Review: Modest Mouse Brought Nostalgia and Reality to Mission Ballroom

Since forming in Issaquah, Washington, in 1993, Modest Mouse has become one of the most successful and recognizable alternative-rock groups to come out to the Pacific Northwest. With its distinct sound, the six-piece band is known for sharing unfiltered stories of living in the lonesome yet crowded West and navigating the ever-changing world. Denver was an obvious stop on the tour, and fans packed Mission Ballroom on November 11.

The Black Heart Procession warmed up the crowd with indie rock that thematically follows Modest Mouse's conversations covering isolation and reality. This San Diego group formed in the late ’90s and even shares drummer Joe Plummer with Modest Mouse.
After an impressive show from the Black Heart, Modest Mouse took to the stage. As advertised, this concert was an opportunity to experience the twentieth anniversary of Good News for People Who Love Bad News, Modest Mouse's seminal album, released in 2004. The nostalgia was palpable; fans even managed to find a way to sing along on an instrumental track ("Horn Intro") as the band opened its set, bathed in pink and yellow light.

Then came the standout hit, "Float On," the group's most popular song in its lengthy career, perhaps because of the positive messaging that so many of its other songs lack (or the incredibly catchy hooks). Fans were wrapped in ecstasy as the song swelled through the Mission, chanting along with the lyrics until the end.
After the song, lead singer Isaac Brock addressed the crowd with remarkably calm and pleasant energy: "Well, hello, how are y'all doing tonight?" Cheers echoed through the ballroom in response as fans begged for more music.

Brock made a quick switch from guitar to banjo for the "Dig Your Grave" interlude, and the band proceeded into the rest of the album, diving into the darker topics that Modest Mouse knows so well. Brock's tonal and harsh voice strained over heavy guitar riffs, but despite the severity of the subject matter and sound, there was a distinctly comfortable energy within the audience.

Remarkable attention to the dualities of life, particularly extreme highs and extreme lows, build an intense relatability in so many Modest Mouse songs. Words you maybe never would have said out loud come crashing out of Brock's mouth with an intensity that, for first-time listeners, could be shocking. But decades after their first listen, fans all over the world are still rushing back for more.
"Who didn't read the fine print and didn't know this was a straight record?" Brock joked at one point as the band reassembled its instruments, which included a tuba, upright bass and trumpet to enhance the experience and full breadth of the group's sound. 

The first half of the show closed with another iconic hit, "The Good Times Are Killing Me," and Brock reassured the crowd that the band would return after a brief intermission. Cartoonish elevator music preoccupied the audience, and fans whispered about the musicians possibly getting "high out of their minds" backstage.
After playing an unreleased track when they took the stage again, Brock and the band stepped further back into the discography to showcase their shredding abilities and somber yet fiery portrayals of life. An unexpected deep dive into the 2009 album No One's First, And You're Next kept fans on their toes and satisfied the obvious yearning for a look into past projects.

"Satellite Skin" and "Whale Song" are just a few of the many songs that shine light on the issues of life and its purpose, as well as religion. "Trailer Trash" dug even deeper and tied in one of the groups oldest albums, The Lonesome Crowded West. Meanwhile, "History Sticks to Your Feet" and "King Rat" ripped through the crowd with uncanny twang, while live trumpet brought the full texture of the songs to life.

"Spitting Venom" served as a final climax for the night with ever-relevant themes of "messed-up history" and retaliation. The crowd hollered in appreciation as the song rose and fell through each breakdown and Brock dug deep to work through the stages of lyrical vulnerability.

"Thank you all very much," Brock said sincerely as the show closed, sending bittersweet waves to the crowd.

See photos from the show below: Find more concerts in Denver on our concert calendar.