There’s no denying that Modest Mouse’s arrival was one of the most anticipated Australian tours for quite some time. Though only reaching mainstream popularity with their latest release Good News For People Who Love Bad News and the infectious single Float On, throughout the band’s 13 year lifespan they’ve been at the forefront of the underground indie scene, and perhaps the resurgence in the indie scene in the 21st Century could be attributed to the popularity of these mice.

Modest Mouse’s inaugural venture to Australia was for the Falls Festival, but thankfully for the burgeoning Australian Modest Mouse fan base, the announcement of sideshows brought much fervour which meant that all tickets to the band’s Sydney show at The Enmore Theatre were sold in quick time. But when I arrived to find absolutely no room on the Enmore dance floor, with the crowd packed in tighter than sardines in a tin can, I wondered if in fact the Enmore Theatre had also caught onto the fervour and sold a few more tickets than they should have…

Sidling into a rather uncomfortable position on the extremities of the floor – which resulted in a dull lower back ache by the end of the set thanks to my awkward body positioning and the Enmore’s downward slope towards the stage – I was greeted by a lush wall of sound emanating from the Enmore’s superb PA system. It’s always a joy to watch a show in the resplendent interior of the Enmore, even if viewing tonight was somewhat of a challenge.

Admittedly I can’t claim to be an “old-school” fan of Modest Mouse. I own Good News… but aside from that my musical knowledge of Modest Mouse’s back catalogue is fairly limited. However I was of course aware of their significance, but I was blissfully naïve, not knowing what to expect from the band. But with a formidable six piece ensemble on stage, led by the brilliant poetic front man Isaac Brock, the band superseded all my expectations. Their performance was engaging, despite not being overly flashy or ostentatious. Musically, this band is amazing: their melodies are intricate and textured but crystal clear, each member instinctively knowing their role and filling the gaps to create a gorgeous sound where you could hear every note. The double-drummer attack may seem superfluous, but Modest Mouse use it superbly, with each drummer playing counter-rhythms, rarely locking into the same beat but when they came together it added to each song a phenomenal rhythmic onslaught.

The majority of the set came courtesy of their latest release Good News… and well as their upcoming album We Were Dead Before the Ship Even Sank. The new material was co-written by Brock and former Smiths’ guitarist, and brand new Mouse inductee Johnny Marr. The range of instrumentation for Modest Mouse is astonishing, with each member playing multiple instruments throughout the night. The constant change in instruments – using a multitude of keyboards as well as double bass, banjo and trumpet – keeps the music enjoyable and interesting. Brock’s rough but melodic vocals were spot on tonight, though his on-stage banter was rather mumbled and hard to understand from my vantage point.

For me, being able to hear my favourite songs off Good News... live such as Float On, The World At Large (complete with whistled melody line), Ocean Breathes Salty and Bukowski was great. Long-time fans of Modest Mouse would have been pleased with the inclusion of Dramatime and Breakthrough off their debut LP This Is A Long Drive... and Paper Thin Walls off The Moon and Antarctica.

After the typical cliché encore – why do bands ever bother anymore? The road crew tune the instruments while the band is off stage so obviously it’s pre-planned – Modest Mouse greeted the crowd with a rousing rendition of Bury Me With It and extended versions of Dramatime and a brand new song Invisible In Your Car. And then it was over, and I was left with a dull back ache and a new-found respect and love for a band who are at the apex of indie music.

Check out the pics from the gig here