It’s 7 p.m. and the opening act at Schubas should be on. The stage is empty, and there are no lights, speakers or microphones at work anywhere. But there’s music. River City Extension, the opening band for Max Bemis’ (frontman of Say Anything) sold-out acoustic show, was stripped down to its bones on Tuesday, Feb 15. Pursuing a set sans amplification or lighting were three of the band’s eight members tucked in a circle in the middle of the room.

The folk-rockers wielded nothing but an acoustic guitar, single snare drum, cello (played sitting Indian-style on the hardwood) and a notably prominent Fu Manchu framing singer Joe Michelini’s mouth.

It’s hard to sound like you’re a for-real musician without the demanding persuasion of a microphone, similar to the challenge of convincing someone that you do a wicked Whitney Houston singing in the shower. Still, River City Extension’s performance never once seemed stripped-down or juvenile. The microphones would have been a handy tool in combating the noise of apparent music-haters grumbling in the back over the price of a beer, but the need to be in close range to hear the world’s most low-maintenance performance made it all the better. The unappreciative wristband-wearers didn’t deserve to hear what was going on anyway.

An exclusive peek into the flannelled circle closing in on the three-piece found Michelini aggressively stomping, drummer head-bobbing, and the bangs of the closed-eyed cellist swinging like a pendulum from ear to ear. Nothing pretentious, nothing over (or under) done, just solid driving, folk-rock from a couple no-name New Jersey-ans. Seemingly the Americana counterparts to recent, Grammy’s-induced attention-grabbers Mumford & Sons, River City Extension should not be so no-name. (As of now, their most-watched YouTube video barely tops a pathetic 1,000 views.)

I was sold pretty early on in the unplugged performance, but locked up any reservations I might have had as soon as “Family and Friends” got going. Michelini dedicated the song to his wife, but admitted, “I’m not married, but I will be one day,” which was both grossly adorable and sincere, reminding girls everywhere why they unabashedly swoon over any man with a Fender. The song grew into a melancholy but hopeful, roaring power anthem for the need of, well, family and friends. Michelini’s singing turned into chillingly emotional, I-forgot-where-I-am yelling. His voice was rough, almost ugly, but the performance would not have been so captivating without such unafraid crudeness.

The set was sprinkled with acapella verses, heavy stomps, synchronized band and audience clapping and regular “sssh!”-ing from the crowd (never from the either unaware or uninterested band) aimed at the noisy line at the bar. At one point, there was even a purposefully quiet stretch, played almost in secret just so the inner rings of listeners could hear. Those poor, noisy Heineken guzzlers don’t even realize they missed out. Songs “South for the Winter” and “The New Intelligence” were more standouts in an already impressive, intimate showcase.

Though the group is usually outfitted with trumpets, bass guitar, a full drum set and more, it’s hard to imagine that RCE’s set could have been better that night. The won-over crowd comprised solely of Max Bemis followers agreed with emphatic boot-stomping.

Full band or not, consider my ticket to the next River City Extension concert sold. And for the next after that.