Once again, The House Café, 236 E. Lincoln Highway, welcomed Sundowner to entertain the increasingly chilly crowd on Friday night. The result was a tightly packed crowd singing along to earnest songs about alcoholism and traveling. But before that, a variety of acts warmed up the crowd.

Or So It Goes opened the show with a sound that could only be described as “Explosions In The Sky: Part 2.” The rhythm section held their own as the drums and bass pummeled through the speakers and held songs in place long enough for the guitarists to really demonstrate their abilities. The main difference between this band and what could only be assumed was their main influence, was that none of Or So It Goes’ songs were very long. They truly knew their parameters and the result was a great set.

Quite possibly one of the best bands to frequent DeKalb, Heart Shaped Hate, came on next and did exactly what they do best: Blow the minds of a crowd that had previously just been sitting down. Since they usually play for less than a half hour, Heart Shaped Hate rocked to their full potential, only slowing down once to get a second synthesizer (which was completely worth it).

Pat Ford came on next to perform, and for those familiar with Ford’s previous band Colossal, it was a great experience. People should know that his vocals are brilliant and he really knows what makes a great song. This set was no different, as Ford played songs that were great. While there were some skeptics, most of the crowd stood and listened in awe of how talented this high school teacher is, even though the set was too short.

Sundowner finally took the stage, and as singer Chris McCaughan talked a little bit about what he had been up to, the entire crowd inched closer and closer to the front until the back of the venue was almost empty. The crowd packed themselves in tight and sang along with McCaughan as he ran through favorites like “Steal Your Words” and “Endless Miles.”

Similar to McCaughan’s other gig, the Lawrence Arms, Sundowner shows are sing-a-longs filled with stories, alcohol and jokes, which the crowd ate up. Yet the true highlight of the night came when McCaughan played two Lawrence Arms songs, including the self-deprecating “My Boatless Booze Cruise” and crowd-favorite “100 Resolutions.” The voices of the crowd suddenly all sang in unison with McCaughan, and what resulted was a great moment. This is the reason people should see live music.