You know where you are with Travis. Or rather, these days you don't because, so frequent are their appearances and so unchanging is their set, that if you close your eyes for a second you could be at Glastonbury or Witnness or any other gathering the band have played during their meteoric rise over the past year and a half.
In fact, so predictable are Travis at the moment that as we approach the main stage, believing the Scottish indie mongers to have already started, we're thrilled at what sounds like a very faithful rendition of a Jeff Buckley tune. Silly us, 'twas not a new addition to the set but a record. And when Fran Healy and the chaps finally do come on, it's straight into the likes of 'U16 Girls' and 'All I Wanna Do Is Rock'. Business as usual then.
And that suits the majority of people here tonight who have come for Travis. They're the droves who've kept the Scottish indie mongers and their 'The Man Who' album in the UK charts for so long and they know what they like.
Thousands cover the gentle hill in front of the main stage and so packed is Hylands Park that many at the back have had to resign themselves to just the mere glimpse of Healy's baby kiss curl on the huge video screens every once in a while.
Their performance is fine. As usual. Healy's vulnerable, sensitive charm is intact in his between song banter -which includes a rant about Nasty Nick, the "w**ker" from cult, real-life soap Big Brother. And they play all the faves: 'Driftwood', 'Why Does It Always Rain On Me', Britney Spears' 'Baby One More Time', 'Turn' and recent single 'Coming Around'. Crowd pleasers all.
And the crowds do go home happy. But some of us think the boys should take a well-earned break and pen some new tunes, before the rot of overkill sets in. Healy and the chaps are fine songsmiths and it would be mighty fine to hear some new stuff. Soon.
