As the opening band for the Black Clouds and Underdogs Tour, the Chicago-based quintet 'October Fall' is ready to open audience's minds.        With their piano pop-rock, punk attitude and greaser dress style, the band knows they have a lot to prove to win over new fans on this tour, which features From First To Last, All-American Rejects, Hawthorne Heights and headliners Fall Out Boy.       Singer and guitarist, Pat D'Andrea, admitted their band is definitely the underdog.

      "It's tough to be the opening band, but we're super stoked," said D'Andrea. "We've really connected with most of the kids in the audience."

      October Fall, which comes from a line in the Get Up Kids song "Central Standard Time," has skyrocketed from their early days at "miniscule" local shows to landing a coveted spot on one of the hottest national tours.

      "[The tour's] been amazing," he said. "And I think we stand out because we're so piano-driven."

      D'Andrea admitted the shows have been fast-paced for the band, especially compared to their previous tour with Ashlee Simpson.

      Well, compared to really anything the band has done recently. Only two years ago, the band was just an acoustic project. The current line up-- guitarist Clark Harrison, bassist Greg Shanahan and drummer Nick Scalise--was solidified around 2005, but it wasn't until pianist Owen Toomey "just fell out of the sky" and joined up that they found their signature sound.

      That's when they recorded A Season In Hell, which was released on Feb. 21 of this year. The album effectively captures their sugary, energetic sound--pop-punk, with a shimmering piano that adds a pleasing touch to the band's edge.

      The title refers to the 1983 flick Eddie and the Cruisers, about a 1960's rock and roll band that wanted to make a record, titled A Season In Hell, that would last forever.

       "This is my version of that record," D'Andrea said. "We consciously write melodically. We wanted our record to apply to a lot of people, so our music will last longer."

      The band was soon discovered by Fall Out Boy's bassist Pete Wentz and signed to his record label Decaydance Records. They promptly got the opening slot on to the Black Clouds and Underdogs Tour.

      D'Andrea admitted the band is still reeling from the sudden upshot of fame. That doesn't mean, however, that they're backing down. "I don't know if we're completely ready, but we're definitely excited," he said.

      Email Raph your thoughts: outloud@outloud.com