Modest Mouse Live

Last Friday night I attended what could arguably have been one of the concert highlights of the year for this counter cultural oasis in the grasslands. Modest Mouse was in town and despite the show selling out in 7 minutes I had a ticket. Outside Mac Hall desperate fans were paying up to several hundred dollars for tickets, but some experiences are simply priceless. In tune with my new life motto of "Tracking Treasure" I didn't sell out. I have been a Modest Mouse fan for a number of years and agree with most true believers that their early work is what defines them as a group and sets them apart from their now mainstream counterparts. People never fail to use terms like washed up and sold out, but their music is still unique and remains incredible. Bands evolve with exposure and changes in taste, it is only natural.
The show was very slow to get going, but when it did a delicious blend of old and new took the crowd on a musical journey through past and present gems. Modest Mouse have a great stage presence and are worth seeing live. From the front rows the energy was present in spades and resonated in the crowd enthusiasm. Being an all ages show the regular shoving match was staged front and center, but being just off to the side one could enjoy the full force of the sound, aid in surfing young and old to the front and not fall over.
After a long set, Modest Mouse came back for an encore that took the show to a whole new level. If they had played the first hour the way they did those last three songs, this show would have been one of the best I have ever witnessed.
Great gig, my right ear was still ringing 48 hours later...