Behold the aging hipster! He used to be trendy, but now he has a job, kids, and a fuel-efficient SUV. To trick people into thinking he’s still “cool” he bought a forty dollar ticket to Pixies: Doolittle Tour Live! He intends to get his money’s worth by buying five dollar beers and swaying to every song in an awkward, arrhythmic fashion. Don’t laugh too much; one day that cultural dinosaur will be you!
Snide comments aside, the Pixies still put on a great show even though they haven’t released an album in eighteen years. Frank, Kim, David, and Joey came on stage at 9:15 but the crowd didn’t stop cheering until long after the last note.
Since this tour is in support of the rerelease of Doolittle (you know, that album that influenced, either directly or indirectly, pretty much every indie band currently making music!) the band played the entire track list of Doolittle song for song. From the first bass line of “Debaser” to distorted fade-out of “Gouge Away” everything sounded just like it does on the vinyl. The drums were right on, the guitars sounded huge, and Deal and Black were in tune even on the hard songs. It was a dream come true for every bearded, flannelled, music nerd in the audience.
After playing Doolittle they played some hits from other albums. “Into The White” sounded cooler with all the flashing white strobe lights, and it felt like everyone in the crowd was singing along with “Where Is My Mind?” The set ended with “Gigantic” and the sounds of hundreds of people yelling, clapping, and stamping their feet.
A concert this good shouldn’t be a surprise when it’s one of the coolest bands of all time playing their best album. Middle age cannot stop them: the Pixies still rock.
Their tour continues…
11-23 New York, NY – Hammerstein Ballroom (w/ No Age)
11-24 New York, NY – Hammerstein Ballroom (w/ Jay Reatard)
11-25 New York, NY – Hammerstein Ballroom (w/ Rain Machine)
11-25 New York, NY – Hammerstein Ballroom
11-27 Boston, MA – Wang Center (w/ Jay Reatard)
11-28 Boston, MA – Wang Center (w/ Rain Machine)
11-30 Washington, D.C. – Constitution Hall (w/ Jay Reatard)
12-01 Washington, D.C. – Constitution Hall (w/ Mew)
Setlist: 11/21/2009
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 / There Goes My Gun / Hey / Silver / Gouge Away
—–Encore 1—–
Wave of Mutilation (UK Surf) / Into The White
—–Encore 2—–
Holiday Song / Something Against You / Vamos / Where Is My Mind?
—–Encore 3—–
Gigantic
