Kevin Bronson on May 4th, 2022

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Considering how COVID-19 ravaged the Airborne Toxic Event’s best-laid plans, Saturday’s headlining show at the Greek Theatre felt particularly exultant. Considering the venue’s place in bandleader Mikel Jollett’s personal history, it was celebratory beyond that.

To review: In late 2019, the L.A. indie-rockers announced that May 2020 would bring the release of their sixth full-length, “Hollywood Park” — due to arrive the same week as the publication of frontman Mikel Jollett’s (now-acclaimed) book, “Hollywood Park: A Memoir.” Leading up to the releases, Airborne scheduled four nights at the El Rey Theatre and four at NYC’s Bowery Ballroom, all of which quickly sold out. By early 2020, the band had added a second tour, while Jollett had plotted promotional appearances at bookstores.

So much for that. The album and book were released almost as scheduled, but the pandemic kept TATE idle for 2020 — and, except for some online activities, for 2021 as well. Finally, in March, their “Hollywood Park” tour got under way — and even then, COVID-19 was not done with them. After a member of their party tested positive, seven dates in April had to be rescheduled.

Finally, on Saturday, the Airborne Toxic Event got to the Greek.

As Josh Ostrander, frontman of tourmates Mondo Cozmo, said during their opening set, “We’re so blessed … We don’t take this for granted anymore, to be able to come together and play live music for you.”

As for the headliners, the night held larger context. It was their first show at the Greek Theatre since the autumn of 2014, a date upon which Jollett reflects in his memoir.

In his book, the author writes poignantly of his turbulent childhood, from the early years trapped in the cult Synanon to the emotionally traumatic years ping-ponging between parents to, eventually, forging a solid relationship with his father and watching his older brother Tony straighten out his life trajectory. Jollett’s father witnessed that 2014 Greek show, though weakened by the effects of liver disease that would fell him. Jimmy Jollett died three weeks before Hollywood Park was razed. The Inglewood racetrack had been a special place for father and son, so “Hollywood Park” became the cornerstone of the book and album.

In recollecting the 2014 performance in his memoir, Mikel Jollett writes, “Every show is a celebration of something,” and in the chill evening air at the Greek on Saturday, it was more than that. It was a celebration of everything.

Brother Tony introduced the band on Saturday, dedicating the performance to their father. And the band — Jollett, with original members Steven Chen and Darren Taylor, along with Adrian Rodriguez and Mimi Peschet — were off and running, starting with the 6 1/2-minute title track.

Half the show was devoted to songs from the Airborne Toxic Event’s first two albums — oldies “Wishing Well,” “Gasoline” and “Does This Mean You’re Moving On?” have lost none of the dance-like-you-don’t-have-to-work-in-the-morning charm. They got huge reactions from a crowd populated, no doubt, by many who remembered hearing their hit “Sometime Around Midnight” performed close to midnight at L.A. clubs.

Jollett introduced most of the “Hollywood Park” tracks with anecdotes (those who have read the book enjoyed a fuller context) and performed them with the focused earnestness of a son memorializing his father.

He was joined by Grammy-winning artist Finneas for the first song of the encore, “The Graveyard Near the House” (from TATE’s sophomore album “All at Once”). To end the show, there were two songs from the debut album, “Does This Mean You’re Moving On?” and “Missy” — the latter interpolated with part of Johnny Cash’s “Ring of Fire,” as members of Mondo Cozmo joined Airborne on stage the Greek’s 11 p.m. curfew hit.

Mondo Cozmo’s six-song opening set — just two from the new album “This Is for the Barbarians” — was followed by a chill acoustic set from singer-songwriter Matt Maeson.

Airborne Toxic Event setlist: Hollywood Park, Brother How Was the War?, All at Once, Faithless, Numb, All These Engagements, The Place We Meet a Thousand Feet Beneath the Racetrack, Wishing Well, The Kids Are Ready to Die, Gasoline, Changing, Hell and Back, Come On Out, Sometime Around Midnight, All I Ever Wanted. Encore: The Graveyard Near the House, Elizabeth, The Common Touch, Does This Mean You’re Moving On?, Missy/Ring of Fire