Photography & Words: Darren Chan
There was a quiet expectation on Sunday night at The Forum in Melbourne — the kind that only exists when a band’s songs have been a soundtrack to people’s lives. The Fray returned to Australia on their 20-year anniversary tour of “How to Save a Life”, the show felt less like nostalgia and more like a shared experience between the band and audience.
Once Perth, now Melbourne-based Joan and the Giants set the tone as the night’s support act. Opening with “Intro” and “Beg,” lead singer Grace danced with careless abandon across the stage. Tracks like “Sleep Alone,” “How Could You?” and “Still Breathing” eased the crowd with their cinematic brand of indie-pop, while “Born in the Wrong Time” and “Good Time” carried anthemic lift. Closing with “Figure It Out” and a collaboration on “Cool Kid,” the band left the crowd ready for The Fray.
When The Fray took the stage, the significance of the night became clear. Frontman Joe King spoke about what a privilege it was to be back in Australia after 20 years, a sentiment that resonated with a crowd spanning generations — longtime fans who discovered the band in the 2000s standing alongside younger fans.
The core of the set centred on How to Save a Life, played in its entirety, allowing the album to unfold as a complete emotional narrative rather than a collection of hits. Opening with “She Is” and moving through “All At Once,” “Look After You,” and “Fall Away,” the band honoured the record that defined their global rise. Rather than sticking rigidly to studio versions, the arrangements were often extended and reimagined — most notably during “How to Save a Life,” which evolved into an ambient, almost dance-like reprise before rebuilding, giving the familiar song a fresh take.
Mid-set moments like “Little House,” “Dead Wrong / Trust Me,” and “Heaven Forbid” were embraced by fans, while “Hundred (Interlude)” and “Vienna” created moments of reflection inside The Forum’s historic interior. When “Over My Head (Cable Car)” arrived, the room erupted into an extended “woah” singalong, thousands of voices carrying the chorus until the end of the song.
Beyond the album, the band expanded the set with select songs from across their catalogue, including “My Heart’s a Crowded Room,” “Hurricane,” “Heartbeat,” “You Found Me,” and “Love Don’t Die.” New material was showcased with the recent single “Songs I’d Rather Not Sing,” which sat comfortably among the classics — a sign that The Fray’s story is still unfolding.
The audience remained fully engaged throughout the night, their attention fixed squarely on the band’s performance. Toward the end of the set, Joe King stepped off the stage and walked through the crowd, establishing a connection between band and audience in a moment that felt intimate rather than theatrical.
Closing with “Never Say Never,” The Fray delivered a performance that balanced legacy with relevance. By revisiting How to Save a Life in full while introducing new music, the band proved that twenty years on, their music continues to evolve.
