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Modest Mouse tests new material with fans in unusual setting

Modest Mouse tests new material with fans in unusual setting
by Albert Rodriguez - SGN A&E Writer Modest Mouse March 21 @ US Naval Reserve Center I still can't figure out why Modest Mouse agreed to play in a crappy-sounding gymnasium used mostly for sweaty basketball games. What I do know is that despite a poorly chosen venue, the major-status alternative rockers gave one hell of a performance last week at South Lake Union's US Naval Reserve Center. The special event, a warm up for the group's upcoming spring tour, was announced just days before. A small allotment of tickets was snatched up in fifteen minutes, with the bulk of tickets given away via local radio stations. Of course, when Modest Mouse performs in its own backyard, music media reps from the P-I to Seattle Gay News, and everyone in between, are on-hand to chart the band's progression and in this case, feel out fresh material. With the addition of Smiths' guitarist Johnny Marr to the lineup and a Grammy nomination under its belt loop, Modest Mouse has officially become a coffeehouse chatter topic. Offered the privilege to view the show from a balcony surrounding the entire gym floor, I was able to spot Modest Mouse the second they appeared backstage. I instantly affixed my pupils on vocalist Isaac Brock, who is said to vary in moods and at times looks a bit ragged. On this night, he appeared cheery and met the rock star-lead singer status quo - he's a hottie. The Issaquah-based sextet opened with "Ocean Breathes Salty", a single from 2004's Good News for People Who Love Bad News. Two songs down, Modest Mouse ripped into its newest hit, "Dashboard", which got a head-nodding reception from the thousand-plus audience, yet no one took advantage of the song's catchy guitar riffs to bust a move. Unless you count an overalls-clad gentleman doing something similar to the chicken dance. Early in the show, one fan shouted, "I didn't pay anything! I'm sorry". Brock quickly replied, "You can pay later". Surprising to some, Modest Mouse reached back in its catalogue to include early favorites such as "Tiny Cities Made of Ashes", "Paper Thin Walls", and "Doin' the Cockroach", which perhaps had the greatest effect on concertgoers. But the night belonged to the Mouse brigade's newest album, We Were Dead Before the Ship Even Sank. "Education", "Little Motel", "Fire It Up", "We've Got Everything", and "Missed the Boat" were sprinkled into the set list. "Spitting Venom", also off the latest CD, was saved for an encore, bringing the performance to a close. The combination of a well-executed effort and unusual setting made for interesting post-concert discussion. Even before the show got going, things were off to a strange start. There were no beverages anywhere to be found at the venue, including bottled water. Thirsty fans stood on a hard floor with no padding, as they watched the band jam against an entirely plain backdrop. If the idea was to bridge the new album's nautical theme to this in-city naval center, then someone's thinking cap came loose in the process. Acoustics aside, Modest Mouse was in top form. And Brock, appearing deliciously healthy in a tight T-shirt and dark jeans, registered clearly in my afterthoughts.