The Brandeis Association for Music/Concert Organizing (BAMCO) hosted its first performance of the semester on Saturday night at Cholmondeley’s Coffee House (more affectionately known as “Chum’s” on campus). The main attraction was the Vaughns, an indie rock/pop band from Springfield, New Jersey — two of the band members lightly debated whether their hometown was classified as North or Central Jersey, illustrating their camaraderie and humor. With an opening act by Lady Bones, a local band from Boston, the night started off with a bang — and the volume didn’t drop until after the Vaughns’ final song.

Nominated for three 2015 Asbury Park Music Awards, this band has been gaining recognition since its formation in 2014 and recent decision to expand beyond its home state’s borders. Before the Vaughns went on stage to perform their sound check, they granted the Justice an interview, offering a little more insight to the band’s background.

Before starting their sound check, lead guitarist and vocalist David Cacciatore mentioned that the band’s first gig was in early 2014. Anna Lies, the songwriter, lead singer and backup guitarist, added, “We had all gone to high school together, but we didn’t really know each other until college.”

When asked about their introductions to music, each of them had a parent to thank. Drummer Ryan Kenter had a story that had the whole band laughing: “My dad bought a drum set, and when I was ten, I beat him at playing the drums, so he gave it up. That’s when I gave up on guitar lessons.” Cacciatore said that his introduction was “the reverse of Ryan’s:” he tried learning drums, but dropped it in seventh grade to pick up the guitar. Ryan quipped, “That’s why we work perfectly!” The band listed Courtney Barnett, Kurt Cobain, Jimi Hendrix and John Bonham as some of their influences.

When asked what they hope audiences take away from their performances, Lies said, “We just want them to have fun. We hope we can put on a fun show [with] fun, uplifting music. But not hopelessly happy, realistically happy. Not fake, pop happy.”

Once they started playing people poured into Chum’s, staying still until the tempo picked up, then started grooving to the music’s beat.

Lies greeted everyone by asking who’s ever been to or was from New Jersey, their home state, and announced that “our goal is to get a Jersey chant tonight.” She got her wish later in the evening, when the people from New Jersey started chanting “Jersey” at the top of their lungs. She continued to check in with the audience between songs, and everyone always cheered and clapped after each song, which created the happy and fun environment the Vaughns hoped for.

For many of the songs, bassist Tom Losito and Cacciatore shared a microphone, which brought their faces centimeters away from each other — so close that Lies at one point playfully asked, “Did you guys kiss yet?” earning laughs from the audience. Tom took it in stride and replied, “We’ve been close.”

The band played twelve songs in total. All of them were loud and energetic, even during the intervals when the instruments would soften to emphasize the vocals. The sixth song, “Phase Me” (for which the music video was posted in late May 2016), had people crowding toward the front in a group near the platform. This was an empowering song (with a few expletives) about not being affected by life’s rough patches. “Roses,” the ninth song, was a mix between soft, alternative vocals with some hardcore guitar and drums that had people dancing from start to finish. Their new EP “Tomfoolery,” is available on Spotify, iTunes, Soundcloud, BandsInTown, BandCamp, YouTube and GooglePlay.

The event was a fun, intimate gathering with all the energy of a large stadium concert. Their music is perfect if you want to chill out or if you want a good beat to dance to on a night out. The songs fit into anyone’s library that includes indie rock, alternative or pop.

Their next performance is on Sept. 25 in Westfield, New Jersey at the Westfield Festifall, which Ryan described as “street fair with cotton candy.” After that, their next show will be on Nov. 27 at New York City’s Webster Hall.