Modest Mouse goes off script, rocks the house in Reno

A near capacity Grand Sierra Resort crowd of mostly hardcore Modest Mouse fans were treated Tuesday to nearly all of the band’s quirky, effect-laden indie-rock hits and favs they called out for and had arrived hopeful to see and hear. Groups, couples and individuals danced from stage front all the way to the back row and just plain had a great time seeing their heroes past.

Former Hooray For Earth frontman Noel Heroux’s latest project, Mass Gothic, opened the show by blending electronica, indie-rock and punk in a variety of textures with a solid set. Opening bands often seem to play a handful of songs that tend to sound like one another but Gothic dropped a breadth of offerings.

While Mass Gothic certainly had its collection of instrument effects, Modest Mouse’s Isaac Brock is in a league of his own. They weren’t just there for show, either, as the band played under and around his tonal leads and expressive vocals all evening. It’s clear that Brock is a special talent, loaded with the gift of imagination and creativity. He also leaves no doubt he’s in control of the ship and you better jump on board or get left behind.  Fortunately, an exceptional group of musicians lend their talents on a pair of drum kits, electric and stand-up bass, guitar, keys, violin, horns and a mad-scientist percussionist banging and clattering from a rear corner.

After a 90-minute or so main set, the band quickly returned for a five-song encore before retreating to the darkness for about 10 minutes and adding another pair of songs to close the evening. It felt a little impromptu and as I held the set list in my hand afterward, a few fans confirmed that none of the encore songs were on the piece of paper. Save for “Devil’s Workday,” “Parting of the Sensory” and “Float On” even they weren’t quite sure all that had been played. Perhaps it was a Reno treat of some new material destined for the rumored followup to 2015’s “Strangers To Ourselves.”

Tuesday was my second night in a row at the Grand Sierra Resort. I also photographed the much more ethereal Fleet Foxes on Monday. When I’m at a show alone I like to cruise around and scope out prime viewing and listening areas to turn my friends on to. I was pleasantly surprised to find most locations, including the very top row, acoustically and visually on point. The bass cabinets, often found on the floor in front of the stage at most venues, are placed a little higher and on the far edges. If you love your thumping bass lines, stay to the sides. If a truer mix is more your jam, anywhere in the middle two-thirds is a sweetspot. The stage is full production size so all your favorite acts can hang their complete light rig, too. I look forward to some more shows there soon and if you haven’t been since the remodel from old crony Vegas-style showroom two years ago, check it out. It’s a first-class room.

-Michael Smyth

• Modest Mouse
  Sept. 19, 2017
  Shit In Your Cut
  Tiny Cities
  Cowboy Dan|
  Fire It Up
  Lampshades On Fire|
  Broke
  Interstate 8
  King Rat
  Pups To Dust
  Night On The Sun
  Dashboard
  Tortoise
  Gravity Rides
  Cockroach
  Bury Me With It
  Encore: (partial list, 7- songs total)
  Devil’s Workday
  Parting Of The Sensory
  Float On
  —