With eight members on stage, Modest Mouse made the regularly huge and roomy Echostage seem as tight and crowded as a stage at some local bar Sunday. Half a year after its Strangers to Ourselves album was released, and eight years since the release of its previous album, We Were Dead Before the Ship Even Sank, the alternative rock band from Issaquah, Washington, carries on a rigorous touring schedule with indie band Hop Along. 

Most bands that have been together for more than 20 years experience a change in sound or image, but despite a few lineup changes, Modest Mouse has maintained its cynical style and folksy ways. This is due, in part, to lead singer, guitarist and songwriter Isaac Brock.

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The band members don’t carry themselves too seriously, and neither does Brock, who jokingly heckled obnoxious audience members soon after the group took to the stage and opened the show with its song “King Rat.” 

The set mainly consisted of new songs off of Strangers to Ourselves but also included an eclectic collection of the group’s older songs, some of which dated back to 1996. The selection of songs contained super radio-popular songs such as “Dashboard” and “Lampshades on Fire” but contained more than Modest Mouse’s most popular songs. While some may view this odd, the decision worked well for introducing fans old and new to songs from deep within the band’s catalog.

Accompanied by blindingly bright lights and immense energy from the rest of the band, Brock led the audience through an entertaining evening. On the stage were banjos, upright basses, violins — you name it, the group had it. This allowed the band to sound as close as it could to the studio recordings, with many members playing multiple instruments. 

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Hop Along opened with a grunge twist to your standard indie folk-rock. While the same-old gritty guitar sound drives most of its tracks, the group still maintains a lighter storyteller vibe. Singer Frances Quinlan keeps things interesting through a rather unique vocal technique for the indie scene. Her almost guttural hollering actually layers quite beautifully with the music.

Ending the night with a five-song encore, Modest Mouse maintained its energy throughout the set, and the audience kept up, singing along and dancing to every word.