Waiting around to be discovered is not an option for the members of indie band The Energy [ tickets ]. In fact, they've been selling out some of New York City's largest clubs without a record deal.

The group formed in 2006 after Adam Wolfsdorf (lead vocals) and James Clifford (bass) met while teaching at a private school in Brooklyn. The pair was soon joined by guitarist Ian VanderMeulen and drummer Zach Thomas, and after a couple of years building a loyal following the old fashioned way--by playing relentlessly at venues like the Knitting Factory--they found themselves a mere three years later selling out shows at Irving Plaza and Blender (Gramercy) Theater. To date they have toured with the likes of 3 Doors Down [ tickets ], Eve 6 [ tickets ], and Ryan Cabrera [ tickets ], and their music has been featured on MTV's "The Real World: Hollywood" and ESPN's "Inside The Big East."

Next week (1/2) the guys will kick off a brief east coast tour in support of their 3rd release, "Realize Your Sin." Fans can catch them in concert at Iota in Arlington, VA, and at Hot Topic in Springfield, VA. They'll also be singing the national anthem for the DC Wizards. Last weekend, (12/19) The Energy performed at the Gramercy Theater and LiveDaily photographer Chris Owyoung was there to get some shots.