Usually, bands that play larger venues like the Senator Theatre have some sort of stage visual: a huge back line of speaker cabinets, a long colorful banner hanging in the back of the stage or an elaborate lights show.

The Story So Far didn’t have any of that. And they didn’t need it.

On April 23, the band’s stage setup was minimal, with just a small group of amps set alongside a drum kit. But this show was one of the biggest, loudest and most crowd-engaging shows the Senator Theatre has ever seen.

“Though the crowd was big, it almost seemed like they were playing to a small venue,” said Charlie Renton, Wildcat Recreation Center employee. “It was a cool vibe.”

The theater was packed with crowds of people pushing against the stage barrier as the Walnut Creek-based pop-punk group played their last show of their month-long tour. It was a significant performance in their home state.

“California, this is the best show of the tour,” said Cannon Parker, The Story so Far frontman.

Adding to the lineup was Winnipeg hardcore band Comeback Kid and San Francisco’s own Culture Abuse.

This is not your typical lineup for a pop-punk show. Comeback Kid brought the circle pits and Culture Abuse brought Bay Area shoe-gazer punk, a fully musically diverse night.

Since the new self-titled album release last summer, The Story So Far has been putting together eclectic lineups for each of their headlining tours, which are continuing to get bigger after every stop and city.

The band has a past in Chico, playing small venues that no longer exist when they began touring outside the Bay Area.

“I went to school in Santa Barbara, but I’ve had some of the craziest nights of my life right here in Chico,” Parker said.

With a long set list spanning the band’s new and old songs, even the softer “Phantom” and “Clairvoyant” as well as a cover of Led Zeppelin’s “Black Dog,” the Saturday night turned out to be a memorable one for pop-punk and hardcore fans at the Senator.

To hear music from the band or to see what they’re up to next, visit their Facebook page or official website.

Matthew Manfredi can be reached at [email protected] or @matthewmanfredi on Twitter.