#Live: The Format Live at the Royal Oak Theatre
The Format Live at the Royal Oak Theatre
After two decades, The Format is back and better than ever. Fans old and new showed up before the heavy storm hit the town. We found ourselves chatting with so many fans from all walks of life; one of our favorites was a pair of best friends who met at one of their shows and have been making it a ritual to attend one of their shows on their anniversary (Even if it’s been a couple of years or a decade).
The night started off with an acoustic set from Adult Mom before Ben Kweller popped on stage. We’ve been talking about his latest album drop, but we forgot that his bass player is Christopher Mintz-Plasse, best known for his iconic role as Fogell aka McLovin in the movie Superbad. Fans of the movie were pleasantly surprised to see him on stage, but more surprised to see him play as well, doing backing vocals with Ben.
With that, it was time for Format to appear on stage. With the ornate rugs and the Mary statue in quartz placed, the lights illuminated the sign. One of our personal favorites about this tour is the randomness of the setlist. No two shows are alike, which creates even more anticipation among those hardcore fans who want their song to play. The night started off with If Work Permits, Tune out, and The Comprise. It may have been a while since we last saw The Format, but those lyrics were unforgettable. We found ourselves belting along with the fans as if we had been singing them every day. The night ended with their new songs Boycott Heaven and Oceans.
The story still continues, Ben Kweller and Adult Mom will be supporting for a few, while the rest will be supported with Phantom Planet and Limbek. If you are a local, you can see them for free. For the rest of us, you can use the link to see them on tour right now.
Www.theformat.com
MORE ON THE FORMAT:
After nearly two decades apart, during which Ruess launched a solo career, formed the chart-topping fun., and collaborated with P!nk, Young Thug, and Paramore’s Hayley Williams, while Means also continued to perform and built the highly successful Hello Merch in their Phoenix hometown, the two reunited to make an album that revives the alt-rock, grunge, and pop-punk sounds they first bonded over as Arizona teenagers. Now infused with the maturity and perspective gained from years on their own paths. Boycott Heaven is filled with existential protest songs, power chord-driven rockers, love letters to family and friendship, and a persistent belief in the possibility of something better.
The Format, who did a run of special sold out full band shows this Fall, including their hometown of Phoenix, Arizona at the Arizona State Fair, 2 nights in NYC at the Beacon Theater and in LA at the Hollywood Forever Cemetery, recently announced their Boycott Heaven Spring 2026 North American Tour. The tour kicks off March 26 in Boston, MA and runs through April 19 in San Diego, CA. Support on the tour from Ben Kweller, Phantom Planet, Piebald, Adult Mom, and Limbeck, with $1 from every ticket benefiting organizations that fight food insecurity and fund local animal shelters.
