Hailing from Denver, Colorado, The Fray is one of the most promising alternative rock bands of the post-millennium era. They have a thoroughly modern alternative rock sound that has passion and impact, and yet is also somehow restrained and almost ethereal. They have often been compared to Coldplay and middle-period U2, which is not surprising given the big sound, semi-acoustic rock-jam ethic and scratchy, lethargic vocals. The Fray have, however, a unique sound of their own, one that retains the sensibilities of nineties' indie rock bands like Counting Crows but also aches with a post-modern consciousness and clean, orchestral tympani. Their seamless blend of classical piano overdubs, frail guitar distortions and congruous pulsing drums creates such a powerful and involving atmosphere that they are bound to captivate audiences of any size. If you want to see the closest thing to popular stadium rock this side of the 1980s, get yourself some tickets to see The Fray.
The Fray began in 2002 when Isaac Slade (lead vocals/piano) met up with old school buddy Joe King (guitar/vocals) in a local record shop and the two began writing songs together. They were soon joined by drummer Ben Wysocki and guitarist Dave Welsh, who had both played alongside Isaac Slade in previous bands.
Each of the band members has a long history of musical education; King and Wysocki were both pianists at a young age while Slade sang publicly from the age of 8. The four-piece quickly set about local concert tours and gained lots of local media attention, as well as a strong audience following. They named themselves The Fray in reference to the debacles that occurred between the members in trying to agree on song arrangements.
The Fray soon amassed a loyal fan-base and received much acclaim in the local media, being voted Best New Band by Denver publication Westword Magazine in 2003. The Fray were offered a record deal by Epic Records in 2004 and released their hit album How to Save a Life one year later. The commercial success of The Fray's records has grown exponentially since their original releases, largely due to highly popular supporting tours of bands like Ben Folds and Weezer.
How to Save a Life reached #19 in the Billboard 200 and sold over 700,000 copies, while the single 'Over My Head' reached #8. This coincidence of proportionally increasing record sales and increasing media appearances suggests that The Fray are still growing'¦and growing big. The Fray tickets are likely to only get hotter and hotter in the coming years.
Many consider The Fray an integral part of the contemporary acoustic-rock explosion. TV soundtrack appearances and word-of-mouth among concert-goers earn them new and dedicated fans each day. A band on the verge of greatness, The Fray are leading the tidal wave that is washing over indie music in the 2000s, and they will be entertaining audiences with their own particular brand of soulful rock n roll for some time to come. Don't miss the explosion; let us find you tickets to see The Fray today.
