The Fray balance nostalgia against a new era at Starlight

2 hours ago

Joanne dePierre,

The Fray. // photo by Whitney Young

By the time The Fray closed its Kansas City stop on the Summer of Light Tour, Starlight Theatre looked a lot different than it had just a few hours earlier.

What began with concertgoers shielding their eyes from unyielding July sun ended with thousands of phone flashlights illuminating the amphitheater, a candle growing onstage before “How to Save a Life,” and all three bands returning to perform one final song together. It was a fitting ending for a tour centered around light, but it also reflected something bigger. Throughout the evening, Colony House, Dashboard Confessional, and The Fray each found different ways to connect with the audience, whether through infectious energy, heartfelt storytelling, or the songs that have defined generations of alternative rock fans.

Returning to Starlight Theatre for the fifth time, The Fray’s latest stop felt just as much like a homecoming as it did a new beginning. For many in attendance, the band’s biggest hits were clearly the reason they came. At the same time, the set introduced audiences to The Fray’s current chapter under lead vocalist Joe King, giving longtime fans a chance to experience where the band is headed next.

Colony House. // photo by Whitney Young

The evening began well before sunset, and the weather made its presence known immediately. With the sun shining directly toward parts of the audience, many fans spent Colony House’s set shielding their eyes just to watch the stage. Even so, the Tennessee-based band refused to let the heat of bright conditions slow it down. From the opening, Colony House attacked its set with the kind of enthusiasm that immediately grabbed the audience’s attention. The band’s chemistry was evident as members bounced across the stage, feeding off one another through songs like “Moving Forward” and “Cannonballers.”

While I wasn’t familiar with Colony House before the show, they ended up being one of my biggest surprises of the evening. Their energy never dipped, and by the end of the set, they had made a convincing case that they were much more than just an opening act.

Dashboard Confessional. // photo by Whitney Young

As daylight finally began to fade, Dashboard Confessional came onto the stage to continue the musically-filled evening. Lead singer Chris Carrabba immediately created an emotional connection with the audience. Whether responding to a fan’s enthusiastic “Let’s go!” with a playful, “It’s coming,” encouraging everyone to stand up and dance, or simply taking time to interact between songs, Carrabba made an amphitheater feel surprisingly personal.

That connection only grew stronger as the set progressed. Songs like “Don’t Wait” highlighted the band’s more reflective side before “Screaming Infidelities” drew one of the loudest responses of the night. Fans who had spent portions of the opener seated were now singing at full volume, and before leaving the stage, Carrabba paused to congratulate a couple who had gotten engaged during the concert, creating one of the evening’s most memorable non-musical moments.

The Fray. // photo by Whitney Young

As the darkness of the night sky began to settle in, The Fray finally took the stage. I’ll admit I walked into the show with fairly clear expectations. I came because of the songs that helped make The Fray one of the defining bands of the 2000s. I wasn’t familiar with the band’s newer catalog, so I was curious to see how those songs would fit alongside classics like “Over My Head (Cable Car),” “You Found Me,” “Look After You,” and “How to Save a Life.”

The Fray spent much of the first half of its set introducing newer material and revisiting deeper cuts. It was an understandable decision for a band entering a new era, though it also produced an interesting dynamic throughout the crowd. During songs many fans seemed less familiar with, pockets of the audience settled back into their seats. As recognizable favorites arrived later in the set, the energy noticeably shifted. More people stood, more phones came out, and the sing-alongs became impossible to miss.

That isn’t to say the quieter moments lacked highlights. “Look After You” featured an extended outro that allowed the emotion of the song to linger well beyond its final lyrics, while “Little House” unexpectedly took on a heavier sound than I anticipated live. Joe King also created several memorable moments apart from the music itself, including inviting a pair of fans onstage during “Ice Cold Lakes.” The interaction caught much of the audience by surprise, but it fit naturally into a night that repeatedly blurred the line between performers and fans.

One of the evening’s most unique moments didn’t even occur on stage. Throughout much of The Fray’s set, one fan in an orange shirt danced through nearly every song, running up and down the aisle while much of the surrounding section alternated between sitting and standing. That moment quietly captured the evening as a whole. While some fans waited for the biggest hits, others were simply enjoying every second of seeing The Fray live.

During “Never Say Never,” phone flashlights slowly illuminated the amphitheater from every direction, creating one of the night’s most striking visuals. Moments later, King appeared to be holding a candle before the buildup of the band’s finale of “How to Save a Life,” giving one of the band’s most recognizable songs an added emotional weight without feeling overly theatrical.

The Fray. // photo by Whitney Young

Rather than ending the night there, The Fray welcomed Dashboard Confessional and Colony House back to the stage to perform a cover of The Beatles’ “With a Little Help From My Friends.” It was a simple but meaningful way to close the evening, reinforcing the sense of camaraderie that had been building since the first opener walked onstage hours earlier.

While I left Starlight Theatre still gravitating toward The Fray’s biggest hits more than its newer material, I also left with a greater appreciation for where the band is today. Not every newer song resonated with me, and judging by the crowd’s reactions, I wasn’t alone. Still, that didn’t take away from what made the evening memorable. Returning to Kansas City for a fifth time, The Fray proved it can honor the music that first drew fans in while continuing to write its next chapter.

All photos by Whitney Young

The Fray

The Fray setlist
A Light That Waits
Hurricane
Heartbeat
Look After You
Tasted Glory
Little House
Over My Head (Cable Car)
Ice Cold Lakes
Fall Away
Let Me Go First
Never Say Never
Closer to Me
She Is
Love Don’t Die
Wherever You Reach for Me
My Heart’s a Crowded Room
You Found Me
Sea Level Drive
How to Save a Life
With A Little Help From My Friends (The Beatles cover)

Dashboard Confessional

Dashboard Confessional setlist
The Best Deceptions
The Sharp Hint of New Tears
The Good Fight
Saints and Sailors
Don’t Wait
Turpentine Chaser
Remember to Breathe
Stolen
Again I Go Unnoticed
No More Bad Days
Vindicated
Screaming Infidelities
Hands Down

Colony House