Despite the band's name, there's nothing ordinary about the Plain White T's' current tour.
Tonight's show at the Venue is the third U.S. stop on the Plain White T's' Three-Part Harmony Tour, and frontman Tom Higgenson said the concept is completely fresh.
The shows, which run about an hour and 15 minutes, begin with an upbeat stream of songs.
"We come out rockin' in the beginning like we normally would at a Plain White T's show," he said. "Then we break it down and do an acoustic set."
The band sets up stools at the front of the stage to create a more interactive vibe with the audience, Higgenson said.
"We get more into it with the crowd," he said. "Kind of like an MTV: Unplugged session."
The third act is a medley of fan favorites, transitioned fluidly.
"There's like 25 minutes of straight songs woven into each other musically," he said.
The tour's style is not only new to the T's but to musicians in general, Higgenson said.
"Bands don't really do that kind of thing," he said. "So we decided to try it out, and I think people are really appreciating it."
After about eight years of performing, Higgenson said the band developed the three-part show idea as a way to keep the experience fresh.
"To me, this is more of an event," he said. "We knew that going to a bunch of smaller clubs there wasn't going to be a light show or crazy production on stage, so we thought, musically, what can we do to make this more interesting?"
Higgenson said the band especially tries to keep it exciting in smaller towns where the fan base isn't necessarily as developed.
Shows in cities like New York and Los Angeles often sell out, Higgenson said.
"But I think people get more excited about shows in small towns. Maybe it means more to them," he said. "Even if people don't know the music, they came and they're going to hear it, so hopefully they leave singing some songs."
Higgenson, who said although his attempts at being the band's jokester often fall flat, the band members don't fulfill any stereotypical roles and get along-mostly.
"We fight every once in a while and argue about stupid things, but we get along pretty well. We know how to push each other's buttons, so we try not to do that…unless we're mad," Higgenson said with a laugh.
But the touring experience is really all about the fans, he said, and the reception of the Harmony Tour has been overwhelmingly positive.
"I think when you take risks and do things that are more artistic and different, it pays off in the end. That's what we're seeing now," he said. "The best shows are when the audience gets rowdy. That feeds us."
