Promotional tour gives high expectations for new release

By Angelyn Thornton

photos by Amy Willard

On Friday the 16^th fans braved the bitter cold of January to wait in line outside of the 9:30 Club for the return of The Fray. Warming up the crowd for the evening was Vedera, a pop/alternative band out of Kansas City.

Lead by the soft but piercing vocals of Kristen May, Vedera kicked off the evening with a collection of songs from both past albums and future releases. May’s voice, much like the songs themselves, continue to ring in your head even after the music stops. The Vedera repertoire, with its heartfelt lyrics and eclectic moods, could easily be the soundtrack to your life.

The band currently has two EPs and one full length album in their discography with a second full length in the works. The band itself even handed out sampler CDs containing three new tracks for the upcoming release: “Loving Ghosts,” “Forgive You” and “Even I”. The first full length album, The Weight of an Empty Room, and the second EP, Stages, are available on iTunes and you can find the new songs (as well as band info) at www.myspace.com/vedera.

Next to take the lamp and chandelier-adorned stage was the main act, The Fray. After the success of their debut album, How to Save a Life, The Fray embarked on a promotional tour for their self-titled sophomore album which is set to be released on February 3^rd. The band opened with two songs from the upcoming album before launching into a mix of old favorites and new tracks.

One highlight of the set was a beautiful audience sing-along of “Look After You” which really reminded me how powerful and moving live music is. After an exceptional performance of “You Found Me”, the first single off the second record, the band left the stage and returned with a softer acoustic sound.
Acoustic or not, the set had one constant: great music. The world must wait almost two more weeks until the release of the new album but, judging by Friday’s performance and audience feedback, it will be well worth it.

You can purchase The Fray’s debut album and pre-order the upcoming album at iTunes and www.thefray.net.