A Modest Show with good intentions.

I went to see Modest Mouse at the Ryman Auditorium last Wednesday night and it was a pretty good show. Of course they had Hatch Show prints- so I was a happy camper. I had 2nd row seats so I'm a little bias on the overview that others may have had. The line up started with Love As Laughter, a Sub Pop signed indie slop-rock band that was decent and reminded me of Pavement meets (insert classic retro rock band here) They had some good ideas, and I actually bought their album, Laughter's Fifth, a few days prior. I really enjoy their album though, and I'm not sure why. The recording style is very low-fi, and the playing is sloppy- at every turn they scream college bar band, but something kept me listening. By the 3rd listen I knew most of the lyrics and have since enjoyed it more adding the sing along factor.

The next band was more the main event to me, Band Of Horses, a Seattle, WA / Mt. Pleasant, SC transplant that really has a great sound and has become a superb live band. If you're unfamiliar with them I highly recomend picking up their album, Everything All the Time, it's amazing. They sounded so great on the Ryman stage, and being in the 2nd row was incredible. I wish Modest Mouse had opened up for them and let them have the focus of the evening since they totally left me wanting more. They did however play about 4 songs not on their album, one a cover, and the rest off their new release, scheduled to come out October 9th. I rarely enjoy hearing "hey, we're gonna play some stuff off our new record" more than 2 times in a show, but I eagerly waited for them to drop more new material on us at every lull. These guys will come back one day and headline that place- I just feel it. I tried getting some photos, but my camera sucks on my phone and the downside to the Ryman, the crew are camera nazis. I tried sneaking some pics, but you know how that goes. Here's what I got of Band of Horses:










So like I said, I was really into Band of Horses and could have gone home happy as the Modest Mouse crew began setting up giant light poles and lanterns and two drum sets. I then started getting excited about seeing them, and seeing them so close. I'd seen Modest Mouse before a couple of times, but never from anywhere close. I'd also never really been impressed with any of their shows. Though I love love love some of their albums: The Lonesome Crowded West, The Moon Over Antarctica, Good News for People Who Love Bad News, are my favorites. I was not too impressed with their newest record. I liked it alot at first, but that can be a scary sign. I do enjoy moments of the album, just not nearly as much as some of the older stuff, and not as entirely as them either. They took the stage and gave a pretty good performance, although it's more and more feeling like a split between the band and front man Isaac Brock, who always seems to be in his own world. I swear, every song would just keep going as long as he wanted to make noise on the guitar. The band sat there, time after time watching his cue's as songs would extend past the realm of recording and into the world of "sloppy jams". I guess I don't mind "jamming" if the musicians involved are good at it. Let's just say the more music I listen to, the harder it is to impress me. Anyone else get that? Modest Mouse, Isaac aside (though he is super creative), are a group of really talented musicians, the dual drummers, shit everyone held their own, but when he's out there "free-balling" it, it just reminds me of me at 13 cranking up Pearl Jam's Ten and playing along with my own half-assed noise solo that really made no sense. This is what it's like at their shows, the band sitting there, all staring at him, playing their looped parts until he gets tired of screwing around. It wouldn't have been so bad, but his guitar was directly in front of me, and was the loudest part of the mix! I really kept thinking- is there a sound guy back there? does he not hear this? I was getting text messages from freinds in different sections: "hows the sound?", "wtf is up with his guitar?" I mean, it had to be common knowledge. Maybe it's in his contract? That would be great if it was. Regardless, I have to say watching him perform so close, you really get your money's worth, it may not be in prestine sound quality, but his genuine antics and jams were definitely unique, and for that I give it a refreshing thumbs up. It's a line you want to ride- being "like the album" vs. giving them a little something different- Modest Mouse is definitely on the something different side- but hey, thats why we love them right? All in all- great night, all bands in the line up are definitely worth checking out, and be on the look out for the new Band of Horses on October 9th.

Here are some camera phone pics of the Modest Mouse Show: (the first was taken by the guy sitting next to me on his iPhone)