Photos and Article by: Linda Carlson
Cincinnati, OH – Pixies, Modest Mouse and Cat Power are continuing their successful 2023 tour into 2024, featuring shows nearly daily throughout June. If this sellout show on a rainy Cincinnati Wednesday is any indication, this pairing of 1980s/1990s indie & alternative rock should perhaps be an annual tradition.
This lineup pulled in an audience ready to groove. The venue’s ground floor standing crowd was brimming with enthusiastic fans, as were the upper seated sections. Whether standing or sitting, a scan of the crowd showed that the audience was fully engaged throughout the evening.
Following opener Cat Power, Modest Mouse put on a 70-minute set that had the audience either rhythmically swaying or outright dancing.
Modest Mouse, formed in the early 1990s near Seattle, found sturdy footing in the alternative rock scene just as the grunge movement was hitting the scene. The band forged connections with fans early on, with enduring hits like “Float On” and “Ocean Breathes Salty” cementing a relationship that stands strong to this day.
Isaac Brock (vocals, rhythm guitar) is the sole founding band member and sets the tone for the band’s performance. His ease on stage and vocal acuity are expertly complemented by Russell Higbee (bass), Ben Massarella (percussion), Simon O’Connor (lead guitar), Damon Cox (drums) and Keith Karman (keyboards). These six musicians bring conventional and non-conventional (upright bass, fiddle, banjo, among others) elements to the stage that blend seamlessly to satisfying effect.
The band’s 70-minute performance included:
- Trucker’s Atlas
- Dashboard
- Bury Me With It
- Fuck Your Acid Trip
- Wooden Soldiers
- Night on the Sun
- Wild Packs of Family Dogs
- The World at Large
- Satin in a Coffin
- King Rat
- Third Side
- Float On
- The Stars Are Projectors
Pixies closed the evening’s fare. This Boston band has rolled through eras of rock. Formed in the 1980s, the band offered a complementary sound to raging grunge era that followed. Indeed, the band’s music was famously cited as inspiration by Kurt Cobain.
The band has had minimal lineup changes compared to other bands of comparable longevity. Founding members Black Francis (lead vocals, rhythm guitar), David Lovering (drums), and Joey Santiago (lead guitar) are joined by Emma Richardson (bass). Richardson replaces Paz Lenchantin, who departed the band earlier this year.
Pixies are known for their “loud-quiet-loud” and “stop-start” performances. Throughout their set, the band brings audiences from mellow, bluesy, throbbing musings to heart-thumping rhythms & vocals, pulling from their repertoire of eight studio albums, including 2022’s Doggerel. The band’s pioneering sound and engaging stage presence make a Pixies concert a memorable experience for both established fans and curious newcomers.
Their impressive setlist showcased the band’s “surf rock” and punk influences, and included several covers:
- Isla de Encanta
- Down to the Well
- Planet of Sound
- Gouge Away
- Subbacultcha
- All Over the World
- The Sad Punk
- Vegas Suite
- Is She Weird
- Hey
- Grieves
- Wave of Mutilation
- Crackity Jones
- The Happening
- Bone Machine
- Cactus
- Caribou
- Ana
- Motorway to Roswell
- Debaser
- Head On (The Jesus and Mary Chain cover)
- Tame
- In Heaven (Peter Ivers & David Lynch cover)
- Where Is My Mind?
- Winterlong (Neil Young cover)
The tour continues through June, but getting tickets might be a challenge, as shows do sell out. Check the bands’ websites for tour dates and news.
Check out the image carousel below for more photos of the evening’s performances!