Typically, you hear an air raid siren, it’s time to run. That’s when trouble starts. Tonight however, is different because it signals that Modest Mouse has taken the stage. Isaac Brock, clad in the obligatory Pacific Northwestern garb of jeans, t-shirt and flannel, takes to the moment to announce, "Hey, we’re the rock band!" Without another word, the band launches into Good News’ "Satin in a Coffin." The audience sings along to every word.
When Modest Mouse first announced itself to the world at large with their epic bad time sing along "Float On," it seemed as though the rock and roll deadpool gained a new candidate in Brock. In interviews he came off as sullen and aloof. And those were the interviews where Brock wasn’t dogged by (if not completely indulging in) the constant rumors of drunken mania and possible psychosis in a reputation he couldn’t or didn’t seem to want to shake. Coupled with the hushed and sprawling majesty of Modest Mouse’s aptly titled Good News for People who Love Bad News, one could be forgiven for expecting the worst.
With the release of their follow up, We Were Dead Before the Ship Even Sank, a new Modest Mouse emerged. Paired with Johnny Marr (of Smith’s fame), the new album was muscular and focused where its predecessor was epic and lush. Brock also appeared more focused in the media, as though he was taking his place in the rock pantheon seriously. Still, Brock has often come off as a songwriter at war with himself. He knows how to write the songs with the catchy melodies but never actually seems to indulge in them.Tonight, as the lights dimmed and the crowd chanted the band’s name in anticipation, the question lingered: which Brock was going to show up?
Fans concerned with whether or not the band sold out to the mainstream are almost instantly gratified as the band steamrolls into a song from their earlier indie catalog. Taking care of their newer fans, they shift just as quickly into "Dashboard," the first single from their last album.
While the band has always centered around Brock, drummer Jeremiah Green and bassist Eric Judy, there is no doubt that Brock is the band’s super-ego. The band has done their best to set up the stage to accommodate the three of them plus another guitar player (who is not Johnny Marr), a keyboard player and a percussionist. Still, Brock is consistently just a little more well lit than the others. It’s a part of being the singer songwriter and Brock seems to accept it just a little grudgingly.
In fact, Brock does very little to promote the idea of the lead singer as rock god. He spends very little time indulging in stage banter and when he does, it’s often to talk about the constant tuning he’ll do over the course of the evening. It’s almost as if he’s bantering to the soundguy. In fact, the whole band seems oblivious to the audience’s presence as they gravitate towards one another in the more orgasmic parts of their set. The music is where they live and if you want to see a band that lives only for the music, you came to the right show.
Brock, in particular, does his best impression of a live wire dangling on the floor. Starting with the first song of the show, he often sings into a separate mike, rigged to sound like a bullhorn, as though his life depends on it. At one point during the evening, he’ll even serenade the pickups on his guitar.
Slowing the pace of the show down a little, the band plays "Missed the Boat," We Were Dead’s answer to "Float On. Flaunting the sort of musical proficiency that will pervade the evening, bassist Eric Judy switches to acoustic guitar as the keyboard player moves to an upright bass. Afterwards, Brock indulges one of his few rock star moments of the show and implores the audience to show him their tits. The male audience, that is. Of course, the guys comply.
Moving onto "Wild Pack of Family Dogs" and "the View," Brock finally seems to be warming up to the audience. Then he indulges in the band’s other rock star moment of the evening.
Halting the band midway through "Paper Thin Walls," he declares, "It’s kind of a bullshit song. The second half is exactly the same as the first. You just play it twice." He asks the audience if they want to hear it again and they indulge him. Although it’s obviously a showbiz stunt (and another helping of self deprecation), the band stops and starts the song with an admirable proficiency.
As the band rips through "Bukowski" and another old school jam lost on fans of their major label catalog, the audience has got to be getting antsy in anticipation of "that song." That song that showed up on Guitar Hero even. Will "Float On" be the rousing bar singalong originally promised when it was first released as a single? The band pays no mind to these sorts of thoughts as they rip into another old school number with a muscular riff and a juicy chorus before taking their encore break.
Returning to the stage, the percussionist starts off by tapping some bongos. As the band suddenly lifts into "Float On," the sing along is hardly disappointing as everyone raises their voices. While it should be inspiring to see an audience so united in a "moment," it hardly is as Brock seems unwilling to indulge in any more time spent on the song than the original recording allowed. The band provides solace for old school fans as they tear into "Tiny Cities Made of Ashes" and "Cowboy Dan."
Finishing the set with "Spitting venom," Brock turns to the audience to apologize. "We’d like to play more," he admonishes the audience, "But we have to finish by a certain time here." Possibly an inference to a last minute venue and time change for the show, it seems more likely that an apology for having to cut short a band exactly where it wants to be. Playing its music.
your bitchin' mixtape
(Substitute the songs I didn't recognize for your favorites that they missed. Personally, I'll be putting "Light It Up" in there.)
Satin in a Coffin
unknown song
Dashboard
Black Cadillacs
the Good Times are Killing Me
3rd Planet
Invisible
unknown song
Missed the Boat
Wild Pack of Family Dogs
The View
Paper Thin Walls
Bukowski
unknown song
unknown song
encore break
Float On
Tiny Cities Made of Ashes
Cowboy Dan
Spitting Venom
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