House of Large Sizes will be playing its 40th Maintenance Shop show on Friday at 9 p.m., a number no other band has reached.

That might seem like a lot of shows for one band to have played at one venue. Can that number be right?

“You know, I’ve lost track,” said Dave Deibler, guitarist and vocalist for the Cedar Falls-based band. “What the M-Shop has said . is probably right, but I sure as hell have not been counting.”

Formed in 1986, HOLS has been headlining their own tours for about 14 years, Deibler said. But it wasn’t easy to get that first show at the M-Shop.

“We did the first Iowa Compilation in 1987 or 1988,” he recalled. “And [the M-Shop] was tough for us to get into. The guy that booked it back then didn’t want to book us, so I hassled him pretty relentlessly, but he never did. He got replaced.”

In the 38 times since then, HOLS has continued to deliver. The band continues to produce creative material over the years and weather the changing trends of the fickle pop music landscape while refining its sound.

“We’re primed and ready to go,” Deibler said.

At the very least, this year will see the release of the band’s sixth album, followed by a tour.

“We don’t play as much as we used to, but when we do play we really make an effort to keep it fresh; we’re not just carting our old wagon out there like we’re on some treadmill. Now when we play a show we just really friggin’ enjoy it,” Deibler said.