The Fray – Summer of Light Tour
May 16 2026
Hard Rock Live – Ottawa, ON
Saturday night at Hard Rock Live in Ottawa saw fans filling the fully seated venue quickly after doors opened – hardly surprising considering the Fray‘s long-awaited stop in the capital and Hard Rock’s reputation for hosting unforgettable live shows. More impressive, though, was the fact that nearly everyone arrived in time to catch both supporting acts.
Kicking off the evening was Kingston, Ontario singer-songwriter Matt Bazinet. Quietly confident and armed with heartfelt folk originals, Bazinet walked onto the stage and captivated the audience with a set of original music, including songs from his debut EP release Pieces Of The Picture (available at mattbazinetmusic.com). Kingston’s rising star showcased emotional depth and polished songwriting. With over 74K followers and 16M likes on TikTok, which includes an emotional cover of The Fray’s You Found Me, it’s not a stretch to see how Bazinet landed an opening slot on three dates of The Summer of Light Tour.
Next up was Alt-Rock group Brother Elsey, a Nashville-based band of brothers including Brady, Beau, and Jack Stablein alongside longtime friend Dalton Thomas, who released their self-titled debut album was in 2025. The band, bringing mom and dad along, opened for the Fray on 4 dates of their current tour. The band delivered a passionate performance that earned many new fans in the room. The band – whose name honours the brothers’ grandfather, Elsey – has continued building momentum after appearing as themselves in the 2024 film Dandelion, playing a group of musicians who befriend a singer-songwriter in a downward spiral, and also features their music. You can catch Brother Elsey next in Kingston, Ontario at the Broom Factory on Tuesday, May 19th.
Then came the moment the crowd had been waiting for.
Formed in Denver, Colorado in 2002 by Isaac Slade and Joe King, The Fray skyrocketed to fame when their song How to Save a Life was featured on emotional early episodes of TV shows Grey’s Anatomy and Scrubs in 2006. The song continued to be featured on Grey’s including promos for Season 3, continuing well into season 11 of the show. After years of success and a decade-long hiatus beginning in 2014, the future of the band was uncertain following lead vocalist Isaac Slade’s departure from the group in 2022. Their return in 2024, with new music and with a new vocalist came with both excitement and trepidation from both the band members and long-time fans – it’s not often that your favourite band can replace the lead vocalist and deliver. Current lead vocalist (and former guitarist/vocalist in the band) Joe King stepped on stage, channeled his inner Freddie Mercury, and rocked the house.
Despite the venue’s seated setup, this was anything but a quiet evening – as the band tore through their songs from their 2026 album A Light That Waits alongside their extensive catalogue of hits, the multi-generational fans were up, dancing, and singing along to the soundtrack of their formative years.
Throughout the show, the band shared stories of the band’s beginnings in Denver, Colorado – after entering (and winning!) a jingle contest for a beer company, the band spent the entirety of their grand prize of $150 that night. Years later, when the band was signed the group decided they should finish the jingle – which became the hit All At Once.
Throughout the night, the band shared stories from their early days in Denver, including the now-legendary tale of winning a beer company jingle contest – and promptly spending the $150 prize that same night. Years later, after signing their record contract, they revisited the jingle, evolving it into the fan-favourite track All At Once.
The Summer of Light tour (promoting their March 2026 album A Light That Waits) – Satura fact that lead vocalist Joe King stated:
“It took 20 years, but we finally made it to Ottawa!”
With core band members including Lead Guitarist Dave Welsh, Drummer Ben Wysocki, and Lead Vocalist Joe King, joined by touring musicians Bassist Dane Poppin and Pianist Eric Montgomery, The Fray’s inaugural performance in Ottawa made it all worthwhile. One of the evening’s standout moments came when King stepped directly into the audience during My Heart’s a Crowded Room, shaking hands and signing among tightly packed fans. The evening closed on a perfect note as Matt Bazinet and Brother Elsey returned to the stage to join the Fray in an energetic performance of the Everly Brothers classic Bye Bye Love.
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