The Showbox. Neumo’s. The Crocodile. The Moore. Nada Surf has been steadily racking up shows at venues around Seattle since they reappeared, post “Popular” fame, on the indie rock scene in 2003 with the Barsuk Records-released Let Go. Now touring in support of their seventh studio album, The Stars are Indifferent to Astronomy, the New York City-based band found their way to the Tractor Tavern in Ballard on Thursday night, adding another venue to the aforementioned list.

As lead singer and guitarist Matthew Caws reiterated last night, Seattle has become something of a second home for the band, namely because of their loyal label’s location, but also due to the consistent support they receive from “where the music matters” juggernaut KEXP and local label-mate musician friends. “Why haven’t I ever been here before?” wondered the unassuming and friendly frontman, of the Tractor, near the beginning of the set. “And Hattie’s Hat is just down the street!”

The band didn’t let a new venue with cowboy boot and cattle skull decor throw them off their well-established sets of consistent and straightforward, yet still sparkling, indie rock – or power pop, depending on your preferred parlance. The core trio of Caws, bassist Daniel Lorca (oddly sans cigarette), and ham of a drummer Ira Eliot added guitarist and friend Doug Gillard (formerly of Guided by Voices) to the on stage lineup for assistance with solos from The Stars are Indifferent to Astronomy.   Playing songs from every release except their 1996 debut High/Low, they provided yet another hit of live show ether for the longtime fans, and plenty of enticement for potential new ones.

Glittering tracks like “Hi-Speed Soul” and “Happy Kid” from Let Go had the crowd most excited, but the set promoted the new album most heavily, kicking off with the fast and catchy jam “Clear Eye Clouded Mind,” and continued with alternations between new and old. Nine years into the band’s second life, Caws’ melodic voice still shows no signs of wear, and Lorca’s dreadlock whip-accompanied bass playing and Eliot’s gesture-heavy drumming remain essential to the on stage sound and chemistry. For a throwback to 1996’s Proximity Effect, “80 Windows” made an appearance, and not forgetting 2010’s covers album, If I Had a Hi-Fi, Caws introduced Depeche Mode’s “Enjoy the Silence” as “a song by a British band with a French name.” Favorites “See These Bones” and “Weightless” from 2008’s Lucky helped round out the lengthy set.

And then, a whole sixteen song set and four song encore later, they were done, leaving their fans new and old delighted and the band with another Seattle venue notch in its belt.

But they’ll be back next month to play one more – the Neptune – STG’s still new-ish venue in the U District that’s booking shows faster than most of us can keep track of them. Caws got a taste of it on Thursday night when he was one of three acts performing at the Sasquatch! lineup announcement party. With his solo performance as our evidence, it seems certain that Nada Surf will find it another suitable venue in their home away from home.