In August 2003, Nolan and Cooper featured on a radio showcase, where they promoted the band; shortly after the appearance, fan-recorded versions of the songs were posted on the internet. Due to the positive reaction, Straylight Run quickly posted demo recordings of the tracks on their website. The web traffic for the new songs crashed the website, and in turn, forced them to find a better site for helping keep up with the demand. Within four months of the six demos being posted online, the band were playing sold-out shows. Around this time, Straylight Run were attracting offers from major labels as well as interest from music producers and managers who wished to work with them. The band embarked on a brief headlining tour of the northeast United States in September 2003; subsequent touring closed out the year, including their first full US tour that they co-headlined with the New Amsterdams, and stints alongside the Format and Coheed and Cambria.