The Rentals are back, and not a moment too soon, especially since it’s been 19 years since “The Return of the Rentals.” As Matt Sharp and gang show on “Lost in Alphaville,” the new album released last month, they still hold the key to a lot of pop hearts. At the Fonda Theatre on Friday night, everybody was buying the Rentals – they were joined by Keith Murray of openers We Are Scientists on guitar, not to mention Jess Wolfe and Holly Laessig of Lucius. That was in addition to usual collaborators Ryen Slegr of Ozma (who also opened) and Lauren Chipman of the Section Quartet, among others. Remember “Friends of P?” So did everyone else; the Rentals encored with it and turned it into a medley with “Pop Muzik” and the “Ghostbusters” theme. Earlier, We Are Scientists and Ozma set the perfect tone for the night.

Photos by Carl Pocket