By Anayo Eltringham Onuora
Celebrating 40 years since the band’s formation, Pixies kick off their world tour at Manchester’s Aviva Studios.
Everyone is in love with Black Francis. Even as he stands behind the curtain, the crowd calls for him, begging, desperate for him to take the stage. When he finally emerges with the band, anticipation erupts into applause, and the venue is transformed from a typical concert crowd into an act of collective devotion.
For a band now celebrating four decades of music, Pixies still command an excitement that is often reserved for artists at the height of their relevance.
A Slow Start
The set opens with ‘Cactus,’ a nostalgic track from Pixies’ debut album, Surfer Rosa. Sparse instrumentation and unsettling vocals immediately establish their distinct sound, reminding the audience why Pixies are so influential within alternative rock.
Though understated in comparison to some of their later music, ‘Cactus’ serves as an effective introduction, easing the crowd into the rigid, textured nature of Pixies sound. As the concert unfolds, however, the set loses momentum for the next 10 tracks or so, drifting into prolonged, indistinct stretches of performance.
While a 40th anniversary tour understandably wishes to include the breadth of a band’s discography, this special occasion should touch on the particular songs that define Pixies legacy. In many ways, anniversary performances are celebrations shared with the audience, but the band fails to meet the expectation that Pixies’ most culturally significant songs should take centre stage, resulting in a slow-paced and lengthy interlude.
Following this slower stretch, Pixies manage to redeem themselves with ‘Here Comes Your Man,’ an alt-rock classic defined by its memorable bass hook. At last, the crowd reciprocates the band’s energy, chanting lyrics enthusiastically as the set shifts into more upbeat territory.
For the first time in the performance so far, the atmosphere feels fully revived, as both the band and crowd connect over this beloved track.
Where is Kim Deal?
Though the band try their best to maintain their authentic sound, Kim Deal’s absence feels prominent. Since her departure from the band in 2013, Pixies have lacked a certain spark; their basslines feel too calculated, too polished. Deal understood that less is more, relying less on technicality and instead creating catchy, memorable hooks that are occasionally littered with imperfections. For an alternative rock band, however, imperfection is essential, as experimentation generates originality.
Pixies once embraced these rough edges, but replacing Deal with a bassist whose role is largely to imitate and mimic her style limits the band’s ability to remain authentic; their musical integrity as a band feels slightly hollow on stage. As a result, Pixies’ performance only reinforces the idea that Kim Deal’s influence cannot be paralleled.
That’s not to say their new bassist can’t hold her own; Emma Richardson brings a completely new and refreshing take on bass and sings with a folky vocal inflection that contrasts the band’s abrasive guitars. Her backing vocals mellow out the rustic, unhinged screams of Black Francis, adding a gentler, softened edge to Pixies’ set.
This dynamic flourishes on ‘Debaser,’ as Richardson echoes Francis through the chorus. A gritty, jagged guitar melody plays vigorously with heavy drumbeats and cymbal crashes, a familiar soundscape for Doolittle, from which the performance’s next few tracks originate.
The Doolittle Segment
‘Tame,’ ‘Monkey Gone to Heaven,’ and ‘Hey’ follow in pursuit, maintaining an energy from the crowd that is desperately needed.
‘Tame’ experiments with crashing drumsticks as Francis’ guttural cries and whispers add chaos and tension. Richardson tempers his shrill vocals, and David Lovering’s fast-beating drum rhythms find a steady balance between calm and storm, while still remaining thunderous when required.
‘Monkey Gone to Heaven’ is especially well respected by the crowd. Kim Deal’s basslines truly define Doolittle; each track is instantly recognisable by her melodies. Audience members yell and cheer as the track cuts through the venue’s speakers, erupting into a rampage of heavy guitars and Francis’ visceral screams.
The opening bassline to ‘Hey’ fills the venue, and the response from the crowd is magnetic. Just the guitar, bass, and Francis’ vocals open the track; a drum-less introduction builds tension and anticipation, making the chorus all the more satisfying when it eventually kicks in. Richardson breaks into Kim Deal’s classic bass solo, which is gradually accompanied by distorted guitar strums, and the gentler tapping of cymbals that run throughout. Suddenly, the bass cuts out and Black Francis chimes back in with biting vocals as the audience exchanges lyrics with the band.
Pixies continue their performance with Doolittle favourites, playing what is almost the whole album over the next 30 minutes. Though this segment is where the set flourishes, the lack of crowd engagement at the beginning of the performance could have been easily salvaged by a small scattering of familiar Doolittle melodies.
Where Is My Mind?
It can be assumed that even prior to the concert, Pixies fans had been anticipating seeing Surfer Rosa’s most renowned single live. ‘Where Is My Mind?’ is arguably Pixies most famous track; the single became even more iconic after it was featured on Fight Club’s soundtrack over a decade later, acting as the archetype for the band’s ‘loud-quiet-loud’ dynamic they so fervently stick to.
Joey Santiago’s eerie guitar riff introduces the track, disoriented by Richardson’s swaying vocals which create a ghostly, composition. She and Francis continue to feed off their practised vocal dynamic, as Richardson softens the heavier blows of the track’s chorus. This dreamy atmosphere shines through the rest of the track as the band slowly fades out, leaving the crowd in a lingering musical daze.
It seems only right that the same track used in Fight Club’s final scene, is the same single that closes the show.
Even after 40 years, Pixies are still rich in texture and grit; their symbolic ‘loud-quiet-loud’ dynamic shifts build tension and atmosphere on stage. Even though such a formulaic process in music writing can easily become predictable, Pixies establish themselves as pioneers of the technique, tenacious in their craft, and overcoming predictability by experimenting musically.
