Off to see the Pixies tonight

[scmavl]

One of my favorite bands for years, and I've never seen them live. Tonight they're playing here in Asheville. Should be a great time, they're playing "Doolittle" start to finish. Any fans?

 

[pdodge77]

ABSOLUTELY! How was the show? I know Joey is still playing mainly a JCM900, what about Francis? Any cool pedals?

 

[mj07]

Pixies in the Thomas Wolfe should be killer. My girlfriend and I would be going if not for the season premiere of Venture Bros. tonight....oh well.

 

[Powderfinger]

Tell them to make a new album.

 

[Seakayak]

Damn, I listened to most of Doolittle on the drive to work Friday.
Hope the show is great!

 

[imguitardan]

I saw them a few years ago when they did their reunion tour. They effing killed! Have fun.

 

[Don A]

I love the Pixies. I saw them with Throwing Muses at UMass Dartmouth on '84 or '85. I also saw them at The Rocky Point Palladium at end of their first run.

I think people underestimate what a hugely influential band they were.

 

[EL34]

Huge fan here....I really dig the Pixies and Franks solo work. And yes, most people don't realize how hugely influential they've been. I've seen the Pixies twice and Frank (solo) once. I wish they'd release new material!!

 

[billywade]

Saw them in late '89 or early '90 in a Dallas club called the Venue. Still one of my top few shows including Soundgarden around the same time and Nirvana right after Nevermind came out but they hadn't broke big yet.

Saw Black Francis a month or two later when he came back in to town solo at Club Clearview. I mean solo. Just the man, a tele and a little fender combo. Maybe 50 people in the room. It was magical. He kept throwing out those little bang cap things that pop when they hit the floor. Back to the full band show. Joey's Les Paul tone was ice picky in the most awesome way possible. Just a stellar group in every way. With me it really always come down to the songs though and The Pixies' catalog is without equal imho. Still listen to that stuff 20 years later, still sounds current and fresh, just good songs.

 

[scmavl]

ABSOLUTELY! How was the show? I know Joey is still playing mainly a JCM900, what about Francis? Any cool pedals?

The show was great. They played 3 or 4 B-sides, then went into "Doolittle" and played it start to finish with no banter in between songs. Stepped offstage for a moment and came back and played two more B-sides. Another break and encored with "Velouria", "U-Mass", "Where Is My Mind", and "Gigantic". Such a good show. They were very tight throughout.

Joey was playing four Marshall half stacks (two may have been backup), and as someone else said, his LP tone was "ice-picky in the best way possible". He also played an ES-335 in the more mellow songs ("Here Comes Your Man", etc). Frank played a Tele type with a neck bucker and briefly, an Esquire. He had a 2x12 of some sort, but I couldn't tell what it was, just all black. They had his guitar up a little too loud IMO for about the first third of the show.

I couldn't see pedalboards (too far back) but I know Frank used some kind of acoustic simulator, because he used his tele for every song.

Great time.

 

[HowardMusic]

Big big fan here !! That show sounded great - I remember when I went to see them when they were supporting Doolittle way back when and it was just like that - one song right after the other - just slamming one song then the next - great stuff !!!

 

[zekmoe]

Great songs. Terrible, terrible live band. Seen them twice, very disappointed. Hopefully they've grown past the absolute statues they were when I saw them. Don't have to jump around like early van halen but at least look like you like the music you're playing.

 

[GarMan]

The show was great. They played 3 or 4 B-sides, then went into "Doolittle" and played it start to finish with no banter in between songs. Stepped offstage for a moment and came back and played two more B-sides. Another break and encored with "Velouria", "U-Mass", "Where Is My Mind", and "Gigantic". Such a good show. They were very tight throughout.

Joey was playing four Marshall half stacks (two may have been backup), and as someone else said, his LP tone was "ice-picky in the best way possible". He also played an ES-335 in the more mellow songs ("Here Comes Your Man", etc). Frank played a Tele type with a neck bucker and briefly, an Esquire. He had a 2x12 of some sort, but I couldn't tell what it was, just all black. They had his guitar up a little too loud IMO for about the first third of the show.

I couldn't see pedalboards (too far back) but I know Frank used some kind of acoustic simulator, because he used his tele for every song.

Great time.

Joey is the only guitarist I know that makes the LP sound like a Tele or something?! In his hands, it sounds very un-LP-like, in a very awesome way like you said.

 

[scmavl]

Great songs. Terrible, terrible live band. Seen them twice, very disappointed. Hopefully they've grown past the absolute statues they were when I saw them. Don't have to jump around like early van halen but at least look like you like the music you're playing.

They're definitely not a physically entergetic band, but I think they know that and tried to make up for it by having some really cool video/graphics going on behind them the whole time, each VERY song specific. "Hey" even had the lyrics projected behind them while they played it.

They did seem to have more fun, especially Joey & David. David threw Joey a drumstick and Joey used it as a slide for a bit then threw it back. Kim did almost all of the talking to the crowd, of which there was less than 30 seconds altogether.

Still, the Pixies have always been about the music.

 

[Powderfinger]

Great songs. Terrible, terrible live band. Seen them twice, very disappointed. Hopefully they've grown past the absolute statues they were when I saw them. Don't have to jump around like early van halen but at least look like you like the music you're playing.

This was my experience too when I saw them way back when. Just stood there and played the songs note for note like the records. I'm a huge fan, but what's the point? Haven't seen them since they reunited. They need to make some new music.

 

[billy budapest]

I couldn't see pedalboards (too far back) but I know Frank used some kind of acoustic simulator, because he used his tele for every song.

Frank B. has a piezo built into his tele so he can play the acoustic stuff without changing guitars.

 

[Bodhisattva]

Saw them at the Ryman in Nashville Friday night. Great show. They of course did all of Doolittle with the B-sides and then a few extras from the early records and Bossanova.

Sound was great but Kim's mic went out during Into The White.

I still say Charles Thompson is the greatest songwriter of my generation. Kim's voice is adorable.

Santiago's guitar was perfect and i didn't realize how integral his style was to that band. Love FB's solo work but not a fan of the guitar work.

Lovering was great on the drums. Just great.

 

[GarMan]

Kim's voice is adorable.

She sounds like an angel to me. Her voice is really unique. One of a kind. Her and FB are amazing together.

 

[scmavl]

She sounds like an angel to me. Her voice is really unique. One of a kind. Her and FB are amazing together.

Agreed. Especially on songs like "Gigantic", "I Bleed", and "Hey".

 

[soli528]

I saw the reunion tour a couple years back at the Fox in ATL, one of the most magical places to see a show indoors. They came back thru ATL on the same tour and played a festival set too- saw that one as well, White Stripes played before them, rain was coming down in sheets- quite a memorable night. I saw that Loud, Quiet, Loud documentary afterward and was kinda let down at the implication that the whole reunion venture was totally (and admittedly) financially motivated, and that they weren't on speaking terms afterward. At least the shows I saw were awesome.
Cannot wait to see Pavement at the end of this month-