Modest Mouse

Academy, Liverpool 2/9/07.

Left my hotel at 11am Sun morning, raining, well it is Manchester. Got up to Piccadilly to check the times of the trains to Liverpool. I decided to aim to get there about 2 ish. I hung round Manchester and popped into a couple of my fave pubs and got the train at about 1:30 ish.

Got to Liverpool, still raining. I decided to ring my nephew Nathan. He lives in Liverpool so I thought it would be nice to catch up and say hi. I rang Nath and got a taxi round to his flat, about 3 miles from the city center. Still raining, after a tour of his new flat we decided to pop out to the local hostelry.

After while chatting I asked him how Natallie was (my niece, his sister who also lives in Liverpool) He said even though they live about a mile apart they don't see each other that much. Nath then phones Nat and she comes to join us for a drink. I was lovely to see them both, specially as these days we only ever see each other on Xmas day.

I set off back to town after saying my goodbye's as I wanted go get to the Academy about 6:30 ish. Got to the Academy in good time there were just a couple stood in the doorway entrance so I joined them. There was a huge tour bus parked right outside, obviously belonging to MM. I stood chatting to the guy and his girlfriend when suddenly this guys facial expression changed, excited bewilderment!

Next thing I know Issac Brock and Johnny Marr were just stood next to me. Er!! what!! I said hi and shook hands with Issac then Johnny. They opened the bus door and went in. The guy his girlfriend and I just looked at each other and said did that just happen? Then 5 mins later the bus door opens and out steps Issac, with a cigarette in his hand. Ha! not allowed to smoke in his own tour bus. He just leant out the bus chatting to us for a while, mainly saying about the weather. Again when he went back in we just looked at each other and said "cool!"
Doors opened in good time and I got to the front Corins side as usual. I wasn't sure how MM would set up but I was center right so ok. The support band came on a rag and tag collection of people. A band called Port O'Brien from Alaska. Er! Alaska?? yep! They ripped into a set of acoustic based punk folk (new genre?) and were excellent. They are one of the best supports for a main act I've seen in ages, yeah ok the girl was cute. I forgot to post a pic I'll put it at the bottom.
MM came on and it turned out I was right in front of Issac. Johnny setting up stage right (my left). They took ages to come on as Issac is notoriously fussy about his guitar tunings, he was using four I think. They eventually came on and played a great set mostly the new album, obviously. It was interesting to see what role JM was going to take but Issac was certainly the main man. If I was to be critical his guitar was just a tad too loud, but that may have been because I was right in front of him. I'm glad that the band has remained Issac's and it seemed to me as though he made a point of it by playing all the lead. A great set though a few old fav's were played, I can't remember the listing now. One thing to point out though, they didn't play "Cockroach" which was a shame, there were numerous shouts for it, but alas.
In all a great gig, so good to see MM finally and they didn't disappoint. Issac is superb to watch and damn what a fine guitarist he is. A good support too -