Show Date : September 20, 2009
Photos by Chris T
Last day of MusicfestNW 2009. Sunday night. Fourth night in a row of shows, and all that implies. Determined to finish strong, Chris and I meet in a parking lot. Get ourselves together. Observe and participate in some of the random acts that characterize an urban parking lot next to a rock and roll show. Ready? For what? Hitting the line that stretches a block and a half. That’s what’s up now.
Bloody hell. The evening is billed as Glacial Pace Recordings Showcase. Totally relevant. Cause this line is glacial pace. We ditch the line to nowhere, burn the tickets we were going to use for re-entry and hit the bar. I’m sure the people standing in line outside will be thrilled to hear that the room isn’t even half full as the second act Mimicking Birds play.
Up in the mezz. Sound is completely muddy and sounds like it is being filtered through molasses.
Me: “Does the sound up here always sound this shitty? I can’t remember?”
Friend: “I don’t know”
With the firm knowledge that we will hit the floor for Modest Mouse’s set, I settle in. Nothing sounds good. And I overhear the party next to us
“I knew the last night was going to be like this.”
I look over and see a woman shaking her head back in forth in disappointed fashion.
(jump cut)
Sirens wailing. Red, white, and blue lights flashing. Modest Mouse take the stage with an army of musicians. Two drummers, a horn player, and violinist included. Place is packed and ready to go. Isaac Brock is spitting fire during the opening song “Dramamine”…..and I should have just walked the fuck out right then and there. We’ve hit the summit people. Nothing but valley to go.
After about four songs, Isaac Brock drops these little gems on the crowd:
“Oh wait, I have to get my picture taken”
(bends down, strikes a pose, gets his picture taken)
“I am as cute as fifty pounds of dead puppies.”
“Are dead puppies still cute?”
“Tell me Mr. Photographer, are fifty pounds of dead puppies still cute?”
To which a random guy behind me screams, “Who fucking cares!”
I try to care. The set is a mess. I can’t tell if we are trying to see a pyschedelic, jam, hard rock, punk, or pop band. Maybe that is the point. Here’s mine. I’ve seen all that stuff done better. Way better. I’m bored. And Brock’s angry man presence is wearing on me.
After about 6 songs we have moved twenty to thirty feet closer to the stage. Crowd is voting with their feet. We voted with ours too. Maybe next time with the Mouse will be better, but I’m not paying anytime soon to find out.
