If music was medicine, The Fray would be able to save a life following their performance at the TD Bank Sports Center on Sunday.

Despite barely filling half of the Bank, Quinnipiac students erupted in thunderous applause and screams as soon as lead singer of The Fray, Isaac Slade, began to play the piano at the start of the band’s first number. The deafening noise was just as loud as if the rest of the seating was filled to capacity.

The Fray set their mark on the stage with an impressive set of songs centered on faith, love and hope. The music sounded refreshing in contrast to the current landscape of music heavily collecting spins on radio right now (oh, hey Ke$ha and Justin Bieber).

One criticism of The Fray is that all of their songs sound the same, which is a valid complaint if you are only familiar with their songs on the radio. However, several of their more intimate tunes performed at the concert could never be singles as their poignancy would be lost on the casual listener. Even The Fray’s cover of Kanye West’s “Heartless” (which they did not perform Sunday) reflects the creativity they possess.

The Fray began to heat up the stage immediately when they infused energy in the room with “She Is” from their first album “How to Save a Life.”

“She Is” sounded harder live than the recording, which made for an even better performance.

The Fray was literally full of flash as evidenced through the hypnotic lights on stage surrounding the group. The lights almost felt blinding standing so close to the stage, but it only added to, and did not detract from, the music.

Slade showed off dynamic stage presence during the performance, going as far as standing on the piano for portions of some songs. However when Slade jumped off the stage and greeted many audience members with high fives, it just reinforced the band’s capability to personalize their performance for the students.

Gazing at the crowd throughout the show, students could be seen mouthing the lyrics or actually singing along to several of the band’s songs. While this usually happens at most Quinnipiac concerts, it was different with The Fray. It felt more intimate. The Fray genuinely connected with the crowd through interaction between both the band and students.

Perhaps fewer students in the audience played a factor. Everyone who was there genuinely wanted to be there. For once, it was nice not to see student apathy. The evening was mellow and perfect for a Sunday. If the concert had to be on a Sunday, The Fray was the best act for SPB to acquire. Whether students were at The Fray or Stoolapalooza on Sunday, they supported artists they liked and spent time with people they genuinely cared about. This is a startlingly refreshing change of pace for this university.

Once The Fray ended their set, those donning blue T-shirts (the Student Programming Board Hospitality crew) swarmed and huddled together on the floor. They came together and embraced following the end of a rather perfect evening.