I remember when I missed out the last time the Pixies toured here in 2007, Al taunted (okay, gently teased) me that I might never get the chance to see them again. Hah! Luckily they returned (and will return again in July for Splendour), this time celebrating the 20th anniversary of Doolittle by playing it in its entirety. For once, I was easily among the 'youngsters'; the crowd was full of fervent fans from when the album was first released, and they showered the band with love and adoration throughout the show. The band, in turn, were visibly happy to be there, and Kim Deal's grin could, and did, light up the room (when I could see it...gah, tall people).
The show was so so good all through. They started with a four song run, all B-sides from Doolittle, building the anticipation so when the jangly guitar riff at the start of Debaser finally rang out, the room was just primed to explode in glee. Al turned to me and said, "They've still got it!" and then two seconds later, one of the guys in front of us turned to his friend and said exactly the same thing. They really did still have it - from Frank's wild growling vocal, Kim and Frank's voices in eerie harmony on Silver, those wonderful bass lines, the guitar hooks ringing out - everything sounded familiar and wonderful and not at all dated.
If I had to pick a highlight I'd pick, after a great deal of deliberation, the back-to-back amazingness of the first four songs off Doolittle, and of course Gigantic, which sounded so full and warm, and capped off a great night.
Dancing at the Manta Ray
Weird at My School
Bailey's Walk
Manta Ray
Debaser
Tame
Wave of Mutilation
I Bleed
Here Comes Your Man
Dead
Monkey Gone to Heaven
Mr. Grieves
Crackity Jones
La La Love You
No. 13 Baby
There Goes My Gun
Hey
Silver
Gouge Away
Wave of Mutilation (UK Surf version)
Into the White
Mind
Planet of Sound
Dig for Fire
Gigantic
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