Go Home Already: Shouts and Murmurs
Man Stops Traffic at 17th and K to Demand $200 Million
Compromise Uncertain on Same-Sex Marriage Law
Morning Roundup: Second Helpings Edition
Fire at 17th and L NW Forces Evacuations
Before Modest Mouse took the stage in D.C. last Friday, they had already laid the groundwork for high expectations. For one thing, the Portland indie rock heavyweights sold out the 9:30 Club in a mere five minutes. Then, they didn't start their own set until midnight, bringing along three different opening bands (one of which could have likely headlined the club in their own right). Although Modest Mouse now has the clout to sell out much larger venues, with those sorts of hype generators a band had better put on the best show of the year. But Modest Mouse did not put on the best show of the year, and it's doubtful that even Johnny Marr's presence would have changed that.
Modest Mouse has always seemed an unlikely group of musicians to make it big. Their angular guitar riffs are far from poppy, and although Isaac Brock delivers some of the best one-liners in rock 'n' roll, his voice ranges from pouty whine to rage-laden shout. His onstage demeanor suggests that Brock is more comfortable in smaller venues, and prefers not having to worry about appealing to a larger crowd. On Friday, he barely moved from his spot behind the microphone and barely talked to the crowd, except to ironically ask if they needed anything like water or therapy while patently ignoring the obnoxious requests for perennial encore number "Cowboy Dan."
As such, the reason to see Modest Mouse live is equivalent to the reason to see The New Pornographers or Spoon live; to sing along all of the words to all of the songs. With a crowd full of diehard fans (and mercifully fewer loud drunken morons than they usually attract), they could omit radio staples like "The Ocean Breathes Salty" and "Float On," instead playing in unreleased material like "King Rat" and less recognizable tunes amid the crowd pleasers. To be fair, singing along to fan favorites like opener "The View", and "Third Planet" and "Paper Thin Walls" from The Moon & Antarctica, is great fun and everyone clearly enjoyed themselves. But the band's performance plateaued at "enjoyable," not giving those diehards anything extra for their enthusiasm and quick ticket-buying fingers.
Nothing extra that is, except getting Kinky as an opener. Kinky, whose Latin dance-rock fusion had originally been a lo-fi secret, has since gotten to be a louder, more grandiose production. In addition to proving that they have zero shame by allowing onstage cameras to practically look up singer Gilberto Cerezo's nose and project the image at great magnification behind them, they also proved that it's possible to mix Kylie-esque keyboard hooks, steel drum rhythms and '80s style Brit Rock, and still get a crowd to "make some noise!" Some of the grandeur was lost on the grouchier fans not thrilled at having to wait until midnight to see Modest Mouse, but after two forgettable openers, Kinky's shot toward the stars was refreshing.
add to stumble upon
add to reddit
tweet this
post to facebook
And this is why it's often better to be a casual fan than a die-hard one, no matter the band...because your enjoyment of the experience isn't dampened if something unusual fails to occur.
FWIW, I rather liked the Japanese Motors.
Really? I think that 'aural rape' is the only phrase that adequately describes Kinky. Enjoyable for the first 2 songs, just painful for the next 50 minutes. Japanese Motors were pretty decent though. And MM's new stuff sounds great
Of course, I've had it in the ear before.
lust for life, eh?
Meh. Ohhh, ohh was Fallout Boy there too??!! How about Maroon 5???
Blahh, these pop tarts all suck ass.
The end.