Modest Mouse Kick Off Mini-Tour In Los Angeles

It was then that you could see Brock -- dressed in a stiff plaid shirt tucked neatly into his gray Dockers-looking trousers -- finally starting to let loose, taking his guitar for a ride over the shoulder and mimicking his own syncopated strums with a step-in-place march. By the time they got to deep cuts, "The View" and "Bukowski," the band had found its stride. After slowing down for more new tracks ("Missed the Boat" and "Dashboard") and a couple of classics ("Tiny Cities," "People We Know") Modest Mouse veered off into spacey territory, incorporating the sounds of horns, percussion and accordion into several winding jams. And with Marr taking the lead on "Bury Me With It," the set closed to resounding cheers from a satisfied crowd.

Brock, normally a man of few words, made an offer to fans constantly shouting out requests for early songs like "3rd Planet" and "Doin' the Cockroach." "Go ahead, make a wish, and we'll do a medley of all those songs that consists of none of those songs," he teased before launching into "Invisible in Your Car," the last new track of the night, whose Clash-like ferocity and big payoff choruses made for the perfect encore. But to appease the clamoring crowd, the band chose fan favorite "Dramamine" off of 1996's This Is a Long Drive for Someone With Nothing to Think About, as the show's closer. It was a conclusion that made everyone in the crowd -- frat boys and hipsters alike -- raise a glass in cheer.

Catch Modest Mouse on the remaining dates of their mini-tour:

November 5th -- Avalon, L.A.
November 6th -- The Wiltern, L.A.
November 7th, 9th -- The Grove of Anaheim, Anaheim, CA
November 11th -- Bicentennial Park (Bang! Festival), Miami
November 13th -- Nokia Theatre, NYC
November 14th, 15th -- Webster Hall, NYC
November17th, 18th -- Bowery Ballroom, NYC