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Friday, September 10, 2010
Photos / Live Reviews / setlist / News Live review: Pixies
Posted By Jeff Hahne on Fri, Sep 10, 2010 at 10:44 AM
Pixies w/ Fuck Buttons
Ovens Auditorium
Sept. 9, 2010
The Deal: '90s alt-rockers continue their tour in celebration of the Doolittle album, playing the album in its entirety along with some B-sides and favorites.
The Good: Pixies hit the stage at 9 p.m. after a short film and eased into "Dancing the Manta Ray," after which bassist Kim Deal said simply, "B-sides." Much like other sets the band has done recently, it was followed by a few b-sides as described before the band launched into its Doolittle album. There were a few more theatrics here as four large globes lit up above the stage — rising and lowering during various songs — and videos showed up on an LED screen behind the band.
After "I Bleed," Deal said, "Still on side one of the album..." as the quartet launched into one of the band's biggest hits, "Here Comes Your Man." After that, Deal and singer Frank Black had a quick back and forth trying to decide if "Dead" was the last song of the first side of the album, or the first song of the second side.
Just 35 minutes into the set, the band was already up to "Crackity Jones." After "No. 13 Baby," Deal said, "...closer toward the deeper cuts..." and noting, "some of the songs we had to learn" before "Silver."
The band was short on the small talk as they focused on the music and completely absorbed the crowd into its blanket of sound. Pixies aren't much on melody instead layering guitars over quick drum beats and letting off-key riffs and vocals roll together into an amalgam that has won them a dedicated fan base.
The band returned for an encore that started with "Wave of Mutilation (UK Surf)," before the smoke machines were cranked up and filled the auditorium during "Into the White."
A second encore started with the instrumental "Something Against You." The band then appeared to change things up a bit and discuss what to play next as "Dig for Fire" and "Bone Machine" were offered up. "Gigantic" appeared to be the last one until Deal began to howl the start of "Where is My Mind?"
The Bad: Fuck Buttons started the night off with a 45-minute set of incredibly loud electronic music that was both repetitive and a bit annoying. The dark stage was highlighted by a few lights that shone into the crowd, helping a good bit of the audience find their way into the lobby to wait until it was over.
As for the Pixies... Quick and to the point — 26 songs were played, but the show was done and over with in less than an hour-and-a-half. The main set clocked in at just under an hour. No surprise that the guy who jumped on stage during "Into the White" was quickly escorted out the door...
The Verdict: All-in-all the band didn't stray much from the album versions, peppering in brief guitar solos when appropriate and taking the audience on the nostalgia tour they expected. What I heard most when I left the auditorium were comments such as, "That reminded me of when I was in high school/college..." No glitz or glam here — a straight-forward rock show that was all about the music more than the people performing it.
Setlist
Dancing 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
Ther Goe's My Gun
Hey
Silver
Gouge Away
Encore
Wave of Mutilation (UK Surf)
Into the White
Encore 2
Something Against You
Dig For Fire
Bone Machine
Gigantic
Where Is My Mind?
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