by BBC South Yorkshire contributor Rory Dollard

Doncaster this week played host to Travis. As coups go it's probably up there with Sheffield Wednesday signing David Beckham or Brad Pitt popping in for a Coronation Street cameo to share a pint with Les Battersby.

God, it's funny…Sean Connery was in my dream last night and he said hello to me. It was really nice

Fran Healy

Listen to the interview - part one Listen to the interview - part two Listen to the interview - part three

The only difference, of course, is that this is for real. As my taxi driver comments on the way to the venue "Travis? In Donny? How?"

The band are coming towards the end of a lengthy British tour but the South Yorkshire faithful shouldn't worry about any signs of fatigue from the boys.

Eight years ago Fran Healy and his cohorts made a pledge, as true today as it was then, to play every show as though they would never play another. Is this pact still important to the band?

"Absolutely…when people come to see a show I want to play hard to every person in the room. There's no point in doing it any other way," says Healy.

The show's the thing

Fine words indeed but more impressively, it seems that he actually means them: "buying a CD is fine, but buying a ticket, getting out of the house and going to see a show is a huge investment."

At this stage I notice more than a little 007 in Fran's Celtic tones.

"God, it's funny… Sean Connery was in my dream last night and he said hello to me. It was really nice, "says Fran. And how was Sir Sean I wonder “a bit drunk," he says, by now quite enthused.

Travis live: read the Doncaster Dome gig review

Scottish rock stars dreaming about an inebriated Sean Connery? It makes great copy but it does the anti-stereotyping brigade no good at all.

Next thing I know I’ll be talking to The Manic Street Preachers about why they love leeks and dragons.

There is a serious side to Travis though. New album 12 Memories sees the band adopting a more political stance than ever before.

12 Memories

Songs like 'The Beautiful Occupation'and 'Peace the F*** Out' in particular are explicit references to the recent war in Iraq. I wonder if Healy penned these songs in a conscious effort to politicize a band that have, in the past, been considered a little lightweight or disposable.

"Not particularly," he answers, shaking his a head a little "songs can turn out to be anything, the words just come out of your mouth. 'Why Does It Always Rain On Me?' is about it raining outside… that doesn’t make me an expert meteorologist."

Whatever the motivation, it is clear that the Travis of 2004 are a different prospect to that of days gone by.

"This is definitely a darker record," Healy affirms at one point "people might say 'I don't want Travis telling me about getting beaten up or talking about the war' and that's fair enough, but you can only write about what you’re seeing personally."

In his time with the band Healy has certainly seen a lot. From number one albums and Brit awards by the armful, to radio-bothering singles galore – theirs has been a career full of special moments.

Glastonbury in the rain

One though, may stand out in your memory as it has done in mine. It was the late nineties, the band were playing a (not particularly prestigious) slot at Glastonbury and as the opening chords of 'Why Does It Always Rain On Me' rang out the hitherto calm skies opened.

I think there's a moment when the media and the people and everything come together and say that this band is a band for this time.

Fran Healy

Listen to the interview - part one Listen to the interview - part two Listen to the interview - part three

The timing was perfect. So perfect in fact, that divine intervention still seems like the best explanation. Surprisingly, the band were less struck by this than most:

"We played that show and it just seemed like any other show…but when I got home that night, man! Everyone was talking about it. I think there's a moment when the media and the people and everything come together and say that this band is a band for this time."

Nearly famous

At that time, as we now know, that band was Travis. "I always thought that when you became successful you’d know about it…but you don’t," he muses, a touch amused by the thought "fame is something that happens to other people…when it happens to you, you don’t notice it."

With a sold out Dome already filling up and ready to join the rest of the country in roaring its approval though, one can only assume that he is beginning to get the idea.

- Rory Dollard

Review: Travis and Keane in Doncaster>>