Anna Acosta on May 5th, 2016

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Indie-pop duo Tegan and Sara have been writing and playing together for nearly two decades, and it shows in the best way possible.

Their connection with the audience on Tuesday night at the Teragram Ballroom — the second of two sold-out L.A. shows in advance of the June 3 release of their eighth album “Love You to Death” — was emblematic of their music itself: slightly, endearingly awkward and honest nearly to a fault. It resulted in a conversational atmosphere with funny, extemporaneous onstage banter mainly from Tegan, the older of the Quin twins by eight minutes.

The informal atmosphere is the opposite of the music — polished, ’80s-inspired pop with seemingly effortless harmonies, joyous whether you’re a diehard fan who knows every word or a newer listener hearing their stories for the first time.

Tuesday night’s show was bookended by acoustic performances: “Call If Off” and “Now I’m All Messed Up” to start the concert and “The Con” and “Where Does the Good Go” for the encore. It harked back to the Canadian sisters’ earlier years as performers when being an acoustic act was a necessity, not a choice. In between, the duo performed backed by live drums and synths, playing three songs (“Boyfriend,” “Stop Desire” and “U-Turn”) from the forthcoming album.

They also regaled the audience with a story about going to Las Vegas for a bachelor party in a group including several OB-GYNs and ending up in a VIP area serviced by a pregnant waitress. And they made jokes about trying to keep up with social media: “It’s 2016 and we’re 35,” Tegan quipped.

Their fall North American tour brings them back to Los Angeles for dates Sept. 29 at the Wiltern and Sept. 30 at the Orpheum.

Setlist: Call It Off, Now I’m All Messed Up, Back in Your Head, I Was a Fool, How Come You Don’t Want Me, Drove Me Wild, Goodbye Goodbye, U-Turn, Stop Desire, Living Room, 100x, Nineteen, Walking With a Ghost, Boyfriend, Closer. Encore: The Con, Where Does the Good Go