LOS ANGELES, CA- I waited for The Fray to cross The Wiltern stage like a little kid waiting for Christmas morning. Even though I’m a 33-year-old woman who’s listened to more albums than I can count, I have always found my way back to How To Save A Life. The Fray’s debut was a defining album of my teen years. From the moment I press play on the opener, She Is, I’m transported back to eighth grade. I can close my eyes and feel every desperate teenage emotion rise to the surface.
I’d had chances to see them over the years, but I always put it off, assuming I could catch them later. I’d go down other musical roads and forget about The Fray for a while. Occasionally, I’d hear Over My Head (Cable Car) and wonder why I ever stopped listening. Fast forward to 2022—when The Fray announced that lead singer and songwriter Isaac Slade would be leaving the band.
It was hard to imagine The Fray without Isaac. He was the face and voice of so many songs. When I pictured the group, I pictured him at the piano. I had accepted that I’d missed my chance to see them live. That was until I stumbled across a TikTok interview with the band, now fronted by guitarist Joe King. They spoke with reverence about Isaac’s contributions and explained how, after auditioning other singers, they realized promoting from within made the most sense. Joe described how hard he worked to step into Isaac’s role while still honoring the music’s spirit. Soon after, I saw a video of them performing Look After You for the album’s 20th anniversary with Joe at the helm. His voice carried echoes of Isaac’s but with its own character. That’s when I knew I needed to see this tour.
So as I waited for the show to begin, I was caught between skepticism and excitement. Could they really pull it off? Could it feel as meaningful? Those questions disappeared as soon as the lights went down. The Fray put on a show worthy of every radio hit. The live experience was more powerful than anything that could be captured on a phone screen. I sang along to every song, cried at moments that tapped into my teenage self, and felt the weight of the band’s history in every note. Isaac’s presence was still there in the music, especially in the instrumentation, but I didn’t miss him the way I thought I would. Much of that was due to Joe King’s contagious joy.
Isaac had been vulnerable and intense, his awkwardness making him all the more earnest. Joe, by contrast, brought a grounded confidence. He moved with ease, his gestures sure, his performance radiating both gratitude and excitement. He didn’t seem to be asking for our approval—he simply showed us his own version of The Fray, one that felt fresh and full of life.
The full-album performance of How To Save A Life was record-perfect, but what elevated the night was the outpouring of love on stage. They invited guests to join them, including tour opener Landon Barker on Look After You and original drummer Zach Johnson on Hundred. Once the album’s tracklist was complete, they moved seamlessly into songs from later records and new material.
One of the most emotional moments came during My Heart Is a Crowded Room, when Joe left the stage to sing his way through the crowd, climbing onto the photo ramp and belting out the chorus among fans. Gratitude ran through the set, uniting old and new generations of listeners. They covered Dreams by The Cranberries, then closed with Never Say Neverand a group singalong, joined by the entire crew and openers.
I left The Wiltern grateful to have seen this version of The Fray. Of course, it would have been incredible to experience them in their Y2K peak with Isaac at the piano. But there was something even more meaningful about seeing a band working so hard to honor their past while still carving out a future. The newer songs don’t carry the same weight for me personally, but the night as a whole was unforgettable. I once thought The Fray was special because of Isaac, but they’ve proven themselves to be bigger than one person. They remain a connection that lives in the hearts of many—and one we’ll always return to.
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LIVE CLIPS
The Fray at The Wiltern: How To Save A Life Anniversary Show Breathes New Energy Into a Classic
