No, it’s not a showing of the gritty Vietnam-era film your dad always wants to watch with you during Christmas break. And no, it isn’t an Atlanta-based experimental noise band. It’s an alternative rock band from Rhode Island with a predilection for ROY G. BIV and experimenting with different musical styles, genres and instruments.

The Dear Hunter, fresh off their cross-country drive from their performance at Coachella last weekend, will perform 7:30 p.m. Friday at the House Cafe, 263 E. Lincoln Highway.

Led by singer Casey Crescenzo, formerly of the post-hardcore band The Receiving End of Sirens, The Dear Hunter will be stopping in DeKalb on their way to Boston in what Crescenzo describes as “not really a tour, but a string of dates from California to Massachusetts.”

The Dear Hunter has recorded three albums in a six-part series titled Act I-VI that tell the story of the birth, life and death of a boy known as The Dear Hunter. Last year, the band took a break from the Act I-IV series to record a set of nine EPs collectively known as The Color Spectrum. They will also be headlining their own tour for the first time this summer, beginning July 15.

The Northern Star had a chance to talk to Crescenzo about Coachella jitters, The Color Spectrum project, and the finer things DeKalb has to offer.

NORTHERN STAR: Have you guys ever played in DeKalb before?

CASEY CRESCENZO: I forget what tour it was, but I know we played last year at the House Cafe. It was surprisingly really awesome. When you are used to playing mostly venues with bars and they’re closed until the shows starts, it’s weird to have people around, ordering coffee during our sound check. Because of that, it was hard to picture it being a show, but it switched over from coffee house to venue, and it was a big surprise how awesome the night went and how awesome the crowd was. You never know what to expect.

NS: Was DeKalb good to you last time? What were your thoughts on the town versus other college towns you’ve played?

CC: We haven’t had the opportunity to explore. The only opinions we have of the town are based on the show. It’d be nice to actually go and do something.

NS: Can you tell me more about what the status of Act IV is these days?

CC: I think they’re on the back burner for now. I worked really hard on them through Act III, then I switched over to do the Color Spectrum. It felt like a really nice break from those records. At the moment, there’s no immediate plan to finish it, I just know at some point I definitely will finish it.

NS: So what made you decide you needed to take that break?

CC: Basically, I just made that decision that I couldn’t really go and do Act IV and make it honest and give it the same amount of love and care as the others, because I didn’t feel at the moment like doing it, and I didn’t want to force it. It wouldn’t be where my heart was at. I tried to keep my mind open to what the next step would be and this seemed like the right step.

NS: How was working with Manchester Orchestra on the Color Spectrum? Does anything weird happen when you get together with other bands to work on things?

CC: We’re all friends and it was fun, and it’s not just work, and you’re craving to go off and get wasted or anything. When you’re in the studio and making music, that’s enough to keep you going. Nothing really crazy or weird happens. Your head is 100 percent in what you’re doing. It’s easier to stay focused because we were comfortable with each other.