The Format

The Format have some serious cojones; not only have they continued to tour despite lack of support from a label, but they’ve put out a new record as well. With all that work, you’d think that a band traveling as fully stocked as an Aerosmith limo bar would be pretty worn out. But they don’t, they never run out of energy. Ever. From the opening song to the second encore. Not to mention they’re an indie pop band used to hour and a half to two hour sets, not some marathon tested jam band. The entire audience felt the vibrant music down to the bones in their toes and danced like their lives depended on it, the band mimicking each step. The Format cultivated their own atmosphere inside Chicago’s Metro theatre, weaving rich currant-colored curtains and sprouting confetti spouting streamers with each following song. The music isn’t the only high quality facet of The Format’s live show, the lyrics are top shelf. Writing about everything from the snobbery of myspace (Boys with swooping hair cuts / are bringing me down / taking pictures of themselves) to the difficulty of finding a new record label (Meet me in the middle / come on let’s make up a dance / and we’ll agree to call it the compromise. / There’s no sense in complaining / it doesn’t change our minds / take me by the hand let’s compromise), they cover some unique ground with wit to spare and without whining. Verdict: The Format is good for your mind as well as your body.