Modest Mouse wowed the crowd at MGM on their Good News For People Who Love Bad News twentieth anniversary tour.
In 2004, Good News For People Who Love Bad News was released by Modest Mouse and changed indie music forever. It has remained a relevant and exuberantly loved album for the past two decades, so it’s no surprise that Modest Mouse decided to rerelease this iconic album and set out on a tour to celebrate its twentieth anniversary. On November 19th, Modest Mouse brought the audience back to the early 2000s for an electrifying show at MGM.
The show began with a mystical and enchanting set from Black Heart Procession. Their set started with a very somber and slow tone, and really made the vocals from Pall Jenkins the focal point. Between the bright blue lights on stage, fog blasting in from behind the band, and the mixture of brooding piano and vocals, it felt like the audience was being flown into outer space. Black Heart Procession set not only the mood, but quite a high bar for the rest of the night.
Modest Mouse came onto the stage with a bang and immediately electrified the audience. They first played “Float On,” one of their most popular and iconic songs. As soon as the first chords were played, the crowd began jumping up and down, screaming the words, and throwing their hands in the air. For numerous people, this song has been a mainstay in their playlists throughout the years, and it was a surreal experience to hear it performed live. The fast-paced beat and scream-along-worthy lyrics make this track timeless for many.
The band’s folk roots poked through intermittently, particularly on the track “Satin In A Coffin,” which showcased incredible banjo playing. This performance had a pretty raw and rough feeling to it, and Isaac Brock riled up the crowd when he yelled, “Are you dead, or are you sleeping?” While the beat was fast and fun, the lyricism of Modest Mouse has always left people thinking. Their songs comment on societal problems, feelings of loneliness, and feeling uncertain about your place in the world. Nonetheless, the energy was high for the entirety of the show, with each song making the audience more amped up and excited. “The Good Times Are Killing Me” was another track that had the crowd jumping around, but it simultaneously criticized party and drug culture: “Fed up with all that LSD… I guess the good times, they were all just killing me.” After 20 years, it’s amazing their lyrics are still so applicable and timely.
Modest Mouse put on an absolutely electrifying and fist-pumping show at MGM this past week. Their twentieth anniversary of Good News For People Who Love Bad News was a much-needed reminder of how much spectacular indie and alternative music has come out in the 21st century, and it isn’t going anywhere. Even twenty years later, Modest Mouse is still just as loved and adored as ever.