it's something that i do that make the getting through a little more painless

something that might make it to the highlight reel of this year: listening to travis play 'humpty dumpty love song' right after some guy proposed to his girlfriend on stage. she said yes, of course. i mean, who wouldn't after fran healy tells everyone to shut the fuck up so your boyfriend could propose?

anyways, travis is a much better band than i remember them. they have so much energy and enthusiasm, most of which seemed genuine. fran has just the coolest voice. it's so... scottish... and it just puts everyone at ease and in a good mood. andy is a hard rocker beneath the love songs that he mostly plays, and it really shows during the few good solos he gets. the bassist, doug, looked really cool (like all bassists seem to be) in his peacoat, while neil plays drums like a man who didn't nearly die from a spine injury.

the set list is a great mix of old and new. the j smith stuff, which i'm not too keen on, is actually really good live. the old stuff was performed with great gusto. they did 'writing to reach you' very early on, which really set the tone. 'turn' was the real sing-along song of the night, coming right at the end of the regular set. the encore was short, but ending with 'why does it always rain on me' was clearly a great choice, especially since it was actually raining outside by the time the show ended.

a great show all in all. there is a lot to be said about a band that has a decade of touring experience. they know how to show up, do their stuff well, and deal with fans. and they know when to put in just a little extra to get people coming back. i would see them again if i ever had another chance, that's for sure.