LIVE: Pixies/Modest Mouse/Cat Power at Brewery Ommegang, Cooperstown 8-25-23

People of a certain age grew up with the Pixies as their personal soundtrack. Some of these people even formed their own bands influenced by Pixies. Those people may be Modest Mouse. Some people also grew up with Modest Mouse as their personal soundtrack. Sometimes these groups converge, as they did among the beautiful rolling hills of Leatherstocking Country at Brewery Ommegang just outside Cooperstown this past Friday night.

The threat of, and eventually, actual driving rain, did little to deter the Pixies/Mouse faithful on this night. This writer has not had much luck attending shows at Ommegang where the threat or existence of rain has contributed to many events. Is it the topography or just lousy luck?

The last Modest Mouse appearance at Ommegang in August 2021 was truncated and the grounds were evacuated due to the presence of storms in the area. Despite the hour-and-a-half delay, the band still pulled off a 20-song set that night.

This tour, including opening act, Cat Power, visited Ommegang on Friday night and was a pairing made in alt-rock heaven. The near-capacity crowd in attendance ranged from toddlers to 60-something hipsters. It was truly a generational show.

Pixies are a band who many see as the progenitors of the ’90s alt-rock scene, with bands such as Nirvana and Radiohead referencing them as huge influences. Glancing at the crowd in attendance, their influence remains strong as many teens wandering the grounds sported Pixies shirts. The line for merch stretched longer than the beer lines much of the night, signaling the passion of the fans.

Pixies wasted no time ripping into their set, with a four-song whirlwind of bangers heavy on tunes from their 1989 breakthrough album Doolittle, which proved to be the foundation album for the rest of the night’s setlist. This set the tone for what would turn out to be a killer set from the veteran band that neither looked nor sounded veteran at all.

As mentioned, the set was heavy on Doolittle songs, with the band performing nine of that landmark album’s tracks. The remainder of the set was dotted by much of the band’s current catalog. Eight songs from their post-breakup era were performed with the same intensity as the songs from their classic era.

An encore was unnecessary for Pixies as they finished their 26-song set with such fan favorites as “Debaser,” “Cactus,” “The Holiday Song,” “Monkey Gone to Heaven,” a toned-down UK Surf version of “Wave of Mutilation,” “Where Is My Mind” and their run-through of the Neil Young song “Winterlong,” which ended the epic night of music.

Modest Mouse didn’t close the set but that does not mean they weren’t a headliner. They performed a solid hour and fifteen-minute set that covered the entirety of their career, receiving headliner adulation from the assembled masses. DSP Shows has brought Modest Mouse to Brewery Ommegang in Cooperstown many times over the years, selling out each show, so not seeing them finish the night on this stage was a bit of an oddity for many in attendance.

Band founder Isaac Brock is the sole remaining original member of the band following the untimely death of original drummer Jerimiah Green from cancer at the age of 45 in December of last year. But the band Brock has assembled for this version of Modest Mouse is stellar. The rhythm section was the secret weapon for the majority of their set, driving the bus with great fills and a solid backbeat.

This Pacific Northwest band began performing in 1993. With lyrics that spoke to Millennials and Gen Xers alike, many in attendance became emotional witnessing Modest Mouse perform the songs that spoke to them in their formative years.

Brock’s sing/scream vocals and the band’s almost funky beats had the crowd singing and dancing along their entire set. When the lights and house music came on signaling the end of their set, there was a collective groan from the crowd. But the disappointment was quickly alleviated once Pixies took the stage.

Torrential rains cut short opener Cat Power’s set. In addition to battling the elements, she was also battling feedback from her monitor and she made sure to let her frustrations be known. Despite the difficulties, Cat Power performed a soulful set, exhibiting her smoky voice, which proved to be a nice setup for the frenzy to come.

Brewery Ommegang is a Belgian-style brewery located just outside Cooperstown. The brewery has hosted concerts for many years, leaning heavily on the alt-rock continuum. It’s a beautiful venue that allows camping and free parking along with an array of wallet-friendly beers and several food trucks. Each show ends with a spectacular fireworks display for attendees to enjoy as they make their way to their vehicles or tents at the end of the night. This was the final show of the 2023 summer series at Ommegang. Be sure to check their calendar for next summer.

Pixies Setlist (via Setlist.fm):

Gouge Away, I Bleed, Crackity Jones, Isla de Encanta, Planet of Sound, There’s a Moon On, Who’s More Sorry Now?, Get Simulated, The Lord Has Come Back Today, Mr. Grieves, Death Horizon, Here Comes Your Man, Motorway to Roswell, Snakes, Caribou, Hey, Doggerel, Cecilia Ann (The Surftones cover), St. Nazaire, Debaser, Cactus, The Holiday Song, Monkey Gone to Heaven, Wave of Mutilation (UK Surf), Where Is My Mind?, Winterlong (Neil Young cover)

Modest Mouse Setlist (via Setlist.fm):

Dark Center of the Universe, Tiny Cities Made of Ashes, Fire It Up, Dramamine (With Life Like Weeds outro), Breakthrough, Baby Blue Sedan, Back to the Middle, This Devil’s Workday, King Rat, Heart Cooks Brain, We Are Between, The Ground Walks, With Time in a Box, Float On, The Whale Song, Dashboard