If I was 20 again the show last night, The Format at the Avalon Theater in Hollywood, probably would have been one the greatest things I had ever seen. I mean I've never heard more audience participation at a show in my entire life. At times the audience was so loud that they actually drowned out the vocals of frontman Nate Ruess, an occurrence that he was all too eager to encourage. Unfortunately, I have not been 20 for a couple of years so I wasn't one of those kids in the front screaming, clapping and singing along at the top of their lungs to every. single. song. But you know what? I was smiling the entire show and came really close to busting into song more times than I can count!
The band, all 12 of them including band leader/songwriter Sam Means, opening act Anathallo on horns, two keyboards, percussion, guitars, bass, drums and background singers, opened the show with the first two songs on their latest self-released record Dog Problems. The record is a collection of songs about love, loss, heart break and redemption...topics that all of us can identify with no matter what point we are at in our lives. This, more than anything, is what turned me on to the Format and what made the crowd as diverse as I have seen in awhile. The songs they played from this record were definitely the more poignant of the set and by far more intricate in terms of songwriting and arrangement, reminiscent of everything from the Zombies and Queen to 50s swing and even classic 90s power pop.
The middle of their set featured the faster more traditional guitar pop that dominated their debut record, Interventions and Lullabies. While the songs might not have been as complex as the tracks from Dog Problems they're still so full of hooks and big choruses that you really can't help but join in and clap along with everyone else. It's interesting to note the creative leap that Nate & Sam (the core of the band) made in-between their two records. I think it's unfortunate that the band is in purgatory in that they are outsiders to both the indie music world and the mainstream radio/MTV realm. However judging by the crowd, The Format have enough of an obsessive cult fan base that they might never need to sign to another major label again. A prospect that I'm sure they're fine with!
The show came to an end first with the title track from Dog Problems with it's show tune meets Queen swing, where Ruess sings accompanied only by Means on piano:
Can you hear me? Are you listening?
This is the sound, of my heart breaking.
And I hope it's entertaining, cause for me it's a bitch.
Was it worth it? When you slept with him?
Did you get it all out of your system?
Five lines that are symbolic of one of the major themes of the record; That it's no fun getting your heart broken. Lines that when read might want to make you laugh, but the Format somehow seem to make them work. Maybe it's the sincerity in Ruess' voice or maybe it's because we can all relate a little bit to what he's saying. In any case the band followed that song with a track called "Inches and Failing" that acts as a foil to the title track in both sound and message, starting out with three simple lines that nicely sum up what Dog Problems and the Format are all about. Three lines that you'll just have to hear for yourself below. The Format's live show, like their latest record, is something that when taken as a whole is one of the most impressive, enjoyable and surprising musical achievements of the year.
The Format - Inches and Failing.mp3
The Format - Dog Problems.mp3
Check out their MySpace page for more songs and good times.
Video for "The Compromise"