The Format, a two-piece indie rock band from Peoria, Arizona recently played at Newport Music Hall in Columbus Ohio. Nate Reuss and Sam Means established The Format in 2002 and played together until 2008. Despite their break-up, their music continued to grow in popularity. In 2020 The Format announced a reunion, originally slated to play a few key locations. However, after several pandemic-related delays they made their way back to playing live and in 2026 released their latest studio album “Boycott Heaven.”
I was able to travel to Columbus to experience their phenomenal concert which featured old favorites as well as new hits from the Boycott Heaven album. The Format holds a special place in my heart as someone who lived in Arizona for several years and can relate to their Arizona references. Shoutout to my best friend Mitch for introducing me to The Format and making me a life-long fan. This performance further solidified and intensified my love for this band. I add in my personal feelings to this review because I assume most fans can relate to the intense emotional experience that this concert was. Fans of The Format have been waiting years for this reunion and it’s even better than anticipated.
Sam and Nate put on an incredible performance which tugged on the sentimental heartstrings of everyone in the venue. Devoted fans could be seen and heard belting out every word to all the songs. Personal favorites included: “Dog Problems,” “Oceans,” “Tune Out,” new song (yes- their new album is also great) “Holy Roller,” “Snails,” an incredibly emotional “On Your Porch” and a finale of “The First Single.” This concert was one of the best performances I’ve ever had the pleasure of experiencing and I highly recommend catching one of the few dates remaining of this tour. Check out photos from the show below.
