Kevin Bronson on March 6th, 2017

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The Shins’ new album “Heartworms” — their first since 2012 — comes out on Friday, and on Saturday night fans at the sold-out Fox Theater in Pomona welcomed the new songs with open ears.

James Mercer and crew played eight new songs as they bathed in adulation from the crowd, which sang along to songs such as “New Slang” during the encore. “You guys are like gasoline on a fucking fire,” Mercer told the audience, adding “Thanks for being so responsive to the new songs.” During the final song, “Sleeping Lessons,” the band even wove in a snippet of Tom Petty’s “American Girl.”

The Shins have added an L.A. show at the El Rey Theatre on Friday, the day the new album comes out. Tickets go on sale for Friday’s show at noon Tuesday and are being sold by lottery.

Set list (* new song from “Heartworms”): So Now What*, Simple Song, Half a Million*, Australia, Mine’s Not a High Horse, Girl Inform Me, Gone for Good, Mildenhall*, Saint Simon, Cherry Hearts*, Sealegs, The Rifle’s Spiral, Painting a Hole*, Phantom Limb, Name for You*, Fantasy Island*, Caring Is Creepy. Encore: Kissing the Lipless, New Slang, The Fear*, Sleeping Lessons

Photos by Samantha Saturday