The Indigo Girls Blend Emotion and Activism

Indigo Girls first came to prominence during the late-’80s sensitive-chick movement (Tracy Chapman, Suzanne Vega, etc.), and they haven’t changed their formula much. But, hey, if Jewel can still be relevant in the pop world, then why not Indigo Girls?

Basking in the fan love that partly explains its staying power, the folk-pop duo gave the faithful a taste of its forthcoming album and played a lot of old favorites during a sold-out show on Monday at the Knitting Factory in Hollywood.

“Become You” (due March 12) eschews the broader sonic palette of 1999’s “Come on Now Social,” returning to the all-acoustic approach that is a hallmark of Amy Ray and Emily Saliers’ 21-year association. Accordingly, the pair’s hourlong set featured them playing acoustic guitar, harmonica and other stringed instruments, and harmonizing with that trademark blend of Ray’s shaggy-edged alto and Saliers’ sweet soprano.

Their best work still blends emotional introspection and an activist mind-set with agreeably jangling hooks. Such new selections as the album’s blues-folk title track offered self-affirmation, romantic pensiveness and personal reflection and bore the classic upbeat/downbeat contrast of Saliers’ and Ray’s respective personas.

The women scarcely had to encourage singing along on such older numbers as the jubilant “Closer to Fine” and the rollicking folk-popper “Get Out the Map.” If at times the lyrics were blandly pretentious, Ray and Saliers were so lively and down-to-earth that even nonbelievers would have had a hard time finding places where the set dragged.