Prelude Press
Prelude Press – An independent music outlet focused on discovering and sharing the best emerging artists and diving deeper with the ones you already love.
Beloved indie pop band The Format, led by Nate Ruess and Sam Means, have released “Shot in the Dark”, taken from their forthcoming album Boycott Heaven, due January 23, 2026 via The Vanity Label. “Shot in the Dark” follows first single, “Holy Roller” which the band debuted on The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon in October and has been #1 most added at Alternative Radio stations around the country. Fans got a sneak peek of “Shot in the Dark” when The Format played it at their sold-out Phoenix show earlier this fall and the music video, which can be seen here, features live footage from that show.
The Format have also announced that they will play four very special intimate acoustic duo shows in December, partnering with food banks in each city to support hunger relief during the holiday season. (See below for dates and markets). Fans are encouraged to bring non-perishable food donations to each show, and $5 from every ticket sold will benefit local charities. Tickets for all shows go on sale Friday, November 15 at 12PM venue local time. Register for tickets at TheFormat.com.
December 9 Rochester, NY Montage Music Hall +
(benefiting Foodlink Rochester)
December 10 Cleveland, OH Grog Shop +
(benefiting Greater Cleveland Food Bank)
December 13 St. Paul, MN Turf Club (matinee show) +
(benefiting Loaves & Fishes MN)
December 15 Tucson, AZ La Rosa –
(benefiting Community Food Bank oF Southern AZ & The Florence Immigrant + Refuge Rights Project)
+ support by Dan Boeckner
– support by Members of the Gin Blossoms (Acoustic), Jeff Bufano + Chris Corak
Produced by Brendan O’Brien (Pearl Jam, Bruce Springsteen, The Killers), Boycott Heaven marks The Format’s first album in nearly two decades and features O’Brien on bass alongside drummer Matt Chamberlain (David Bowie, Bob Dylan, Fiona Apple). The record channels the alt-rock, grunge, and power-pop influences that first bonded Nate Ruess and Sam Means as Arizona teenagers. 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.
“Coming off the thrill of The Format reunion shows, and with the Boycott Heaven tour still a bit down the road, we thought it’d be a great time to pick up the acoustic guitars and make our way back west after our show in Washington, DC on December 7,” says Nate Ruess. “We’ll kick things off in Rochester- one of our all-time favorite cities to play- then head to Cleveland before a special matinee show in St. Paul. After that, we’re wrapping up with a ‘homestate’ holiday show in Tucson on December 15th.
Because of the time of year, we wanted to use these shows as a way to give back, so we’ll be donating $5 from every ticket to a local food bank in each city. In Tucson, those funds will instead go to The Florence Immigrant & Refugee Rights Project, which provides free legal and social services to immigrants facing detention and deportation.
For us, these shows are about making it a little easier for anyone who’s wanted to see us live, while also doing some good along the way. And honestly, I’ve missed those old acoustic Format shows we used to do- low risk, high reward.”
THE FORMAT — UPCOMING TOUR DATES:
December 7 Washington, DC Dc101-derland at Anthem (w/ Third Eye Blind & The Paradox)
December 9 Rochester, NY Montage Music Hall (acoustic duo show) +
December 10 Cleveland, OH Grog Shop (acoustic duo show) +
December 13 St. Paul, MN Turf Club (acoustic duo – matinee show) +
December 15 Tucson, AZ La Rosa (acoustic duo show) –
March 26 Boston, MA Roadrunner *
March 28 Philadelphia, PA Franklin Music Hall ** (SOLD OUT)
March 30 Toronto, ON History **
March 31 Royal Oak, MI Royal Oak Theatre **
April 2 Chicago, IL The Salt Shed ** (SOLD OUT)
April 3 Nashville, TN Ryman Auditorium **
April 4 Atlanta, GA The Eastern **
April 7 Dallas, TX House of Blues **
April 8 Austin, TX ACL Live at The Moody Theater **
April 10 Denver, CO The Mission Ballroom ***
April 11 Salt Lake City, UT The Union ***
April 13 Seattle, WA The Moore *** (SOLD OUT)
April 16 San Francisco, CA Castro Theatre *** (SOLD OUT)
April 17 San Francisco, CA Castro Theatre *** (SOLD OUT)
April 19 San Diego, CA Soma ***
+ support by Dan Boeckner
– support by Members of the Gin Blossoms (Acoustic), Jeff Bufano + Chris Corak
* w/Piebald, Adult Mom (acoustic)
** w/ Ben Kweller, Adult Mom (acoustic)
*** w/Phantom Planet, Limbeck (acoustic)