BOO MODEST MOUSE

When I heard Modest Mouse was coming to town, I was stoked, but after Thursday’s show I was left shaking my head in disbelief and disgust. After a weekend full of heady contemplation and heavy drinking, I have come to the conclusion that Portland’s rock and roll fans paid $25 for a hard slap to the face. Rock and roll is a lot of things to a lot of people, but everyone from punks to hippies will testify that ROCKING OUT into the wee hours of the morning is unquestionably the cornerstone of rock and roll. Everyone knows this!

Rock and roll shows do not end at 10:15 pm, no matter what night of the week they are on. Period. You do whatever it takes . . . realign your schedule, call in sick in the morning, prepare for a sleepless night and make the necessary preparations to rock out until the early morn. This is common knowledge. What I’m trying to say is that, unfortunately, venues like the State and bands like Modest Mouse are sucking the soul out of rock and roll. Myself and a lot of other suckers paid big bucks to see Modest Mouse rock out but instead saw Modest Mouse leave the stage at 10:15, before the night had begun. I blame myself for buying the ticket. If rock and roll fans, like myself, choose to support bands and venues that make a mockery of the fun times and late nights provided by rock and roll then we are ultimately responsible.

Matt Reiter, Portland

letter via email

TINY DANCERS

Now I’m not so old, and my eyes are still pretty good, but I have to report that I find the new Phoenix typeface to be simply too small.

I grew up with art directors and typesetters, and I fondly recall one of my favorite industry mottos: "Type is to read." It looks nice, this smaller typeface of yours, but I find it a chore to read.

The thing that’s really ironic is that the writing in your paper has never been better that it is today. It would be a damned shame if your new look subverted this advance in quality.

Joe Lewis, Portland

Letter via email