with 764-HERO
live at Lupo's, Providence, RI

Words & photos by Andrew M. Burton

764-HERO

764-HERO

It's not too far to Providence from Strip-mall City where I live, but I never go there. However, I have wanted to see Modest Mouse ever since I first heard The Lonesome Crowded West a few years ago; I missed their show at The Middle East so this trip was justified. I was skeptical though, because my friend Derek Aylward had gone to that performance and told me that they sounded bad, and the singer was sarcastic and annoying. Still, I like their albums so much that I needed to see them play for myself. Brian Sheppard picked me up in the gold Ford Escort, a second-rate replacement for his brown Lexus (Taurus) that died on the Mass Pike during an ill-fated Philadelphia road trip. I managed to fit into the backseat with John Faust, Shamir, and my backpack and we hit the road. Leo had shotgun.

Brian parked near Lupo's, then we set out to find some food. We ate in some weird trailer/diner thing, and some pale, scabby lady asked my friends if I was a cop because my camera made her nervous; some of the Providence locals have a paranoid air about them. After that, we made our way to the show. I am used to Boston rock clubs where they look at you funny if you don't wear the right kind of glasses or New Balances or whatever. Lupo's is a lot mellower than that, and in fact, I think it's now my favorite place to see a band play.

764-HERO was on when we got there, which was great because I had no idea that they were playing. Their set was terrific, and the crowd really responded to it. John Atkins, standing off to one side of the stage in a western shirt and a studded belt, has that strained kind of voice that just sounds plain sad and is really captivating. The highlight of the show was probably "Blue Light" from their new album. The crowd was pretty much mesmerized and just rocked back and forth with the trio of musicians.

Modest Mouse

Modest Mouse

After they got off the stage I got to speak with John for a minute on the way back from the bathroom. He was very kind, and I promised him that I would send him photos if any came out good. (I haven't done that, yet.) Then I headed to the back where the bar is, because people really started jockeying for position up front and I am claustrophobic and have anxiety attacks in tight crowds.

The show started with some kind of droning, repetitive thing, and went on for a while like that in the dark. Then, the lights came up, and Modest Mouse began playing their songs with a profound intensity. It was great to see a band so creative play out with such raw power, but remain true to their sound and aesthetic. Nothing was lost, but the live sound and energy added a new dimension. True rock and roll music, maybe best represented during "Cowboy Dan," which was simply a sonic frenzy; it was horrifying in a way but still tight. I flounced around trying to take pictures, but I couldn't really concentrate. I just had to watch, and I am really happy that I was able to — it was one of those shows that you felt lucky to be there, proud even.

It was late when I got home, and I needed to use my inhaler before I went to sleep, but I was glad that I hadn't stayed home to play Tony Hawk Pro Skater 2 and watch TLC alone. Though the morning would come too soon, I knew that I had witnessed special and worthwhile performance.