Modest Mouse’s tour made a stop in Birmingham Alabama on June 19th, bringing a wealth of classic Modest Mouse energy and a wealth of new material to Avondale Brewing Company. The entire night was packed with fan favorites, deep cuts, and the packed venue was even treated to some new music.
Doug Martsch took the stage first to ring in a hauntingly beautiful expression of a pure indie sound. In comparison to his main band Bilt to Spill, he takes a much more slow and droning approach to writing his music, that leaves a sore spot right on the heart. From “Dream” to “When Not Being Stupid is Not Enough”, he dazzled the crowd with his talent to create his own soundscape on stage. Doug Martsch was an amazing introduction and an even better show.
Modest Mouse hit the stage swinging, kicking off their set with the fan favorite “The Stars Are Projectors”, a dreamy and heartfelt track from the band’s earlier days. They followed it up with one of their biggest hits, “Dashboard”, instantly pulling the crowd deeper into the show. Isaac Brock sounds phenomenal on record, but hearing him live is a whole different experience. His voice is just as powerful as always and proves his place as a figurehead of the Washington indie movement, plus his stage presence emits the same energy that made the band’s early years so memorable, proving the Modest Mouse fire is still burning strong.
Isaac, as incredible as he was, was not alone in the powerful sound on stage, as he was backed by a killer lineup that created a masterpiece of indie sound that echoed throughout downtown Birmingham. Damon Cox, a newer addition to the touring band, held things down behind the kit, while Keith Karman added rich textures on keys. Longtime fans were happy to see some familiar faces too, as Russell Higbee has been holding it down on bass since Eric Judy’s departure, and Ben Massarella, who played percussion on The Moon & Antarctica, added a nostalgic punch. Rounding out the crew was Simon O’Connor, who backed Isaac on guitar and vocals. Even with a slightly refreshed lineup, the band stayed true to their roots. Modest Mouse delivered tracks from all eras of their expansive catalog, playing everything from deep cuts like “Mechanical Birds” and “Teeth Like God’s Shoeshine” to newer tracks like “Fuck Your Acid Trip”, and of course the fan favorite “Float On”!
It doesn’t matter if you’ve been a fan since the early days or got into them more recently, Modest Mouse delivered a show that had something for everyone. It was a reminder of why they’ve stayed relevant for so long and why they’re still one of the most compelling live acts out there. If you are a fan of indie music or just music in general, make sure you catch Modest Mouse on one of their many shows coming up this year!
Modest Mouse current leg of their tour continues through July 5th of 2025.
For upcoming shows, visit https://www.modestmouse.com/#tour.
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