As soon as the doors opened to the Moore Theater in Seattle, the energy in the building was palpable. The building was full of fans who simply couldn’t believe they were about to see The Format – something many of us had written off as impossible after all this time. It’s been about 20 years since the indie-pop duo Nate Ruess and Sam Means toured. They announced a limited tour in 2020 JUST as the COVID-19 pandemic hit, so all those dates were canceled… and The Format fans have been on the edge of their seats ever since. As a result, the anticipation has been building for years – and as soon as the band hit the stage in Seattle for their Boycott Heaven tour, there was a huge feeling of relief and excitement. The Format was BACK.
But before the headline act took the stage, the night started off with opening acts Limbeck and Phantom Planet. Both with die-hard fans of their own, these performances were the perfect way to kick off the night. Limbeck delivered a comforting, indie-folk, cactus-adorned set that set the perfect base for the evening. Then Phantom Planet came out with a high-energy, colorful set that really raised the frequency in the room. The crowd got on their feet and audience members yelled requests throughout the set, hopeful to hear their favorites.
When The Format took the stage, singer Nate Ruess welcomed the crowd with such love and joy, remarking “you guys make it feel like we never left!”. In a moment of humility and awe, Ruess asked the crowd “How did you all get here? How do you remember all the words?!”. And let me tell you – that crowd knew ALL the words. Not just the words to fan favorites from 20 years ago like “Dog Problems” or “If Work Permits” – Ruess held the mic out to the crowd as they sang along to songs like “Holy Roller,” from the new album Boycott Heaven that was released less than 3 months ago. These fans were ready.
The night was more than just nostalgia, though. Sam Means and Nate Ruess have returned with new music and a sense of renewed energy and creativity. This isn’t just some “looking back on the past” tour – this is fresh, this is new. From the engaging stage design to the unparalleled creativity of their merch designs, it’s clear that The Format is truly ready for this return… and the fans are ready to welcome them.
The band sang 17 songs and then returned for a killer 4-song encore. They started it off with a cover of R.E.M.’s “Losing My Religion,” which fit right in Ruess’ vocal wheelhouse. Next up was the tour debut of “No You Don’t” from the new album. Ruess remarked that he hadn’t performed this live yet because of how difficult the vocals were, but he hit every note. The set ended with “Janet” (a request) and fan-favorite “Oceans” – complete with a full audience singalong. How can you NOT sing along to “Oceans”?
It was clear that the band missed the audience just as much as the audience missed them. This reunion was so many years in the making, and it was an absolute success. Welcome back Sam & Nate – we’ve been waiting!