Concert Review: It's all about the music for The Fray and Kelly Clarkson at DTE

By DAMIEN DENNISSpecial to the Oakland Press

INDEPENDENCE TOWNSHIP -- A team-up of the Fray and Kelly Clarkson, both hit-making, platinum (or better) pop acts, could be seen as an Event. But instead the two made it just about the music on Friday night, Aug. 11, at the DTE Energy Music Theatre.

Clarkson, the first American Idol winner and a judge on "Duets," made her way to stage following a rather impressive video introduction project onto a white curtain, hiding the stage from the audience. The curtain dropped and Clarkson and her band jumped right into "My Life Would Suck Without You." Her stage setup was rather simple, and her band was featured far more than you might expect, with the guitarists and bassists standing right up front alongside Clarkson throughout the show.

Clarkson performed her most recent single, "Dark Side," with a passion that really showcased her talents, but she weakened her performance with far too many cover songs, including fun.'s "We Are Young" and Eminem's "Lose Yourself." "Duets" contestant Jordan Meredith joined Clarkson for a cover of Miranda Lambert's "Mama's Broken Heart, while the Fray's frontman Isaac Slade came out to cover Jason Aldean's duet portion of "Don't You Wanna Stay." Clarkson certainly delivered the songs well, but it felt like an expensive cover band show or an "American Idol" episode until she finished with her own "Miss Independence" and "What Doesn't Kill You (Stronger)."

The Fray, meanwhile, wasted no time settling into a groove, starting their set with "All At Once" and following with the hit "You Found Me," playing with more energy than is found on their recordings. Guitarist Joe King took lead vocals on "Rainy Zurich," adding diversity to the performance, and then Slade, noting that King hails from Aurora, Colo., dedicated the Fray's next two songs to the victims of the recent movie theater shootings in that Denver suburb.

During "Happiness," Slade left stage and made his way through the crowd to a piano in the ! middle of the pavilion, singing the entire way. The rest of the group joined him there for a performance of "Be Still," then returned to the main stage ion.

After returning to stage, the Fray performed a bit of the Temptations' "Ain't Too Proud To Beg" before moving into their two most well-known songs, "How To Save A Life" and "Over My Head (Cable Car)." Clarkson didn't return the favor by appearing with the Fray, but it wasn't necessary; the group's 15-song set was more than sufficient to carry the show without any help.