On the first of two sold-out nights at Dublin's Olympia Theatre, Scottish band Travis discovered just how deeply their Britpop anthems have penetrated into the Irish psyche. As lead singer Fran Healy prepared to sing the opening verses of the band's summer hit, Why Does It Always Rain On Me?, the crowd suddenly snatched the song from under his nose and sang it right back to him note-for-note. A complaint song about the weather - we can certainly relate to that.

Travis may be cut from the Radiohead/Verve/Oasis mould, but they've yet to reach the iconic status of their precursors. Watching them weave their Caledonian spell on Monday night, however, it's easy to imagine Travis treading a vast outdoor stage, leading the multitudes along on such anthems as Driftwood, Writing To Reach You and Turn.

As Healy scales the tall, life-affirming chorus of the latter, you can't help being impressed with his power and charisma; he can be as intense as Thom Yorke, more exuberant than Richard Ashcroft, but luckily he never sinks to the jaded level of Liam Gallagher. He can also be playful and self-mocking, as shown by his folksy rendition of Britney Spears's Baby One More Time.

Another clue to Travis's appeal comes during Twenty, in which Healy laments being "stuck in English class". At last! A band which truly understands the student condition, and tries to alleviate the angst with a catchy chorus and a nicely-strummed riff. The annual school outing of Slane cannot be too far away.