Photos by Dan DeSlover

There’s a lot more to Modest Mouse than “Float On,” and the band’s September 29 stop at The Sylvee offered a reminder of just how far that rabbit hole goes. With Caroline Rose opening the evening, the Madison show paired material from An Eraser and a Maze with a generous dive into the songs that helped build the band’s devoted following.

Led by Isaac Brock, Modest Mouse opened with “Dogbed in Heaven / Give It a Skeleton” before moving into “Black Cadillacs” and “Dance Hall.” That opening sequence established the evening’s approach: new music sharing space with familiar favorites, with little interest in taking the most obvious route through the catalog.

The newer material had a substantial role throughout the set. “Speak ’n Spell (Or Not),” “Absolutely Necessary Never” and “Picking Dragons’ Pockets” were among the selections from An Eraser and a Maze, giving the night a focus that extended beyond revisiting the band’s earlier records. For a group whose appeal has always rested partly on its willingness to get weird, that forward motion felt appropriate.

There was plenty for longtime listeners to dig into, too. “Broke” and “Breakthrough” reached back to the band’s early years, while “A Different City” and “Life Like Weeds” represented The Moon & Antarctica. Together, those selections traced the restless songwriting that made Modest Mouse compelling long before its breakthrough into mainstream radio.

The encore brought “Dramamine,” “3rd Planet” and “Spitting Venom,” closing with a trio that could make a convincing case for the band’s range all on its own. With “Float On” absent from the set, the Madison stop offered something more interesting than a countdown to the biggest hit: a chance to explore the corners of a catalog that still rewards getting a little lost.

Photographer Dan DeSlover was there to capture Modest Mouse’s return to Madison. Check out our photo gallery below for a closer look at the band’s night at The Sylvee.