience (who really needed no encouragement) into a swaying waltz of a dance along to “Love Will Come Through”. We must have been good at it too, as the front man accuses us of causing him motion sickness afterwards!

Other note worthy moments are when Andy jumped into the crowd to let a very young man standing next to me, play the guitar solo in “All I Wanna Do Is Rock”, having established earlier, that he was himself in a struggling band, God Bless him! This was a poignant moment and the young man is clearly star struck! But only Travis would get this personal with their fans, and having met them myself; I can confirm that they are genuinely lovely people and by no means, up their own ass! They have a fan appreciation that I have never experienced with any other band, and for this alone, I love them!
Anyway, back to the gig…

There was a fantastic acoustic version of “Driftwood” that almost made me shed a tear and before I had time to catch my breath and get back from the moment, Fran had already exploded into his very own cover version of Katy Perry’s “I Kissed A Girl” that completely tickles the crowd (this obviously replacing his usual cover of “Hit Me Baby One More Time” And so it went... You can't deny that Travis are consummate performers who give their fans exactly what they want: “Writing to Reach You”, “More Than Us”, “Closer”, “As You Are”, “Song To Self”, a rare appearance of “Friends”, and the typical finale of “Why Does It Always Rain on Me?”, all delivered and received with equal passion on both sides of the stage.

So there we have it folks! My 12th show that I knew would impress to the point of euphoria! I’m sure this one will stay with me for a lot of years to come.
A big Thank you to Travis for making this so special... You fill my heart to bursting point with love and appreciation for your music!