Travis has never really gotten the recognition in the states that they deserve, and it’s somewhat of a mystery. Anyone who was lucky enough to attend their only stateside show this year at the Troubadour can attest to that.

Their nearly two-hour set began with the opening tracks from their latest “return to rock” album, Ode to J. Smith, but they soon segued to fan favorites from their entire catalogue, including several from early albums Good Feeling and The Man Who.

Frontman Fran Healy, in between singing every song with a striking intensity, charmed the room with anecdotes. Before going into live show staple, “Turn,” he commented on the worldwide significance of electing Barack Obama, and later on, in a touching moment, dedicated the entire show to KCRW’s Nic Harcourt, a strong supporter of the band from the very beginning.

Soon after a Katy Perry cover (a fitting update to their famous Britney Spears cover), they closed the night with “Why Does It Always Rain on Me?” as the entire crowd joined the band in jumping up and down in a shared moment of unabashed bliss.