In one sentence: I lost my voice AND I bought a band t-shirt. That says it all. My jaded self has not bought a band t-shirt since probably back when liking NKOTB was the norm, but man, I went and I got one.
It says: art, music, jaffa cakes on the front, and TRAVIS in the back and it is the same one Franny wore on stage.
I plan to wear it a lot.
Or at least until my voice recovers.
For those of you that were there you know how wonderful it was: the perfect pop songs, the seemless execution, the joy this band has on stage is infectuous. If you weren't there: shame, shame, shame! on you.
Because when they formed that 5 piece group hug and had Dougie and Andy play Franny's guitar while he hand clapped his way through "Flowers in the window" you know you were sort of floating, and then definitely pogoing to "Why does it always rain on me" (and I have never seen a whole 930 club do anything together before, let alone pogo to a sad, sad song), and why? Because they asked you to.
"This song is not dedicated to you" they mentioned. But it sure felt like it was.
But without further general patheticness from me: Tobi got to interview them beforehand (see her story below),Joel took some AMAZING PHOTOS (and even pogoed with Tobi and me for a second), and NPR did a live stream of it all so relive it now and here
And if you need me, I'll be here in the corner nursing my lost voice and listening to their Singles record ad nauseum
from Tobi:
A Tale Of Two Travises.
So, if you know me or have ever listened to my radio show...then you know that I'm a silly hopeless romantic and
a musical sap. Therefore, it's only natural that in the late 90's I would fall madly and musically in love with the boys from
Glasgow called Travis. For years I have swayed and swooned to their music...music that I have personally coined
"my skipping through a field of daisies" sort of music. Seriously...I have it bad for Travis...and I'm not ashamed
to admit a few things: 1.) When I was working at the internet radio station in LA called www.soundbreak.com I named
Dougie (the fabulously sexy and hip gyrating bassist) my very first "imaginary rock star boyfriend"...I'm not kidding you when I say
that he's like my indie rock kryptonite...when I see those hips start to sway to and fro...well, just ask Svetlana and Erik how I
react...I feel like that girl skipping through a field of daisies! 2.) Years ago, right after graduating from college, I became
a flight attendant for a few years and I lived with lots of girls in a big house in New Jersey...for some reason we named all of our
plants after soap opera stars...however, as the years went by and I went from flight attendant to indie rock DJ...I started naming
my plants after my favorite indie artists...hence, there is only plant that has made it over the years...he is currently in my kitchen...alive
and well...and yes, you guessed it...his name is Travis. I only share these embarrassing factoids to help you to understand
how deep my feelings are for Travis. This is not just a fleeting school girl crush...Travis have become my musical kindred spirits and
many times throughout the years...the soundtrack to my life.
But all of this sappy nonsense aside...at the end of the day, I'm a radio professional...so, I can keep it together when in the presence
of the band...and I've had the pleasure of interviewing them several times during my career...one such time was yesterday...just
after their sound check at the 9:30 Club. I happily sat down with Fran and Dougie and we laughed and chatted and they told me
a few things that, if you're a fan, you might find interesting. Here are some highlights from our conversation...
1.) Dougie's favorite album of the moment is Ga Ga Ga Ga Ga from Spoon...not that this surprises me...the new album rules!
2.) They're planning to let their good friend Nigel Godrich make videos for all of the songs from their new record...much
like he did for Beck's latest effort...and the boys from Travis are going to enlist the help of their friends to make
said videos. (By the way...if you weren't at the show last night...Nigel is on tour with them as a sort of holiday!)
3.) They filmed the video for "Closer" at a little grocery store in Eagle Rock, California with their mate Ben Stiller while
the store was still open...needless to say, there were a lot of confused shoppers when Ben acted as store manager.
4.) After this tour they're going to Europe, but they said they'd be back around to do another tour of the states...so, if
you missed them this time...you'll probably have another chance.
5.) The next video they're going to make is for my personal favorite song on the record called "My Eyes"...needless to say,
I'm stoked.
If you have XM radio...you can hear my entire chat with Fran and Dougie during my show, "The XMU Afterschool Special."
I'm on the air Monday - Friday from 4 pm - 10 pm ET...but the interview will air this Friday (tomorrow) at 8 pm ET on
XMU - Channel 43.
xoxo...tobi : )
Previously in Live DC:
- 5/24: LiveDC: The Adicts @ RNR Hotel
- 5/24: LiveDC: The Donkeys @ Black Cat
- 5/23: LiveDC: The Barr Brothers w/ Kishi Bashi @ The Hamilton
- 5/23: LiveDC: Damien Jurado @ Black Cat
- 5/23: Report: Soundbites 2012
- 5/22: LiveDC: Spirit Animal @ Red Palace
- 5/22: LiveDC: Astra Via @ Black Cat
- 5/22: LiveDC: Father John Misty @ Rock & Roll Hotel
- 5/22: LiveDC: Drive-By Truckers and Lucinda Williams @ Merriweather
- 5/22: Photos: Summer Camp takes the "Ladies of Town" Drag Show
God loves a cheerful giver.
Was it sappier than that new JCPenny commercial with the little girl drawing the heart with the initials in it that she keeps chasing all over the school and has the piano music (Francis Lai) to 'Where do I begin?" the theme from Love Story playing?
Tear (as in ear, not wear).
Well, nothing is as heart destroying as the Love Story theme (aside from maybe Mahalia Jackson singing during the funeral scene of "Imitation of Life") but it was close.
But in a happy way.
In a fuzzy bunnies, uteruses tilting, men should run for the hills, hugs with strangers kind of way.
I've never seen a crowd of people in DC be so jovial and uncynical as the one at 9:30 last night.