Staff Editor on September 2nd, 2021

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Normally a hard-touring outfit, Future Islands were on the sidelines last year with the rest of concert-going humanity. The Baltimore dance-pop band are roaring back to life this month, albeit almost a year after the release of their sixth album, “As Long As You Are.”

The opener of their 59-date Calling Out in Space Tour brought them to the Greek Theatre on Wednesday night for a typically exuberant and career-spanning performance.

As is his custom, frontman Samuel T. Herring, dressed down in just jeans and a black T-shirt, stalked the stage, coaxing every ounce of emotion from the band’s songs and the adoring fans, especially the jubilant ones in the pit. Herring, joined by William Cashion, Gerrit Welmers and new drummer Mike Lowry, performed eight songs from the new album.

Appropriately, “Hit the Coast” came early in the set, and the new album’s first single “Thrill” ended the main portion of the show. Future Islands returned for a four-song encore, rewarding longtime followers by wrapping up the night with “Inch of Dust,” “Vireo’s Eye” and “Little Dreamer” — all three from their first two albums, in 2008 and ’10, respectively.

Setlist: On the Water, Hit the Coast, Beauty of the Road, For Sure, Plastic Beach, Peach, Walking Through That Door, A Dream of You and Me, I Knew You, The Painter, Born in a War, Ancient Water, Before the Bridge, Balance, Moonlight, Seasons (Waiting on You), Long Flight, Tin Man, Thrill. Encore: Sun in the Morning, Inch of Dust, Vireo’s Eye, Little Dreamer.

Photos by Stevo Rood / ARoodPhoto