As the first week of classes came to a close and the long weekend began, Republic of Lights illuminated the stage while performing a mix of indie rock and pop songs.
Students excitedly packed into The Brew on Friday, Aug. 29,  awaiting the performance by the lively 6 piece band.
Republic of Lights was well received by the audience, as they were able to interact with the music during the show.
Lead singer Alan Snider sang about love, friendship and the aspects of modern life with a familiar indie sound.
The other band members, Rosie, Brian, Jamie, Brian and Greg, had a wide range of instrumental variation.
Combined, the 6 members’ charisma and connectivity to the audience made for an energetic and fun show.
The Chicago-based band performed a mixture of rock and pop songs from each of their 3 albums. Their first album, “Go Rococo,” was released in November 2010.
They followed that album with  “Other Couples,” which was split into two parts, released in November 2012 and August 2013.
The songs performed were all upbeat with a mixture of rock, electronic and pop influences.
One song performed, “The Breakup Preset Shakeup,” from the second volume of “Other Couples” combined themes of difficult relationships with rolling guitar riffs and concise vocal lines. Reminiscent of other indie bands, such as Vampire Weekend and We the Kings, Republic of Lights connected to the audience with not only modern chord changes and bass lines, but also relevant lyrical content.
The band was founded in 2008 while the members were in college.
“While a few of us met at Northern Illinois University, others were friends from back home in Chicago,” Snider said.
Snider said Republic of Lights enjoys playing at Northern Illinois University and other colleges, as it connects them to their past.
Now, the band works other jobs when not performing. Some of the members are teachers and marketing professionals, while others work odd jobs, according to Snider.
After the show, students were able to chat and take pictures with the band members.
They also had a table set up with boxes of vinyl records, CD’s, and other band merchandise. All of the merchandise was free, and donations were accepted.
Snider said the band is currently making another record and will continue playing shows in the Chicago area.