By Hayley Miller

Friday night, 180 lucky State Radio fans enjoyed a rare free acoustic performance by the band at Newbury Comics on Newbury Street.

Fans lined up at the door starting at 10 a.m. to get their hands on the wristbands that would later grant them entrance to the intimate show. Within a couple of hours, the majority of the wristbands had been claimed.

Newbury Comics store manager, Robby Phillips, said the store reached its capacity for the show.

Phillips said past in-store performances have included Kimya Dawson of the Moldy Peaches, Gerard Way of My Chemical Romance and Flavor Flav.

The line of fans covered an entire block as show time grew nearer. At 7 p.m., fans piled into the first floor of the popular split-level comic book store that was home to one of two free shows State Radio would be putting on for Newbury Comics. North Attleborough’s location hosted a performance the next day.

“We’ve never played an in-store [concert] before,” said Chad Urmston, State Radio’s lead vocalist and guitar player and former member of the popular band Dispatch. “It’s sort of like an experiment.”

The concert was put on to promote the release of the Boston-based band’s sophomore album, Year of the Crow, which was released in November. Many songs from the album have already been played on the band’s recent tour.

When asked why the band chose to play a free show at Newbury Comics, bass player Chuck Fay joked, “the money.”

Urmston said Newbury Comics seemed fitting for a promotional show.

“We were just excited about the record and wanted to have some sort of ceremony for the release,” he said. “[Newbury Comics] has always been a cool, local place.”

After cheering from the excited crowd, the three bandmates took the tiny stage. There was just enough room for the three of them and drummer Mike “Mad Dog” Najarian’s three-piece drum set.

With Urmston’s signature curly orange locks in a mess atop his head, he started off the show by cautioning the audience about the band’s lack of practice.

“We haven’t really practiced that much lately. Should be interesting,” Urmston said with a grin.

The show went on without any problems and the crowd responded with enthusiasm. Fans sang along with Urmston, even helping him to remember a few lines he hadn’t sung in a while.

The bandmates showed an obvious appreciation for their fans. One lucky fan was even called up to finish singing one of the new songs, “Rash of Robberies,” with Urmston.

The band’s friends and families, including Urmston’ three-year old nephew, sat on the side cheering them on.

Urmston said there was one major difference between the group’s first album, Us Against the Crown, and Against the Crown, and Year of the Crow.

“This one was done in three weeks where at the first one was done in a year and a half,” he said.

Najarian light-heartedly cut in.

“The biggest difference is me,” he said.

Stokes and Fay discovered Najarian, who is the new drummer on the album, while he was playing buckets outside of Fenway Park after a Red Sox game.

“Yeah, that’s why [the album] sucks,” Fay joked.

State Radio, known for their political lyrics and ska/rock sound, describe their sound as “junk rock.”

“We hope [our lyrics] encourage people to be thoughtful people – not to see and believe everything that comes from the powers that be,” Urmston said.

Urmston said Boston’s “big punk-rock tradition” was a local influence for the band.

“The Mighty Mighty Bosstones – that was one of the local bands that really inspired me,” Urmston said. “I might not have listened to them if I wasn’t living in Boston.”

Following the hour-long show, State Radio met with fans and signed autographs.

“It was incredible,” said freshman physical therapy major Brian Conlon. “They played ‘Sister,’ which they haven’t played in two years. It was sick.”

Another freshman physical therapy major, Patrick Rivera, said he’s seen State Radio four times.

“This was the first acoustic show [I’ve seen],” he said. “It’s totally different, but you know State Radio is always going to be good.”

With the band’s background in providing fans with heartfelt political lyrics, Urmston said he had an important message he wanted fans to share.

“Take part in the democracy that is the United States. Put the right people in office,” he said.

State Radio will begin their headlining United States tour in late February.