Review by Kelly Besaw
Modest Mouse made a stop at Beak and Skiff Apple Orchards in Lafayette, NY on June 9. Modest Mouse is currently on tour in support of their 2021 release, The Golden Casket and brought along with them the Cribs who are originally all from Wakefield, West Yorkshire.
I must start by saying that the venue is amazing. Ample, free parking, gorgeous scenery, a wide variety of local affordable food, snacks, drinks and of course, Beak and Skiff’s very own line of hard ciders, liquor, and CBD-infused seltzers. Throw in friendly staff and laid-back security and it is one of my favorite venues in Central New York.
Kicking off the night was the Cribs. I admittedly knew nothing about this band and decided to check them out before the show. They have an interesting history and are described as “The biggest cult band in the UK” by Q magazine. Former Smiths guitarist, Johnny Marr, did a brief stint with the band from 2008 to 2011. The band consists of twin brothers Gary and Ryan Jarman and their younger brother Ross Jarman. They played a forty-five-minute set that consisted of what I can best describe as some punk and alternative rock and even a bit of experimental rock. The brothers announced that it was their last date on the tour with Modest Mouse but did not mention what the future holds for them. If you have not heard of the Cribs, you should check them out.
It was time for the evening’s headliner, Modest Mouse. As the Cribs said their goodbyes, it seemed like people came out of nowhere and started filling in all the green space in the field. It is hard to believe that Modest Mouse has been putting out music since 1996. That is mostly because it makes me feel old, but they certainly have an extensive music catalog to pull from. It was my first time seeing them live and I appreciated the mix of old and new songs.
They kicked off their setlist with “Dark Center of the Universe” and then went old school a few songs later with “We Are Between.” The fans were loving it. It was a pretty mellow crowd. The party was in front of the stage. The fans further back were more chill but were obviously still enjoying every minute of the show. I personally enjoyed “Satin in a Coffin” and “Lampshades on Fire.” Modest Mouse ended their regular set with “The Good Times are Killing Me” before taking a lengthy break. They returned to the stage to play a five-song encore that was well worth the wait and included “The World at Large,” “Float On” and “Broke.”
Modest Mouse has one U.S. tour date left before heading overseas for the month of July. They will be back for some Canadian dates and a few more U.S. dates in August. Definitely check them out if you get the chance.
Setlist: Dark Center of the Universe, Paper Thin Walls, We Are Between, We’re Lucky, Be Brave, Interstate 8, Never F*ck a Spider on the Fly, Satin in a Coffin, The Devil’s Workday, Bukowski, Lampshades on Fire, Leave a Light On, Fire It Up, Trailer Trash, Japanese Trees, Breakthrough, The Good Times are Killing Me
Encore: The World at Large, F*ck Your Acid Trip, Float On, Doin’ the Cockroach, Broke
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