A warm, late summer evening was the perfect backdrop for the co-headlining summer concert tour featuring Modest Mouse and the Pixies. With school back in session, the university grounds were full of people enjoying the sunshine while others were quickly making their way to UBC’s Doug Mitchell Thunderbird Sports Centre to find their seats.
As you entered the venue, there was an air of expectation and excitement for the evening ahead. The audience was comprised of a variety of characters; couples chatting at their seats, families donning their newly purchased Modest Mouse and Pixies t-shirts. While those in the pit up front were playing a game of “Keep Up” with balloons as they waited in anticipation.
Modest Mouse opened with the raw intensity of “Dark Center of the Universe”, after Isaac Brock walked on stage and immediately said, “Hakuna Matata means don’t fuck this up for me, just kidding how are you all tonight?” and immediately established a powerful connection with the audience. The venue’s more compact setting allowed for a heightened sense of camaraderie, with fans drawn in by Isaac Brock’s distinctive vocals and the band’s tight-knit musicianship. Hits like “Dashboard” and “Bukowski” were delivered with a fervour that echoed off the arena’s walls and reverberated through every corner. At times though, I found it difficult to understand the lyrics due to the sound playing off the walls of the stadium.
Canadian Indi-rock aficionados, young and old, reveled in the opportunity to see this band up close and personal, with the venue’s atmosphere creating an immersive experience whether you were on the floor, or higher up in the top rows. Modest Mouse’s setlist was carefully curated to showcase their range and captured the essence of their discography. This performance was a testament to the enduring impact of Modest Mouse on the indie rock scene, leaving these fans with a memory that will resonate for years to come.
