Kevin Bronson on November 20th, 2016

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Nathan Nicholson, the American frontman of London-based the Boxer Rebellion, looked at the youthful crowd at the sold-out Teragram Ballroom on Saturday night in amazement. “We’ve been a band for 15 years,” the singer-guitarist said. “I don’t know if you guys know that.” It’s quite possible many did not. It’s been a slow, steady climb for the alt-rockers, who released their first full-length in 2005 and their fifth, “Ocean By Ocean,” in April of this year. Their 19-song set spanned songs from that decade-plus — five, including “Let It Go” and “Big Ideas” to start the show, from the new record. They spread their material from the five albums almost evenly, including a mid-concert foray into the middle of the crowd to sing 2013’s “Always” without amplification. The end of the show was virtually a walk through the band’s history; after finishing their main set with 2005’s “Flight,” the encore included the new song “Keep Me Close,” 2011’s “No Harm” and 2009’s “The Gospel of Goro Adachi.”

East Coasters Hey Anna opened with a set of indie-pop boasting strong sister harmonies. They dedicated their song “Anaphaze” to the Boxer Rebellion because it was the last day of tour. Nashville-based Ry Cox, a Pasadena native, opened the night.

Photos by Jessica Hanley

The Boxer Rebellion setlist: Let It Go, Big Ideas, Step Out of the Car, We Have This Place Surrounded, Semi-Automatic, New York, You Belong To Me, Locked In The Basement, Always, Weapon, Diamonds, If You Run, These Walls Are Thin, Pull Yourself Together, Let’s Disappear, Flight. Encore: Keep Me Close No Harm, The Gospel of Goro Adachi