Harmonies and instrumental ornamentation were the themes at Great Scott on Thursday, as three phenomenal acts took to the stage and delivered charged, moving performances.

It was a homecoming of sorts for The Novel Ideas. Frontman Dan Radin’s declaration that they’re from Boston was met with a rousing round of applause. This is a band that, judging from the songs on their recent 10”, has recently found musical inspiration on the road. While songwriting by committee has been a hallmark of their sound, it was a treat to actually hear their bevy of vocal talent on display. When Radin, Sarah Grella, and Danny Hoshino weren’t splitting lead vocal duties, they were layering their voices to create some of the best harmonies I’ve ever heard in a live setting. In a true standout moment, Grella grabbed center stage and delivered an emotional vocal performance on “Lost on the Road,” which both slowed down the pace of the set and helped establish the heart-on-sleeve tone that defines their output.

The Family Crest pulled no punches as they launched into song showcasing incredible immediacy. Their sound was, at times, a dense one, and the first half of their set was marked by the occasionally stifling bombast. A change of pace happened halfway through their set, though, as they broke out an upright bass and injected a jazz tone into their orchestral rock.

While the sound at Great Scott didn’t always help the cello, violin, and trombone completely establish themselves in the mix, their instrumentation was well-utilized and gorgeous. Frontman Liam McCormick wielded his voice like an instrument as well; he was prone to falsetto fits that helped deliver the power that made this band so impressive. A highlight came toward the end when the group announced that they have a system in place where you can sign up to play or sing with the band through their website. Over 700 fans have taken the nascent group up on the offer, and another three were added to the list as they got up to sing and play the saxophone on two songs.

The members of Mother Falcon took to the stage in all black and began playing with a brilliant slow burn. Coming straight out with “Marfa” was an excellent choice as they kept adding in instruments until the song swirled and shifted until it seemingly burst apart at the seams. This is the largest cohesive unit that I’ve had the pleasure of seeing live and it was astonishing to see 12 of them (which is a smaller number than usual) fit on the Great Scott stage without it seeming too crowded. It was notable how much this instrument agency allowed songs to breathe.

Their sonic excess did not equate to being excessive. Rather, it was reminiscent of acts like Ra Ra Riot and early Los Campesinos!, only with way more panache. Their fourth song, “Marigold,” not only exemplified that sound, but helped push the boundary on that auditory ethos to launch the group into a league of its own. Their large lineup allowed for more harping on harmonies, which turned out to be the blatant theme of the night. Their set even turned playful as cellos began to take cues from each other and horns followed suit. While the horn section didn’t always have prominent parts to play, hearing the members combine to deliver brass hooks was simply incredible. When well-executed, eclectic instrumentation can be absolutely captivating, and Mother Falcon held us all in the palms of their many, many hands.