Canadian indie rockers The New Pornographers played the House of Blues last night to an enthusiastic crowd. Eschewing the normal GA/standing room only area in front of the stage, the outfit opted for a more intimate seated affair, which limited the capacity of the crowd.
Culled together as a “supergroup” collective, the band came together in 1997 as members from various Canadian indie bands. During the last three decades, they’ve had a number of musicians come and go. The two founding members, Carl Newman on lead vocals and guitar and John Collins on bass, have been with the group since its inception. The other founding member, singer and percussionist Neko Case, regularly records with them but doesn’t tour on a regular basis, as she’s busy with solo projects (she did play a solo gig at The Agora in late 2025).
Touring in support of their March album drop The Former Site Of, the sextet played a solid hundred minutes of their best-known tunes mixed with the new album’s offerings.
Playing twenty-one songs, followed by a two-tune encore, the band opened with “Pure Sticker Shock” from the new album, an infectious power pop ditty that got the attention of the audience. Following up with “Use It” from 2005’s Twin Cinema, they offered a wide variety that represented most of their past albums.
The New Pornographers have never been a chart busting band; they’ve done better in their native country, but they’ve attained a pretty rabid following as the last night’s crowd would attest.
New Hampshire native Will Sheff opened with a forty-minute set of Americana-inspired indie pop. The force behind Austin-based Okkervil River, he does double duty for them as well as juggling a solo career, as well as sitting in with The New Pornographers from time to time.
