Modest Mouse Play Secret Show in Brooklyn
It Happened Last Night
Modest Mouse / Photo by William Goodman
Tickets went fast -- really fast -- but thanks to a little patience and a well-trained mouse-clicking finger, I found myself tromping along to the opening chords of "Trucker's Atlas" at 2:45 A.M. as Modest Mouse dove into a much-buzzed-over secret set at Brooklyn's 550-capacity Music Hall of Williamsburg venue.
Fans react outside the secret show:
Fitful as ever, grizzled frontman Isaac Brock utilized the intimate show to get comfy after a shift opening for R.E.M. at Madison Square Garden. Chatting between songs, and even offering a detailed story intro to "Wild Pack of Family Dogs," Brock cut through plenty of flawless newbies, including We Were Dead Before the Ship Even Sank cuts like "Little Motel," "Dashboard," and "We've Got Everything," as onetime Smiths axeman Johnny Marr's Fender chattered and slid, accentuating each tune.
The six-piece injected extra urgency into older standards like "Dramamine" and The Moon & Antarctica standouts "Tiny Cities Made of Ashes" and "Paper Thin Walls," returning to classic form with Brock's jerky movements and spazz-out rants -- one which saw the Washington State native dive into the crowd and mosh along.
"I'm pretty sure these are my prime hours," Brock said with a mischievous smirk, again engaging the crowd, which essentially collected in a screaming, two-hour freak-out. And he was right; It may have been a late night/early morning -- the show ended at 4:10 A.M.! -- but I'll show up on Brock's watch anytime.
More on SPIN.com:
Review: Modest Mouse, 'We Were Dead Before the Ship Even Sank' (Epic)
On the Cover: Modest Mouse
Modest Mouse Set Sail in Harlem
