In response to a Craigslist ad in late 2003, Avidan joined the indie rock band The Northern Hues, a Philadelphia-based group created in early 2002, composed of Aron Brand, Jeff Rains, Alex Yaker, Justin Earley, and Ian Creech. Avidan acted as the group's lead singer and Songwriter, and provided most of the band's lyrics while staying in northern New Jersey. They released one self-titled EP and one live track recorded in early 2005, at World Cafe Live in Philadelphia. In mid-2005, the band split up; Avidan attributes the separation to spending "years in [a band] that went nowhere due to lack of planning and focus."