It was right back to the start for Fran Healy last night as the singer returned to the upstairs lounge of The Horse Shoe Bar on Drury Street. A longstanding venue for karaoke, it has a long association with Glasgow bands, including Travis and Glasvegas who have used space above the pub for rehearsals ahead of recording or touring.
The stage in the lounge was a festive sight as folk enjoyed the last Friday night before Christmas. Fran Healy joined the usual karaoke performers to sing one of his own songs, Why Does it Always Rain on Me?, released as the third single from The Man Who, the second studio album from Travis. You can see the video of the moment here.
The song became the group’s international breakthrough single and a pathfinder for future success with songs like Sing and Flowers in the Window. It was the band’s first top 10 hit on the UK singles chart, reaching number 10 in August 1999.
25 years later, it remains a highlight of the band’s live show. Travis play a homecoming show at The Hydro tonight.
In July, Travis played a surprise set at TRNSMT, before stopped off outside the world famous Barrowland Ballroom to do a bit of busking for fans.
The band toured the city on a vintage Glasgow Corporation double decker bus to promote new album L.A. Times, making several stops to perform, with lead singer Fran Healy chatting to passersby from the back of the bus as it travelled through the city centre.
For more Glasgow connections to Fran Healy’s music career, take a tour of important places in his life.
1. Hamiltonhill
Fran Healy explained that the song "All Of The Places" which featured on Travis' Everything At Once album was inspired by where he grew up in Hamiltonhill where all his family came from. Here he is pictured outside 237 Killearn Street. | BBC
2. Glenfinnan Road
Taking to social media in 2023, Fran Healy shared this image of him saying: "I found a picture from 1977 when I was 3, of me and friends, and located the exact place it was taken on google street view. All the buildings are still there, the wall is still there and 3 wee ghosts are still sitting there 46 years away, eating crisps and squinting in the sun." | Fran Healy
3. Holyrood Secondary School
“Holyrood Secondary School, where I first got on stage and sung my first song, which was about the headmaster.” | Holyrood Secondary School
4. King's Park Road
“140 King's Park Road, up on the third landing. I would go out and make demos, and use the reverb in the close. I would set my four-track up, with a microphone, put another microphone up on the next landing. I recorded More Than Us, As You Are and Good Feeling there. That’s where I lived with my mum, when we got our publishing deal." | Google Maps