Singer-songwriter Matt Hires opened the first of two shows with Stephen Kellogg & the Sixers at Maxwell's Tuesday night with an acoustic guitar and his wavering vocals. Hires' 30-minute set showcased songs from his debut album, Take Us to the Start, his upcoming EP and a stripped down cover of Chuck Willis' infamous hit, "Hang Up My Rock & Roll Shoes."

He kicked off his set onstage alone with a relaxed cover of "You Are My Sunshine" and ended his performance with the energetic "State Lines." Fans could be heard singing along on more upbeat tracks including "Honey Let Me Sing You a Song" and whistling during "Out of the Dark."

Stephen Kellogg & the Sixers took the stage shortly after 9:30 while Journey's "Don't Stop Believing" blasted from the speakers.

"Welcome to Bulletproof Love night everybody," frontman Stephen Kellogg told the crowd to screams after the band performed first track, "Scorpio."

Their 90-minute set included every song off their debut album played in order as well as newer material during their encore. Many of the tracks were performed live for the first time and at times the band stopped to regroup.

"This is why we're doing this at Maxwell's and not at Madison Square Garden," Kellogg joked midway through "You've Changed" after forgetting the lyrics. The second song of the night, the audience didn't seem to mind.

"It's early in the set for this song," he said when introducing "Thirteen." "This song changed the face of who we thought we were going to be." With a fast-paced guitar intro, the upbeat track had the packed crowd singing along word for word.

The band switched things up when they played a cover of Sir Mix-A-Lot. The crowd went wild as bassist Kit Karlson rapped along and began break dancing mid-stage.

Having performed for years, Stephen Kellogg & the Sixers demonstrated their ability to energize the crowd and shortly thereafter drastically change the climate of the room. Whether it was their more upbeat tracks or moving ballads, they managed to keep the fan's attention.

An emotional track, Kellogg said he wrote "Cradle of a Family" about his parents' divorce. With light banjo accompaniment, the band captivated the crowd. While their more energetic songs got the room dancing, their slower numbers equally made an impact and hushed the venue.

The beautiful "Diamond" was first performed eight years ago at Kellogg's wedding while "It's Only That I Miss You" was written after his grandfather died. With delicate guitar strumming and Kellogg's emotional singing, the songs struck a chord.

After Stephen Kellogg & the Sixers finished Bulletproof Love in its entirety they came back onstage for an encore of newer fan favorites. The energetic "4^th of July" began the encore and found fans screaming along while "Shady Esperanto & the Young Hearts" followed suit with high energy. But, it was "The Bear" that truly impressed. Complete with alternating jams between Karlson on tuba, Kellogg on harmonica and a minute long instrumental interlude, the track stood out.

Closing their set a capella center stage, Stephen Kellogg & the Sixers thanked fans for attending. "It meant a lot that you came out tonight," Kellogg told concertgoers. Over six years since they released their debut album, fans still remembered the words to each song. The band will perform to a sold-out crowd again tonight at Maxwell's.