Friday’s tremendous show at the House Café started like any other: with a sound check that seemed like it lasted forever.

Unlike lots of previous shows however, this was one that was packed from the beginning to the end with great music and no filler.

The first band, Company of Thieves, came out to what was initially a cold reception and proceeded to rock the House, both figuratively and literally. Maybe it was the Stargate SG-1 reference in the band’s name, or maybe it was the amazing vocal presence of Genevieve Schatz, but they took the stage and kept the crowd’s attention throughout their admittedly longer set.

They were soulful and funky at the same time, and one would be wise to hop on the bandwagon soon, as they are getting some major face time with places like Yahoo! Music and Billboard.

The theme for the night could have been “supergroups,” as one of DeKalb’s favorite bands – Kid, You’ll Move Mountains – took the stage next and played a great set to a very responsive crowd. Featuring members of other great bands like Inspector Owl and Troubled Hubble, this was a great set by a band that for some reason hasn’t become a household name either.

Their style of inspired indie rock is well received by fans of Minus the Bear and the like. And when they finished their short but sweet set, the common consensus was that, like other nights, they had expanded their fan base.

Following them was Inspector Owl, one of the funnest bands to see in DeKalb on a random Friday night.

They came out firing and played a fun set to a crowd that may have actually come to see them as well as the headliner, Maritime. Their music has recently been popping up all over the interspaces, and the generally positive feedback they get is not unjust.

They play a fast and eclectic brand of indie rock, complete with loop tracks, and strings/horns as well. They breezed through their set of unique songs with a lot of crowd interaction as well, which is nice to see every now and again. The sound at the House Café is usually pretty good, but tonight they really brought their “A” game, as nothing was left sounding muffled. Inspector Owl is a band that you really, really need to see soon.

The last supergroup of the night, Maritime took the stage shortly after, and rocked the capacity crowd for over an hour. As the café hit capacity and people began being denied entrance, the newest band that features old members of both the Promise Ring and the Dismemberment Plan did not disappoint.

The feeling that people were only going because of the reputations of the band members themselves was washed away when Maritime got the entire crowd moving with songs from both their quality albums. They had an honest punk energy about them as they ran through songs like it was their first time playing them. There are some bands that play music to make money, but Maritime plays to have fun. The love of playing music was obvious to all who came to the show. But to those who stayed, it was a lesson in heartfelt performance.

And as Davey von Bohlen sang the last lyrics of the night and people went in their separate ways, there was a feeling that in the very near future, all of these bands may be too big to play at a place like the House Café. If so, the attendees witnessed something special Friday night.