A steady acoustic strum begins, accompanied by muted drums and clapping. A chipper melody floats through the speakers backed by dainty harmony as the guitar crescendos through the first chorus.

“Our number one influence is love, and mostly lost love and heartbreak,” Christopher Jennings lead singer and guitarist of the indie folk-rock band The Sun Parade said.

Hailing from Northampton, MA The Sun Parade have been making music since 2011 when Christopher Jennings moved his intentions of a solo career to a duo, and partnered up with childhood friend Jeff Lewis. The duo later added the addition of Jacob Rosazza on bass, and Colin Jalbert on drums.

“Jeff and I met when I was 15 and he was 13 at party in Maine that our fathers would bring us to every summer,” Jennings said.

This fateful meeting would later cause the two friends to drop out of college and begin their musical career together. “Jeff and I would see each other for one weekend every year till I went to college, but then I dropped out after my second year and he dropped out too…he moved here, to Northampton, about 2 1/2 years ago to start this band,” Jennings said.

The Sun Parade released their self-titled EP in 2011, and immediately had New England fans hooked. Their self-described genre of indie-psychedelic-folk-rock overtook locals who were proud to have berthed a band of native sons to the top of local charts with their single “Need You by My Side”.

The local natives released their first full-length entitled “Yossis” on April 3rd, 2012 and have been touring constantly since then.

The album received good ratings and secured the band multiple opening opportunities for bands such as Born Ruffians and Martin Sexton, as well as solo shows in smaller venues such as the Iron Horse in their hometown Northampton.

“Everybody plays the Iron Horse in Northampton, it’s very famous and very local,” Jennings said. “I would love to play the Calvin Theater…that would be something special to do for me regarding local venues.”

Playing live shows seems to be the band’s forte, as well as their method of choice for conveying their music to their fans.

“When I’m on stage that is when I am happiest. That is when people can see my most genuine smile. I forget about everything else in the world. It’s like the only time I am focused on one thing,” Jennings said. “The rest of the night I feel great. I love seeing people smile, I love making them dance, I love seeing their eyes light up when we transition into a new part of a song. It’s the best.”

In today’s music industry where the “top 40” artists rule the charts, it is becoming increasingly difficult for up-and-coming bands to make their breakthrough in order to gain well-deserved popularity.

However, The Sun Parade has resiliently remained true to their roots and resisted the urge to “sell-out” or change their chosen ways.

“We really like to play big shows with the full band and jump around and rock out, but we also have our ‘two guys playing acoustic guitars sing their hearts out’ side of us,” Jennings said. “That’s what we started with…that is the core of the band.”

Their swelling musical compositions and heartfelt lyrics certainly show off the band’s true heart to their fans, while making it a priority to reach out and connect with them as well. Critics have applauded The Sun Parade’s use of symphonic strings in juxtaposition with simple acoustic chords to create harmonic beauty.

“At times, the quartet seems fighting for control, with the rock and roll rhythms opposing subtle folk melodies,” wrote Jeremy Lukens for Glide Magazine. “The result is a folk sound that is more like early Avett Brothers…”

The Sun Parade will be opening for the band Lake Street Drive on December 27th at The Sinclair in Cambridge, MA with a possible follow-up performance the next night at Toad also in Cambridge, MA.