📍ACL Live — April 8, 2026
Written by Krysta Ayers Photos by Drew Doggett
For the millennials who are in the middle or younger end of the generation, seeing “Warped Tour bands” and artists in that era might have been a difficult feat. Whether because their tour skipped your city or because you were too young to patronize the bars they were playing, the current resurgence of the emo/indie/pop-rock from the early aughts is like a second chance at youth.
So, it’s no surprise that the majority of the crowd consisted of millennials. And when Nate Ruess, lead singer extraordinaire, started the show’s set with 2006’s “If Work Permits,” it was no surprise that the crowd joined in, nostalgia clouding the air, and sang-shouted, “Yeah, I’m doing alright / Yeah, I’m doing just fine.” Ruess’ voice sounded no different than two decades ago; his high-tenor still, well…high, and as crisp as a cheerleader’s clap. The band then took it even further back with 2003’s “Wait, Wait, Wait” off the Interventions and Lullabies album. The crowd responded by putting their hands in the air (sans phones) and bouncing on beat (mostly).
The show was a Mary-Poppins bag of hits. For two hours, The Format played from their beloved catalog, occasionally throwing in new ones from this year’s release, Boycott Heaven. They played “She Doesn’t Get It” and Ruess stepped away from the mic during the chorus to let the audience sing for him. Sam Means (who plays every instrument, except the drums, during the show) used his keyboard/synth setup to make the funky, extraterrestrial-sounding noises in the background as Ruess belted the lyrics and moved around stage with the alacrity of the 24-year-old he was when he first performed the song.
They played “Tune Out,” “Dog Problems,” “Sore Thumb,” and “I’m Ready, I Am.” The guitars were riffing, the bass was a steady heartbeat, and the drums seemed to be helmed by the Energizer Bunny—they were a constant, upbeat pounding with an occasional playful cymbal. And there was also banter scattered throughout; Ruess introduced a new song with a dedication to his wife. “This one’s for you, Charlotte,” he said, and then started “Right Where I Belong,” a saccharine tune that will give you all the sappy emotions.
They also executed a great cover of R.E.M.’s “Losing My Religion,” and played “Oceans” with its “sha-la-la-las” and quintessential early-2000s indie-rock sound. The latter was the fake last song, before the band returned for their encore. Ruess said their encore is usually only three songs, but saw signs in the crowd requesting “Janet,” “so we’re gonna play that for you tonight; it’s not a song we play often.” Then, they really ended with “The First Single.” It was a fun send-off, a bouncy rally cry we could pump our fists to, and unabashedly sing along to. For roughly two decades, The Format has been living their lives underground, but this is a welcomed return, and we hope they stay awhile.