Flowers for Dorian on the rise

For proof that independent bands can crack mainstream barriers sans record labels, look no further than Lake Zurich, home of power-pop up-and-comers Flowers for Dorian.

Maybe you'll recognize the name. Their "Love Remains" video debuted during last year's Video Music Awards thanks to MTV2, which chose the quartet as its 2007 "On the Rise" act, and the band's MTV interview has since frequented many of Comcast's Web casts. A whirlwind of indie bliss soon followed, and with it came new fans, a nod from Alternative Press' "Top 8 Unsigned Bands" feature and a recent Metro show, culminating in the latest big news this year: an Aug. 2 spot on Vans Warped Tour.

It's a lot to take in for the quartet of friends who grew up in adjoining neighborhoods and who learned to play music in each other's basements since grade school. As far as singer Tyler Hall is concerned, they remain full speed ahead with the mentality that motivated them to enter MTV2's contest last fall in the first place.

"We're trying," Hall says. "We're definitely trying to get our name out there."

As far as the Internet-fueled music world is concerned, they're acing the name-recognition game. Seven days after Flowers for Dorian threw their name into the "On the Rise" hat, 77,000 people voted for them. It was a flattering response to what Hall considered an online popularity contest, and Flowers for Dorian ended up placing third. Just as they accepted defeat, MTV2 chose them anyway.

"They told us on a Thursday and we had to catch a plane that Friday," Hall says, saying that their trip to New York was filled with three days of video filming and interviews. "It's MTV, obviously, so anything you do with them, people automatically think you're successful or doing well."

Of course they threw a party during the VMAs. Hall said the house was so packed that when the video debuted, he couldn't actually hear the music.

"It was insane," he says. "I can't describe it. It was crazy."

Flowers for Dorian are now weeks away from their first major tour, a 30-day trek to as many venues across the country. It wouldn't be a stretch to say Hall is kind of nervous -- and equally excited to meet some of the fans who ultimately pushed the band's name onto TV.

Besides, the tour comes at a good time. The Warped Tour news arrived only a week ago, and the band plans to release its latest single -- the last in a series of three songs recorded at Chicago Recording Company downtown -- in the next few weeks.

Hall's nonchalant mentality about releasing the singles for free is a testament to the band's Web-savvy success. They aren't giving away downloads as a tribute to Radiohead or Nine Inch Nails' cavalier latest free-album release; they just wanted to give their fans something new to hear.

"It's no skin off our backs," he says.

Though Flowers for Dorian officially formed three years ago, it wasn't until their former drummer and bass player left for school and other music projects that things started taking off (those former members now perform with Chicago's "America's Next Top Model" alum Sarah Vonderhaar).

Drummer Marc Esses and bassist James Feuerbacher joined Hall and guitarist Matt Sczech about a year ago. Since then they released the "Phone Calls, Car Rides" EP, a testament to the group's driving power-chord rock (not to mention its locally revered, hooky jams and shiny vocals), and have written a collection of 20 songs that could make its way onto the band's full-length debut.

"We're just always writing; that's one thing I never have to stress about," Hall says. "We just never have a problem with it."

In fact, after the Chicago Recording Sessions wrapped up in February, Flowers for Dorian celebrated by writing more songs.

"We definitely found our direction of just where we all want to go with our music," Hall says. "We don't strive for anything; it just seems like when we write, we write what we'd want to hear."

Upcoming shows:

7 p.m. Monday at Clearwater Theater, near the intersection of First and Main streets, West Dundee. Tickets: $7 at the door

9 p.m. May 24 (tour kickoff) at Sideouts, 4018 Roberts Road (at Route 176), Island Lake. Tickets: $5 at the door

Flowers for Dorian

Town: Lake Zurich, Wauconda

Sound: All-American Rejects meets Plain White T's