Modest Mouse Drop First New Song in Five Years and Announce Huge 2026 Tour
Modest Mouse are back with new music for the first time in five years, and they didn't ease into it. "Look How Far…" is a sub-two-minute burst of anxiety and frustration that feels like the band never left. Isaac Brock sounds like he's been holding this one in for a while, and honestly, it lands.
The track is their first release since 2021's The Golden Casket, and it's a sharp left turn from that album's more polished feel. Stompy grooves, Brock sneering "Look how far we haven't come" over the top of it all. It's brief, chaotic, and completely Modest Mouse. Worth noting that former Sleater-Kinney drummer Janet Weiss appears on the track, which is a pretty great detail.
A Packed Summer on the Road
On top of the new music, the band just announced a huge stretch of 2026 tour dates that fills in the gaps between their previously announced shows and festival appearances. This year marks Modest Mouse's 30th anniversary as a band, and they're clearly not taking it easy.
The new dates kick off July 2nd in Bellingham, Washington at the Mt Baker Theatre and run through late August, hitting cities like Vancouver, Calgary, Chicago, Saint Paul, Milwaukee, Philadelphia, and more. They wrap things up at the Alaska State Fair in Palmer on August 28th before closing out the touring cycle at Shaky Knees in Atlanta on September 20th.
The Sound in Del Mar
If you're in the San Diego area, this is the one to circle. Modest Mouse are playing The Sound in Del Mar on August 5th. The Sound is one of the best outdoor venues in Southern California right now, and catching this band there during their 30th anniversary run is going to be something special. I'll be real, a summer night in Del Mar with Modest Mouse ripping through new material and deep cuts sounds like a perfect evening.
Tickets for the Del Mar show and other newly announced dates are available now through Ticketmaster.
Festival Appearances and Special Shows
Beyond the headline dates, Modest Mouse have a stacked festival schedule this year. They're playing Kilby Block Party in Salt Lake City on May 15th, Bonnaroo on June 14th, Outside Lands in San Francisco on August 7th, and Shaky Knees in Atlanta on September 20th. They're also opening for My Chemical Romance at Nationals Park in Washington, DC on August 18th as part of MCR's The Black Parade stadium tour. That's a wild bill.
Earlier this year, the band also launched their inaugural "Ice Cream Floats" cruise, sailing to the Dominican Republic with Portugal. The Man, Kurt Vile and the Violators, and Mannequin Pussy. So yeah, they're not slowing down.
Full 2026 Tour Dates
05/12 — Spokane, WA @ Knitting Factory
05/13 — Missoula, MT @ The Wilma
05/14 — Bozeman, MT @ The Elm
05/15 — Salt Lake City, UT @ Kilby Block Party
06/04 — New Haven, CT @ College Street Music Hall
06/05 — Sayreville, NJ @ Starland Ballroom
06/06 — Allentown, PA @ Archer Music Hall
06/07 — Virginia Beach, VA @ Virginia Beach Dome
06/09 — Wilmington, NC @ Greenfield Lake Amp
06/10 — Charleston, SC @ Charleston Music Hall
06/12 — Asheville, NC @ The Orange Peel
06/13 — Asheville, NC @ The Orange Peel
06/14 — Manchester, TN @ Bonnaroo Festival
07/02 — Bellingham, WA @ Mt Baker Theatre
07/03 — Vancouver, BC @ Orpheum Theatre
07/05 — Calgary, AB @ Calgary Stampede
07/07 — Saskatoon, SK @ Saskatchewan Jazz Festival
08/04 — Ojai, CA @ Libbey Bowl
08/05 — Del Mar, CA @ The Sound
08/07 — San Francisco, CA @ Outside Lands Music Festival
08/08 — Jacksonville, OR @ Britt Pavilion
08/09 — Portland, OR @ Pioneer Courthouse Square
08/12 — Chicago, IL @ The Salt Shed
08/13 — Saint Paul, MN @ Palace Theater
08/14 — Milwaukee, WI @ Riverside Theater
08/18 — Washington, DC @ Nationals Park (w/ My Chemical Romance)
08/19 — Philadelphia, PA @ The Fillmore
08/20 — South Deerfield, MA @ Tree House Brewing
08/21 — Shelburne, VT @ The Green
08/28 — Palmer, AK @ Alaska State Fair
09/20 — Atlanta, GA @ Shaky Knees Festival
(New dates in bold)
Don't Sleep on This
Thirty years in and Modest Mouse are still putting out music that sounds like nothing else. "Look How Far…" is proof that Isaac Brock still has plenty to say, and a summer tour this stacked doesn't come around often. If you're anywhere near Del Mar on August 5th, grab tickets for The Sound before they're gone. This is going to be one of the best shows of the summer.
Cover photo courtesy of Ticketmaster