Word of the day: AWESOME
It was the last night of the Pixies sell out performance at the Fox Theater. Just like to previous nights, the bside warmups as well as the doolittle sets were identical. Even the banter. Elected spokeswoman, Kim Deal navigated us through the set list as if it were a cassette tape, letting the crowd know where they were at on each side. Each night, she proclaimed how beautiful the Fox Theater was, and it is. And yes, it's in Oakland. Long live the East Bay. I envisioned running into Joe Santiago and agreeing to go to Guitar Center to go buy some strings. Taking Frank Black to Bakesale Betty's and booking him to do a solo mini tour with me as his booker here in the bay. And maybe go get some feijoada at Brazil Cafe' or hit a Burrito truck in International Blvd. Ask Dave Lovering to perform some magic for me and have tea with Kim Deal and tell her how much I love her voice that it reminds me of my french bulldog, Surfer Rosa. (Yes, I love the Pixies that much)
But none of that happened. And it probably never will. (Sniff.) But I did get to see them aqain, and three times at that! My wife is probably tired and mad at me for making her go to all 3 shows. I did ask some other close friends but none were available. It pains me that a lot of people don't know about them, or how good they are. As plain and boring as they appear to be, not having the lively stage presence, that say Billie Joe of Green Day or charisma of Joe Strummer, or chatty personality like Bono of U2, I truly believe that they are one of the greatest bands that never got the paid (till '04), never got the notoriety, or acknowledgement (till now) and I wonder would they ever get inducted. Here's my push. They deserve it. They've influenced countless bands, some of them really crappy and get more acknowledgement and airtime. For an independent band that never got its due, they can really pack a place. LoudQUIETLoud, documented the reunion. The Pixies reunion was labeled the Sell Out Tour. Literally, they sold out. And they got the money paid, and it was well deserved. And it doesn't make me mad. The inner punk screaming SELL OUT, is ok with it. Like most working stiffs like you and me, this is their profession. Maybe its more glorious, but with their catalog, nostalgia and aging audience, and hipness to the new hipsters makes it all work in their favor, especially during these tough times. I can sympathize with that. To put it perspective, pre Reunion days, Kim Deal's one hit wonder band Breeder's has made more money to date that the 15 years of the Pixies existence, minus the reunion years. Dave Lovering was down and out. His father died of cancer during the reunion, and you can tell that all this was taking a toll on him. Kim, the recovering addict, triumphant at conquering her demons, put her differences aside with Frank Black, enabling this to all happen. Joey Santiago, married with children often the only bridge of communication, even though years passed between talking with each other, admitted that doing this could guarantee his children's education and better quality of life. And lastly Frank Black, usually quiet, as Kim does most of the banter between songs, is still the man behind the curtain. I refer to Black Francis, as the working showman, artist, musician. The Catholics, going solo, all this material could have been Pixies material, if the clash with Kim didn't occur. But time heals all things, and above all, money talks. In the end, you have everyone else who is happy as hell that they're back and still here to rock. A little bit slower, a little bit older, and some cases, a little bit bigger, figuratively speaking! Here is something all those cute, stupid 3 chord punk pop, emo-core bands can't contend with. This is what real music is and should sound like. This is the greatest band you've never heard...
And November 11th, it was at the Fox Theater in the Biggity 'O'!
Like I said before, 2/3rds of the show was the same. With the elaborate video set (indicator when a band is getting big with all the visuals) I never got tired watching Monkey's Gone to Heaven. Man I love simians.
At the end of the 1st Encore, each night, they ended with Into the White, and the fogged the entire venue as if they were trying to bug bomb all the hipsters that were leaving early. Kim Deal's voice is so pleasantly sounding to me, it's the voice I envision my dog Rosie having if she were able to speak.
To top it off, they ended it with Bone Machine, Broken Face, Isla de Encanta and Where is My Mind? Surfer Rosa tracks. Although each show clocked 1.5 hrs it felt all too short. Watching 3 shows in all, was enough to satiate my appetite for pixieness and in the end, I was satisfied. And a little bit sad. Will they ever release any more material? Another album maybe? Only time will tell. Hopefully it will happen.
Here's some songs I wish they played:
Winterlong
UMASS
In Heaven
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Thursday, November 12, 2009
Pixies Day 2
After the first show they were selling bracelets to buy the live recordings online and I got to meet the owner of Abbey Road, formerly Disclive, Zach Blair. I was familiar of Disclive because I bought the Coachella set, Newport Acoustic Set and the SF shows from 2004. He hooked it up with an extra download coupon for being a returning customer. Thanks ! Please visit the Abbey Road site, if you want to download a concert you've attended or want to hear a particular show you've missed.
www.doolittlelive.com
I got to catch the end of the Rain Machine set. They're a twopiece drum and guitar duo with the drummer on the vocals. They sounded pretty good. I'm not familiar with their music but I enjoyed the 10 minutes I sat through. I'll definitely give their stuff a listen sometime. I did some research on the band, and its a project from TV on the Radio member, Kyp Malone.
As for the Pixies set, it was almost identical beginning, middle 1st encore, up to the second encore. The Bside warm ups, was a tribute to manta rays, with Dancing the Manta Ray, and Manta Ray. Song topics are so peculiar for Frank Black.
I hate, hate, HATE it when people think the 'Man' in Here Comes Your Man, is actually a person. The song is referencing the Fat Man/Little Boy atomic bombs dropped on Hiroshima and Nagasaki during the WWII. The boxcar, waiting is actually Bockscar, the plane responsible for dropping Fat Man on Nagasaki.
To my surpise, the played Vamos, which is where my fellow Filipino countryman Joey Santiago gets to shine on his guitar effects solo. I danced like a madman with the intro guitar riff. Frank Black's mastery of the Spanish language is admirable.
I made a bet with my wife that if the set list was different she had to buy me dinner. She thought that the setlist would be identical every night because almost 2/3rds of the show was the same, and that Kim Deal said that they're playing the same thing every night. They almost did, too...
www.doolittlelive.com
I got to catch the end of the Rain Machine set. They're a twopiece drum and guitar duo with the drummer on the vocals. They sounded pretty good. I'm not familiar with their music but I enjoyed the 10 minutes I sat through. I'll definitely give their stuff a listen sometime. I did some research on the band, and its a project from TV on the Radio member, Kyp Malone.
As for the Pixies set, it was almost identical beginning, middle 1st encore, up to the second encore. The Bside warm ups, was a tribute to manta rays, with Dancing the Manta Ray, and Manta Ray. Song topics are so peculiar for Frank Black.
I hate, hate, HATE it when people think the 'Man' in Here Comes Your Man, is actually a person. The song is referencing the Fat Man/Little Boy atomic bombs dropped on Hiroshima and Nagasaki during the WWII. The boxcar, waiting is actually Bockscar, the plane responsible for dropping Fat Man on Nagasaki.
To my surpise, the played Vamos, which is where my fellow Filipino countryman Joey Santiago gets to shine on his guitar effects solo. I danced like a madman with the intro guitar riff. Frank Black's mastery of the Spanish language is admirable.
I made a bet with my wife that if the set list was different she had to buy me dinner. She thought that the setlist would be identical every night because almost 2/3rds of the show was the same, and that Kim Deal said that they're playing the same thing every night. They almost did, too...
Pixies Day 1
Kristi and I found free parking behind the venue and we managed to get there right before we started. I didn't want to get caught in the Post-show merch rush so the line was short enough to wait. I bought a Doolittle tour shirt, for both Kristi and I. I got the black, and she got the brown one. It has the monkey from Doolittle cover. For some reason, I have a mild fascination with this little simians, so I think it's really cool to have it on the shirt. I also bought a tour poster and a set of Pixies buttons to sport. We missed, the opener Rain Machine.
I knew the shows would sell out quick when I tried to get my tickets I bought the second day first because I knew I would have a better chance getting those. For the first show, we are all the way back in the boonies in the last balcony section, maybe 3-4 rows before the end, but we were in the middle and could see the stage.
Once the show started people would get up and dance on the spot. I know this is a rock show, but this is why I choose to sit in the back, 1.) to get away from the mosh pits and avoid getting kicked in the head. 2.) I'm old and I want to sit down and enjoy the show. Surprisingly there were a good mix of old folks and kids that weren't even born yet when the Pixies were out. A lot of hipsters, punk rockers, geeks and wannabee's. The place was packed for sure.
By the time we got to the Doolittle set, they were playing their main hits and every time a fast, recognizable, danceable song came on, 2 rows ahead of me a group of very big girls would get up and dance. They weren't really in our way but I couldn't see some of Stage Left, so we moved left to get a better view. Luckily half of our row wasn't there or relocated so there were spots open. It didn't really annoy me because they weren't in front of me, but I really felt for the row in front of me because they could not see at all.
The guy in front of us was pissed and I told him he can move up to our row and he obliged. In between songs a very loud mad was yelling various comments such as: "Sit the fuck down!", "You're fat and I can't see." "Just because you're fat and think you're better than us doesn't mean you can take up space." Wow, all harsh if you ask me. At some point, I saw an unidentified flying object hit the back of one of the smaller girls. She sat down eventually and I heard that she was crying. I felt kinda bad, but block people's way and you will feel the wrath! I'm glad I wasn't involved, but to tell you the truth, Kristi and I were intrigued over this comical little feud. If anything, the only thing that bothered us was the girl dancing on the far left. She had an 80's mullet and kept on running he hands through her hair while pogoing and making little interpretative dances with songs. Annoying, but funny.
As for the show itself, Doolittle has it's share of good songs, but my favorite album is Surfer Rosa personally. However, my favorite song is Wave of Mutilation, which is on the Doolittle album. After the Doolittle album, they played Wave of Mutilation UK Surf version, which is by far my favorite song.
Overall, I was shocked how short the show was. I was still satisfied, but more songs could have been played. Some of their cool covers like Winterlong, Theme from NARC, or Lady in the Radiator song, but to no avail. I looked forward to Day 2, anxious to see what else they would play. I know for a fact, they NEVER, EVER play the same set...
Here is the end of the second encore:
I knew the shows would sell out quick when I tried to get my tickets I bought the second day first because I knew I would have a better chance getting those. For the first show, we are all the way back in the boonies in the last balcony section, maybe 3-4 rows before the end, but we were in the middle and could see the stage.
Once the show started people would get up and dance on the spot. I know this is a rock show, but this is why I choose to sit in the back, 1.) to get away from the mosh pits and avoid getting kicked in the head. 2.) I'm old and I want to sit down and enjoy the show. Surprisingly there were a good mix of old folks and kids that weren't even born yet when the Pixies were out. A lot of hipsters, punk rockers, geeks and wannabee's. The place was packed for sure.
By the time we got to the Doolittle set, they were playing their main hits and every time a fast, recognizable, danceable song came on, 2 rows ahead of me a group of very big girls would get up and dance. They weren't really in our way but I couldn't see some of Stage Left, so we moved left to get a better view. Luckily half of our row wasn't there or relocated so there were spots open. It didn't really annoy me because they weren't in front of me, but I really felt for the row in front of me because they could not see at all.
The guy in front of us was pissed and I told him he can move up to our row and he obliged. In between songs a very loud mad was yelling various comments such as: "Sit the fuck down!", "You're fat and I can't see." "Just because you're fat and think you're better than us doesn't mean you can take up space." Wow, all harsh if you ask me. At some point, I saw an unidentified flying object hit the back of one of the smaller girls. She sat down eventually and I heard that she was crying. I felt kinda bad, but block people's way and you will feel the wrath! I'm glad I wasn't involved, but to tell you the truth, Kristi and I were intrigued over this comical little feud. If anything, the only thing that bothered us was the girl dancing on the far left. She had an 80's mullet and kept on running he hands through her hair while pogoing and making little interpretative dances with songs. Annoying, but funny.
As for the show itself, Doolittle has it's share of good songs, but my favorite album is Surfer Rosa personally. However, my favorite song is Wave of Mutilation, which is on the Doolittle album. After the Doolittle album, they played Wave of Mutilation UK Surf version, which is by far my favorite song.
Overall, I was shocked how short the show was. I was still satisfied, but more songs could have been played. Some of their cool covers like Winterlong, Theme from NARC, or Lady in the Radiator song, but to no avail. I looked forward to Day 2, anxious to see what else they would play. I know for a fact, they NEVER, EVER play the same set...
Here is the end of the second encore:
Pixies Doolittle 20th Anniversary Tour, Fox Theater Oakland 11/8-11/10
I haven't seen the Pixies since 2004 at Coachella and that was truly a magical night. I didn't know the reunion would last this long, to tell you the truth. Not knowing if this would be my last chance to see them, like a crazy deranged fan I bought tickets to all three days. Mad props to my wife for roughing it out like a trooper and going all three nights. Here's a little setlist and review for each show.
Sunday 11/8
B Side Warm-up
Dancing The Manta Ray
Weird at My School
Bailey's Walk
Manta Ray
Doolittle Set
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:
Wave of Mutilation (UK Surf)
Into the White
Encore 2:
Where Is My Mind?
Gigantic
Caribou
11/9
Everything was the same until Encore 2:
Where is My Mind?
Nimrod's Son
Vamos
Gigantic
11/10
Encore 2:
Bone Machine
Broken Face
Isla de Encanta
Where is My Mind?
Sunday 11/8
B Side Warm-up
Dancing The Manta Ray
Weird at My School
Bailey's Walk
Manta Ray
Doolittle Set
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:
Wave of Mutilation (UK Surf)
Into the White
Encore 2:
Where Is My Mind?
Gigantic
Caribou
11/9
Everything was the same until Encore 2:
Where is My Mind?
Nimrod's Son
Vamos
Gigantic
11/10
Encore 2:
Bone Machine
Broken Face
Isla de Encanta
Where is My Mind?
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