For a place with a little more than 5 million people, Scotland produces top-flight rock bands at a prodigious pace. The Jesus and Mary Chain, Teenage Fanclub, Belle N Sebastian, Franz Ferdinand, and Travis are all from the country that occupies the northern third of Great Britain. Though Travis don’t get as much credit as those other names, they’re similarly influential—it’s hard to imagine Coldplay, Keane or the also-Scottish Snow Patrol having much success without hits such as 1999’s “Why Does It Always Rain On Me?” leading the way. They’re currently touring behind Ode to J. Smith, their sixth studio album, which is considerably more guitar-heavy than previous efforts. Smart move, too, given that Coldplay, Keane and Snow Patrol have all become way more famous doing what Travis were doing a decade ago.
Thu., April 9, 7 p.m., 2009
