Alternative rockers Modest Mouse and Pixies kept fans dancing through the rain all night at their show on Friday, June 14th. Joined by Singer-Songwriter Cat Power, Pixies and Modest Mouse delivered a spectacular performance at Merriweather Post Pavilion, despite rain storms coming midway through Pixies’ set.
For this specific tour, Modest Mouse had recruited the same lineup that recorded their platinum-selling album Good News for People Who Love Bad News. This meantthat bassist Eric Judy and guitarist Dann Gallucci, now of Cold War Kids, would bereturning for the tour. As announced in April of 2024, the prior members would bereturning for Modest Mouse’s tour this summer to commemorate the 20th anniversary of Good News for People Who Love Bad News.
Despite the long-awaited return of the band’s most successful lineup of all time, the performance was still all about Isaac Brock, the band’s lead guitarist and vocalist. Both Isaac’s harsh vocals, at times verging on screaming, alongside the band’s sometimes witty and sometimes nonsensical lyrics, are what set them apart from other late 90s to mid-2000s alternative rock bands. During the song The View, Isaac sang out, “If life’s not beautiful without the pain, Well, I’d rather never-ever even see beauty
again.” With the next song, the band was in a completely different place, with Isaac blurting out, “We’re doin’ the cockroach, yeah!” The band delivered heartfelt and mellow moments, including the rhythmic and relaxing Gravity Rides Everything, and yet by the end of the performance, Isaac’s guitar strings had found their way into his mouth; perfectly summing up the band’s signature style of beauty in chaos. As storm clouds began to circle above the pavilion, Pixies’ lead singer Black Francis’ scream cut straight through the heavy summer air. “I break the walls and kill us all with holy fingers,” He bellowed on the band’s opening song, Gouge Away. After only a few songs, rain began to fall harshly on concertgoers.
But, nobody wanted to leave. Instead, fans swapped picnic blankets for rain ponchos, and got up on their feet to dance. Sopping wet fans swayed from side to side to slower songs like Monkey Gone to Heaven, and kicked up mud to quick and playful songs like Isla de Encanta. The band kept fans excited through the hot rain, and Black Francis delivered jaw-dropping vocal performances on songs such as In Heaven, originally by Peter Ivers. The band ended the night with well-known hits Here Comes Your Man and Where Is My Mind? To close out an unforgettable night at the Merriweather Post Pavilion.
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