Modest Mouse packed out Terminal 5 with two back to back dates to honor the 25th anniversary of their 1997 album The Lonesome Crowded West. Though I was not familiar with the album (I was 1-year-old at the time of release and didn’t come online to Modest Mouse until the “Float On” days), there was an instant sense of familiarity and community in the room that allowed a more passive fan like myself to nod along and absorb the record as it was being played in its purest form. Following the record directly, the setlist started with “Teeth Like God’s Shoeshine” and went on without a breath until at least “Cowboy Dan,” filling the room with a steady flow from song to song and a captivating light show to match. Fans sang along to every word like they’d been waiting 25 years for this day, adding themselves as another member of the band, with just as tight a sound. The band didn’t lose steam once throughout the intense fifteen song set, and graced the crowd with a powerful 4 song encore.
Having seen Modest Mouse a few times at significantly larger scale venues like Madison Square Garden and Forest Hills, this anniversary show gave fans an opportunity for a particularly intimate experience with the band they love; what’s better than that? Check out some highlights from the show below!:
