Photos by: Brad Hodge 

It’s hard to decipher what was more exciting: The fact that Modest Mouse was attempting to redeem previous stink-bomb performances in Nashville with a headling show at the Ryman, or that the transcendental sound of Band of Horses was to go first.

 The Band of Horses set served intimately as a peek into the fall release of Cease to Begin and a slightly modified sound with the addition of a sixth member. Every song from their previous release, Everything All the Time, echoed beautifully throughout the halls of the historic auditorium. The pulsating groove of “Our Swords” sent a wave of cold, dark energy over the crowd like a collective shiver. The melodic and beauteous sound of Band of Horses was the perfect contrast for Isaac Brock and Modest Mouse’s heavy brand of rock.

Johnny Marr stood polar opposite of Brock onstage, but they seemed to meld together right in the middle sonically with an impressive “Invisible” start. Marr’s robust guitar solos and Brock’s screams marry angst in an all-new fashion. “Black Cadillacs” trailed, and by the time the band made it to “Fire It Up” the sold-out crowd was rowdy. Brock seemed to revel in antagonizing them, asking at one point why so many were sitting in the balcony, saying they should come down and join them on the floor.

Most of the setlist consisted of songs from We Were Dead Before the Ship Even Sank and Good News For People Who Like Bad News, but a few gems were dusted off throughout the evening like “Doin’ the Cockroach” and “Custom Concern.”

There is no doubt that Johnny Marr’s presence has had an influence on the sound of the band’s live performance. He played with full bravado and was the glitz to Brock’s grunge, putting his stamp on “Little Motel” and “The View” with incandescent guitar solos. Revisiting The Lonesome Crowded West album the audience was treated to the elusive “Cowboy Dan.” And by the time we made it to the “Float On” part of the encore, Modest Mouse had wiped the slate clean with a masterful performance.