In my mind, seeing both Modest Mouse and Brand New co-headlining a show is somewhat of a dream. Place them in a fabled venue such as Madison Square Garden, and you'd expect to witness an epic and memorable show. 

Since the tour's announcement in early 2016, it was one I highly anticipated, marrying the erratic and frenzied sounds of Modest Mouse with the emotive angst of Brand New. Both  have maintained years of relevance, earning them fans of all ages, undeniable veteran status, and the extensive material necessary to build a compelling set. 

The bands took turns closing out each show, with hometown heroes Brand New being a logical choice for MSG. The crowd reflected this sentiment. Teens donning tees with 'Brand New' splashed across the front hung limply over the metal barricade, largely disinterested by Modest Mouse despite their fervent energy.

Modest Mouse's sets are consistently inconsistent. The band has a reputation for a loosely structured grab-bag approach in terms of the songs they choose. Their performance was surprisingly straight-forward. The band opened with the brash "Bury Me With It," exciting the crowd with the promise of an explosive and driven set.

They satiated the radio fans with "Lampshades On Fire" and "Dashboard," but avoided the almost inevitable "Float On.” Other highlights included  "Tiny Cities Made of Ashes" and "Third Planet" off the pensive The Moon And Antarctica as well as "Satin In A Coffin." While their live energy is indeed captivating, the set lost steam about halfway through without much engagement from the crowd, who treated the orchestral 8-piece like a temporal stepping stone to the main act.

When Brand New emerged, silhouetted through heavy smoke, the listless attendees awoke with uproarious cheers. The band followed Modest Mouse's opening approach, bursting with the searing "Sink," "Gasoline," and "Millstone," prompting a top-of-the-lungs singalong. 

They were decidedly more focused on established hits- an inclusive and comprehensive journey through their musical catalogue. They led their loyal following through "Okay I Believe You, But My Tommy Gun Don't," "Sic Transit Gloria," and an extended "Sowing Season."

The encore consisted of an acoustic version of "Play Crack The Sky" and breakout single "The Quiet Things That No One Ever Knows." Though it seems this would be the ideal environment to test out new music, "I Am A Nightmare" and "Mene" were missing from the setlist, as were tracks from the debut Your Favorite Weapon.

Though there's some evidence this may be Brand New's final tour, they left their home state with a passionate final performance. If you're on the west coast of the US, you can still catch the tour at the dates and locations below:

07/26 – Chula Vista, CA @ Sleep Train Amphitheater ^
07/27 – Inglewood, CA @ The Forum *
07/28 – Berkeley, CA @ Greek Theatre ^
07/30 – Seattle, WA @ KeyArena *
07/31 – Portland, OR @ Moda Center *

* = Modest Mouse closing the show
^ = Brand New closing the show