Travis have had a bad rep over the years. Critically derided and terminally uncool, Alan McGhee once described their fey indie jangle as music for bedwetters. Accusations of blandness and their apparent lack of star quality prompted them to ironically title their third album "The Invisible Band". As the current labour government have discovered one of the benefits of being middle of the road is that you are going to pick up more passing traffic. This was self-evident at the gig as despite a luke warm repsonse to their latest album "12 Memories" they manged another sell-out.
So what kind of sad case goes to a Travis gig I hear you ask? Well, lets just say the audience is "varied". Unfortunately not everyone is as cool as myself (this I have learnt to live with) and you do get a smattering of younger types but the bulk seems to be made up of thirtysomething couples who have left the 2.4 children at home with the babysitter. I am surrounded by entwined couples and I sense a tangible sense of freedom from domestic drudgery as they slowly unwind after a couple glasses of Merlot.
Now normally support acts are utterly sh*t and eat up time until the main act has finished drinking their rider. However tonight is different. We are graced with Keane who are superb. These 3 piece are newcomers to the arena and there is always a danger that they will fail to live up to their recent single "Somewhere Only We Know". Forget that, their uplifting songs seem like obscure classics heard long ago but which have since faded from memory. Their lead singer has a gorgeous voice that is equals parts Thom Yorke and Chris Martin yet sounds distinct from either and as a result they sound like a cross between Coldplay, Travis and R.E.M at their most beautiful. They get the strongest reaction from a crowd that I have ever heard for a support act and if they don't make it big there surely is no music related justice.
For all the talk of Travis lacking star quality I find Fran Healey to be an endearing frontman. True; he is is not lycra clad. True; he doesn't have a tawdry private life that punters can vicariously live through. What he does possess is genuine warmth and bucketful of catchy songs. Travis aren't possessed with huge egos either. Some established bands pitch up and play the majority of songs from their new album. Nothing to do with promotion, oh no, it is normally attributed to the fact that they have "grown" as a band and can't possibly play those old songs. Travis know which side their bread is buttered and play only the singles off their new album "Re-offender", "Love Will Come Through" and "Beautiful Occupation" their very succinct take on the Gulf War.
"You don't need an invitation to drop in upon a nation". Travis getting political. Whatever next. Graham Norton as a closet heterosexual?
For Travis their simplicity is their strength. No tricky time changes or jazz chords. Most of their songs can be strummed by anyone with rudimentary musical ability (myself included). A few frills are added by Andy Dunlop their lead guitarist whose enthusiastic head down stomping hides the fact that he looks like a darts player.
Today's highlights include Fran acknowledging his demographic by dedicating the tune "Mid-Life Crisis" to those audience members clutching their Maltesers and resting their lower backs in the seated area and the decision to air "Flowers in The Window" without mic, amp or any accompaniment. A thoroughly brave move which spawned a tide of hecklers the week before in Cardiff and prompted the mild mannered Healy to call his audience "w*nkers". The Brighton crowd are obviously a little more cultured/restrained and despite the odd beered up tw*t who is quickly hushed, Healey creates an spine-tingling environment where everyone is forced into a deathly silence in an attempt to hear the quiet noise. A very odd environment in a huge room of 8000 people. During the chorus the crowd joins in a kind of half-whispered accompaniment in an effort not to drown out the singer. The word intimate is made for occasions such as this.
There are plenty of opportunities for the crowd to be loud and obnoxious when the Travis back catalogue gets an airing. "Sing", "Turn" "Why Does it Always Rain on Me" and "Writing To Reach You" prove that Travis write songs which could be just at home on the football terraces. Their sing-a-long charm creates a natural bonhomie and feel good factor in the audience that ensures that everyone goes home happy.
So forget your Mars Votla's, your Vines, and your Yeah Yeah Yeahs. Trendy bands that are here today gone tomorrow aren't good for the soul. . Go and dig out a Travis album and be uncool for an hour.
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