Modest Mouse @ The Showbox, Seatttle, WA
When: March 8th, 2005
With: Mason Jennings
My Grade: Totally Rad


When your target audience goes from the elite indie underground to airhead blonde girls who probably heard your song playing after the latest 50 Cent sleaze, you might be famous. When mothers attend the show because “their kids genuinely like your music,” you might be famous. When you delay your show and make your audience stand for upwards of an hour after your opening act (for God knows what reason) you might be an asshole.

Modest Mouse. Back in Seattle-the place where they grew up, the place where they started their music, the place that even today hosts a hoard. This welcome back party was indeed a grand welcome back, full of moshing, anxious teens, annoyed adults, and one lead singer who almost jumped into the crowd to give a fellow his just deserves.

Though it didn’t start off that way. Modest Mouse’s unique sound borders sometimes on country with all the banjos and mandolin they incorporate. I must admit, I find the fact that teenagers mosh to the sounds of a banjo very amusing. However, their opening act was as southern rocker who was as southern as a deep fryer in a Wal-Mart.

So the show opened with Mason Jennings taking the stage and performing, interestingly enough, the song “Down to the River,” an old blue grass melody, made famous in the “Oh Brother Where Art Thou” film. Because apparently, that is just the song that the crowd at a Modest Mouse show would be into. Right? Right?

Well that lapse in judgment aside, I did appreciate the attempt to broaden the horizons of these wild teens. Mason had a remarkable presence, and certainly writes some beautiful lyrics. He really wasn’t that bad. The only unfortunate part was that so many of his songs bled into the other. If this were a quiet club full of 40-somethings I believe his music would have been better received. Of course, any opening act touring with the likes of Modest Mouse has it admittedly hard. I was not unlike the rest of the people in the audience just waiting for Modest Mouse to get their asses on stage.

The best part of going to a show like this, for a reviewer such as myself, is getting a good spot. I found myself left of center stage, front row. However, why do people think they are entitled to try to push in front of you, saying “so sorry, so sorry!”? Do they really think that it works? Needless to say my elbow met with many a body part with no pity.

After about an hour afterward, and about twenty minutes of various members peeking out at the crowd, the Modest Mouse fellows took the stage to glorious shouts ranging from “About fucking time” to “ I love you Isaac.”

Modest Mouse are surprisingly really good live, and they wasted no time in performing their biggest hits. They started their show with the song “Ocean Breathes Salty.” Much to my delight, Isaac and the band members sang their songs in key and almost as good if not better than the actual album version.

The most impressive thing about this whole night was the audience’s capacity to mosh through out the whole time (And secretly I loved watching them get it from the security guards!). People kept shouting out their adoration for the band members, though the night did hit a crescendo.

Isaac actually stopped his whole band because of some moron in the depths of the crowd punched a kid out eight times. Isaac got on his microphone and said something to the effect of “That was not cool. I understand everyone is here to have a good time, but the fact that you punched some innocent kid eight times for doing nothing makes you an asshole, I’m sorry.” The suspect in question was lost to by standards, and all anyone could see was Isaac’s face get livid as he bent down and got so pissed off he got half way down of the stage to beat the guy up, before his band members stopped him.

Even after that excitement the guys played “Black Cadillac’s.” The place shook so hard with all the people jumping up and down, and moshing back and forth, that I don’t think anyone even noticed that the fellas were playing the song at a little faster speed.

Over all, this show proved that Modest Mouse can make it big and famous, but they are always more loved at home. Well, with exception of one pissed of kid.

Additionally - I am now the proud owner of Isaac Brock’s guitar string! Be envious…


Reviewed by: Ms. Missy