Before fun.’s carefree pop anthem We Are Young soundtracked the summer of 2012 and his voice became impossible to ignore, Nate Ruess formed one half of The Format. A collaboration with guitarist Sam Means, the duo released two studio albums before their 2008 split, and their return with long-awaited third full-length ‘Boycott Heaven’ proves that the more things change, the more they stay the same.
After pursuing their own separate creative paths, what’s immediately striking from these new songs is how the pair’s shared musical language remains intact. Retaining the same emotional precision that led to their first two records becoming cult indie favourites, Ruess and Means still paint with the brightest of colours, and with their hearts firmly on their sleeves.
They lean into their whimsical indie-emo quirks with the diary-like storytelling of Shot In The Dark and the stark sincerity of Forever — the latter finding Ruess reckoning with the idea of identity over a gently repeating guitar line — and if you’re looking for complete reinvention, you won’t find it here.
But, with a sense of confidence soaring through the melodic swing of Holy Roller and the gut-punch high notes that channel the doubt and longing of No You Don’t, it’s everything you have always loved about The Format, embracing nostalgia yet never fully relying on it.
Album three proves that Ruess and Means are still capable of crafting gorgeous pop songs overflowing with emotion and expression, but perhaps more importantly it proves that they still love doing it. It’s evident in the catharsis of Right Where I Belong, a tender ballad exploring love in all its simplest forms, and it practically bursts through the cinematic alt-rock indulgence of the album’s title track, playing out with an almost child-like wonder.
‘Boycott Heaven’ is filled with some of the most beautifully sincere indie-pop music you’ll hear in 2026, but it’s also a record that captures the joy of those relationships where nothing ever truly changes. It’s about the rare joy of reconnection, the kind where you pick things up mid-sentence and realise that the years between barely even matter.
The Format Upcoming Tour Dates are as follows:
Thu March 26 2026 - BOSTON Massachusetts - Roadrunner (USA)
Sat March 28 2026 - PHILADELPHIA Pennsylvania - Franklin Music Hall (USA)
Mon March 30 2026 - TORONTO Ontario - History - Toronto (Canada)
Tue March 31 2026 - ROYAL OAK Michigan - Royal Oak Music Theatre (USA)
Thu April 02 2026 - CHICAGO Illinois - Salt Shed (USA)
Fri April 03 2026 - NASHVILLE Tennessee - Ryman Auditorium (USA)
Sat April 04 2026 - ATLANTA Georgia - Eastern (USA)
Tue April 07 2026 - DALLAS Texas - House Of Blues - Dallas (USA)
Wed April 08 2026 - AUSTIN Texas - ACL Live At The Moody Theater (USA)
Fri April 10 2026 - DENVER Colorado - Mission Ballroom (USA)
Sat April 11 2026 - SALT LAKE CITY Utah - Union Event Center (USA)
Mon April 13 2026 - SEATTLE Washington - Moore Theatre - WA (USA)
Thu April 16 2026 - SAN FRANCISCO California - Castro Theatre (USA)
Fri April 17 2026 - SAN FRANCISCO California - Castro Theatre (USA)
Sun April 19 2026 - SAN DIEGO California - SOMA - Mainstage (USA)
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