Saves The Day's Chris Conley (third from left) weathered early fame, survived a major-label drop and battled personal demons. Chris Phelps

How to save yourself:

Date published: 4/24/2008

BY RYAN BROSMER

FOR THE FREE LANCE-STAR

Most bands start out young, playing in high school and hoping for their dream to be realized. For Saves The Day, the dream came true before they even graduated.

While on a tour that will bring the band to the NorVa in Norfolk on Tuesday and Rams Head Live in Baltimore on Wednesday, Saves The Day frontman Chris Conley recently took the time for a phone interview to discuss his band's long history--dating back to 1997--and how he's survived.

"We started in Princeton, N.J., and we were just like a bunch of friends from high school," Conley said. "And then we got signed to Equal Vision [Records]."

Saves The Day released its first two albums on Equal Vision. "Can't Slow Down" was recorded over the band's winter break during their senior year of high school. After releasing their second album, "Through Being Cool," the band was picked up by Vagrant Records, and things began to click.

"We happened to sign with Vagrant at a great time," Conley said. "They were acquiring the Get Up Kids and Alkaline Trio and Dashboard Confessional, and they sort of became a part of this 'emo' culture."

With the 2001 release of "Stay What You Are" on Vagrant, the band began to see commercial success that led to attention from MTV and big-time tours, including opening for Green Day and Blink-182 on the Pop Disaster Tour. Their success grabbed the attention of major labels, and Saves The Day eventually signed on with Dreamworks.

"Being on Dreamworks was a letdown and a learning experience," Conley said. "The corporate infrastructure of a record label is not conducive to producing quality music That was difficult, and they dropped us because the album they purchased from Vagrant didn't do well."

After the Dreamworks debacle, Conley decided it was time to go independent again, and the physical manifestation of this desire became Electric Labybug, the band's own recording studio, which was built using the severance they received from Dreamworks.

"We were very fortunate to be dropped we've been doing well after leaving that label," Conley said.

What: Bamboozle Roadshow features Saves the Day, Armor For Sleep, Set Your Goals and Lydia. Where: The NorVa, 317 Monticello Ave., in Norfolk When: Tuesday, 6 p.m. Cost: $16.50 Info: 757/627-4547 Web: thenorva.com What: Bamboozle Roadshow with Saves the Day, et al. Where: Rams Head Live, 20 Market Place, near Baltimore's Inner Harbor When: Wednesday, 5:30 p.m. Cost: $16.50 in advance; $20 at the door Info: 410/244-1131 Web: ramsheadlive.com

Date published: 4/24/2008