It's just another day in the life of a modern rock band—four guys riding in an SUV, heading to a club they have never played before. The band in question is FLEDfive, whose music is a blend of heavy guitar riffing, rock-solid drumming, and catchy vocal melody (think a cross between Breaking Benjamin, Crossfade and Black Label Society). A certain tension follows them, because there are several unknowns—how big is the club, how much room is the headlining act (in this case Sponge) going to give them onstage, how long will they be able to play, how will the audience react to a band they have never seen before, and the list goes on.

However, the four that make up this particular band know how to deal with these questions. They have been in this situation many times before, and no doubt will face it many times in the future. Laughter breaks out among them as they pass a tiny roadside eatery with a bright sign that simply reads “EAT.” Jokes about the restaurant are centered around its clientèle—how would they eat with only one tooth, who would they get to read the menu for them, and on into less tasteful territory.

FLEDfive's track record of big shows is impressive for a self-managed band with no label. In only the past couple years, they have shared the stage with SOiL, American Motherload, Brand New Sin, Earshot, Saliva, Seven Mary Three, Smile Empty Soul, Poison, Skid Row, Bad Company, Ratt and many others, and have played at Fox Fest, a yearly event attended by over 40, 000 fans. Footage from this show can be seen in the video for “Our Blood,” a crushing tune that deals with family ties. The video is downloadable from their website www.fledfive.com, and is also on the Enhanced CD portion of the band's third full-length release Only Human.

FLEDfive are currently in preproduction for their fourth CD, which should prove to be more diverse than their last, yet just as melodic and hard-hitting. It should follow the natural progression from 2000's Highest Hill to 2002's Part of Me to last year's Only Human. These three albums show a band that learns from its missteps, and comes back with better songs and production every time. It is obvious that they have not peaked yet, and have a brilliant career ahead of them.

After the band's set, the tension is gone. Sponge were more than gracious with the amount of stage space they gave the opening bands, and they put on a great show. FLEDfive also played very well, undaunted by their earlier doubts. The audience reacted favorably, and they left the club with the satisfaction of a job well done. Whatever else happened after the show is left up to your imagination; rest assured they didn't eat at “EAT.”

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