After making a nearly perfect folk-pop record in the early parts of 2013, Kopecky Family Band broke out big behind a sweet little indie-hit and ensuing massive tour that crisscrossed the country multiple times. The Kopecky’s, out of Nashville, were at it again Wednesday night stopping at the Brighton Music Hall for a second time for the aptly named “Putting the Kids To Bed Tour” and still slinging copies of Kids Raising Kids to each convert one at a time. Coming back to headline the same venue twice behind the same record is a bold move, so there may have only been a small handful in the room like myself that could tell you how phenomenal this band has become and grown in such a short time span.

The first show last summer was essentially a run through the new record; an absolutely stellar show.  The second however was a full on awakening of a potentially huge band folk-pop band. Not only had they transformed the simplistic folk-rock numbers into bigger, tighter live jams, but they delivered each song with a gusto you and passion that cannot be replicated. The highlights of the show were not the blissful folk-rock tracks off Kids Raising Kids though, but the newer yet-to-be released material due out in 2015.

Their set, led by the lyrical sweetness and harmonies of the bands namesake Kelsey Kopecky and co-founder Gabriel Simon, twists the listeners ear by making you think you’re about to hear  slow folk numbers, only to warp them into full on groove-laden rock tunes. This careful balance is what defines and makes the Kopecky’s unique and much more interesting than other folk-pop acts such as the Decemberists, or Monster of Men. Evident on songs like “My Way,” “The Glow,” and “Angry Eyes,“ these songs grow and get more progressive as they played out and got the near capacity crowd fully dancing, not just swaying. “Hope” shows the bands ability to take advantage of being a six-piece when guitarist Steven Holmes and cellist/violinist Midkiff joined together to add even more to the pitch perfect harmonies and extra percussive rim shots. In fact, another part of what makes the Kopecky’s so special is how clearly “into it” and involved all members of the band are on each and every song. “She’s the One” is the closest you’ll get to an Arcade Fire type song but the bigger comparison would be to a modernized Fleetwood Mac which became even more evident with their play on Mac’s “Tusk.”

The lone somewhat of a radio hit “Heartbeat” was played early in the set, but it didn’t matter because songs like “Are You Listening,” and “Wandering Eyes” have become just as big for people like myself that have become familiar with their catalog. Wrapping it up though, this band has really become a live act to see because of their energy and passion. To close the show, they showed off their multi-instrumentality again with Gabe and bassist Corey Oxendine breaking out trumpet and trombone on “My Way” with Simon jumping into the crowd and leading a sort of solo Madri-gras parade through the crowd. In the end, quietly the Kopecky Family Band is turning into something much bigger than just another folk-rock act from Nashville. The new material teased in between the Kids Raising Kids stuff was some of the best songs of the night that will go nameless for now but will create a big buzz of anticipation for the early 2015 release.