By Photojournalist Dan Fernandez

June 10, 2025, Jannus Live in St. Petersburg oozed with early 2000’s nostalgia as fans packed the venue for a sold-out performance by one of indie rock’s most treasured bands, Modest Mouse. The night set off with an opening performance by Doug Martsch, the founder, only permanent member and lead singer of the indie co-op that is Built to Spill. Martsch delivered a melodic and intimate performance that set a calming tone before the tidal wave that Modest Mouse was soon to unleash.

Doug Martsch’s Built to Spill has long been known for its experimental approach, purposefully revolving though a rotating lineup, swapping out musicians with every new album. As Martsch himself has noted, “I wanted to switch the lineup for many reasons. Each time we finish a record I want the next one to sound totally different. It’s fun to play with people who bring in new styles and ideas and it’s nice to be in a band with people who aren’t sick of me yet.”

After a short set by Martsch the main act was ready to roll, and Modest Mouse stormed the stage leading with their iconic sound. The band, fronted by the ever-distinctive Isaac Brock, has weathered life on the road since their 1993 inception in Issaquah, Washington. Today the band is based in Portland, Oregon featuring a lineup that includes Benjamin Weikel on drums, Russel Higbee on bass, Ben Massarella on percussion/effects, and Simon O’Connor on guitar/backing vocals. With Brock as the sole remaining original member since the tragic passing of drummer and co-founder Jeremiah Green in 2022, there was an emotional weight to their performance that hit deep with longtime fans, who for many this was their first show without Green on the sticks.

The set kicked off with the live debut of “Make Everyone Happy,” before building momentum with classics “Dashboard,” “Fire it up” and “3rd Planet.” The band weaved through their discography, showcasing six tracks from their celebrated album “The Moon & Antarctica.” The setlist balanced their evolving sound by showcasing at least one song from every released album to date, including fan favorites “Float On” and “Tiny Cities Made of Ashes.”

Jannus Live is a one-of-a-kind venue that is renowned for its unique outdoor setting, in this case nearly backfiring as rain clouds hovered ominously overhead, but luckily for all of us the weather held off until the following day. This stroke of luck was not lost on the crowd as they were blessed with manageable if not humid conditions that allowed them to enjoy Modest Mouse’s entire set helmed by their front man Isaac Brock, who often filled any gaps between songs by engaging the crowd with his signature wit and banter.

The night culminated in an encore featuring “Talking Shit About a Pretty Sunset,” “Wooden Soldiers,” and “King Rat.” Each song was met with whistles and applause upon their opening notes. I am not going to lie, there were a few jams that I would have loved to hear that were left off the set list, but I also cannot complain in the slightest. Modest Mouse delivered and they delivered well. The night was a celebration of the band’s wide-ranging career and their reflection as pioneers of indie rock

Find the final set list below.

1. “Make Everyone Happy” (Live Debut)
2. “Dashboard”
3. “Doin’ the Cockroach”
4. “Fly Trapped in a Jar”
5. “3rd Planet”
6. “A Life of Artic Sounds
7. “Fire It Up”
8. “Lives” (First time played in the main set since 2013)
9. “Tiny Cities Made of Ashes”
10. “Bury Me With It”
11. “The Stars Are Projectors”
12. “Float On”
13. “Better Than This” (Live Debut)
14. “Little Motel”
15. “What People Are Made Of”
16. “Paper Thin Walls”

ENCORE
17. “Talking Shit About a Pretty Sunset”
18. “Wooden Soldiers”
19. “King Rat”