The Fray at Pier 97

Isaac Slade

Lead vocalist Isaac Slade, guitarist Joe King and drummer Ben Wysocki attended school together in Denver, Colorado. Slade and King went on to lead a band that led worship in church, and Wysocki and lead guitarist David Welsh performed in another worship band. Slade and King in 2002 began forming a secular pop band, the Fray, and after a few personnel changes, drafted Wysocki and Welsh. The band members decided on a name after asking people to put band names on a piece of paper. They ended up picking "The Fray" randomly. The Fray's debut album in 2005 was certified double platinum in the United States; the band's fourth and most recent album, Helios, was released in February 2014. Bassist Jeremy McCoy has toured with the band since 2009.

Launching a summer concert series at the outdoor Pier 97 tonight, the Fray performed a set that was low on flashy stage moves and high on simple honesty and sincerity. From the opening breezy notes of the Helios track, "Closer to Me," the concert was built around songcraft. “Over My Head (Cable Car)” was inspired by Slade’s temporary estrangement from his brother. “How To Save A Life” was inspired by Slade’s experience as a mentor to a crack addicted teen. The performance of these songs never extended far from the lyric and melody. Slade's emotive yearning centered "You Found Me" and "Love Don't Die." The one surprise was a down-home country-gospel rendition of the traditional song "Just a Closer Walk with Thee," bringing the band members back to their church roots. The band picked up the pace a few times, but overall the show consisted of mid-tempo piano-driven pop rock tracks and power ballads more suited for radio than live performance.

Visit the Fray at www.thefray.com.