Midway through the Freelance Whales show Thursday night, lead vocalist and multi-talented instrumentalist Judah Dadone was glowing with anticipation as he made aware to the audience at tightly-packed Lincoln Hall that the show would be the band’s longest set ever performed. Before he could even finish the announcement, an astounding roar of gratitude exploded in reply.

At that point, it was hard for the audience to do anything but like the band, especially after Dadone mentioned that the band had collectively decided that Chicago was their favorite stop on the tour, which is why the tour starts here. It was the band’s first visit to Lincoln Hall, but it hasn’t been their only adventure through Chicago. In the past they’ve been welcomed by Chicagoans at diverse venue settings such as The Metro, Schuba’s and at Lollapalooza 2010.

After opener San Francisco-based trio Geographer’s set, Freelance Whales commenced their tour with a marriage of music from previous album “Weathervanes” (2009), with a generous helping from the newly recorded “Diluvia” (2012). Incorporating trumpet, mandolin and banjo into a predominately pop/synth sound makes for a diverse color.

The live experience proves well that this band doesn’t hide behind their studio recordings. The use of older, and what some consider to be irrelevant, instruments makes for a successful deliverance both visually and sound-wise.

The support from the audience was overwhelming and there was never a lack of physical and mental communication between the band and their audience. Within the past couple years the band has really made its mark on the U.S. from east to west. This fall, their tour may look a little slender with only 23 dates, but don’t let the numbers fool you. After Chicago, they are headed onward towards only the most crucial of stops, including Minneapolis, Dallas, Los Angeles and their hometown New York. It’s also worth mentioning that some of these dates are daylong festivals.

Freelance Whales is not your average indie/pop/synth band trying to make it big in the mainstream, but they made it anyway. This October, the band will reach a new milestone, having MTV support and feature tracks off their newest album.

Their quirky attitudes and catchy songs are what initially spark peoples’ interest, but their coordination, originality and plain good musicianship are what keep them coming back. It’s obvious that the instrumental selections go against the grain in relation to most other artists within the genre.

This is just one of the many idiosyncrasies that the band is well-versed in speaking to. The same tiny standup accordion that was used in recording their first two albums was not left behind collecting dust in their dad’s attic this tour, and it’s because of choices like this that the group of crafty musicians brings in its particularly warm and “campy” crowd.