It’s a beautiful, sun-kissed May evening and we have just walked through a crammed Hyde Park to reach the Royal Albert Hall. One of those venues that never seems to lose its charms, even with repeat visits, the RAH is a national treasure and a gig there always feels special.
And tonight is special for we have come to see The Pixies celebrating forty years of twisted pop, abrasive punk, and dynamic alternative rock, taking over the Hall for a two night residency that has drawn fans from up and down the country.
One slightly unfortunate facet of the day is that the hall is less full than it might otherwise have been when post-punk duo (tonight expanded to a three-piece with a flautist / saxophonist / synth player adding to the noise), GANS take to the stage to deliver a thirty minute set that is as riotous as it is unexpected.
Honestly, the first thought is how fucking cool it is to see a young band doing something that’s just different. With a mix of post-punk insouciance, industrial grit, and noise rock aesthetic, they hit the stage like a neon-lit atom bomb, pummelling their way through IN TIME and IT’S JUST LIKE LIFE (both drawn from GOOD FOR THE SOUL) with an infectious energy that has most early arrivals hooked pretty quickly. If it has a downside, it’s that the vocals, delivered at a pretty consistent tone, volume, and pitch, get a touch monotonous by the time we land on STEP-PSYCHOSIS, but given that the studio recordings are more nuanced, this is more likely a result of the band enacting what is essentially a sonic smash ‘n’ grab raid on the Albert Hall.
On the whole, GANS make for a strong opening act, and it’s fantastic to see an up-and-coming band bringing something so fresh to the table.
Following a short interlude, during which the Hall fills to capacity, the Pixies saunter onto stage with little fanfare as a cheer erupts from all sides. It’s a hell of a journey the band have taken to get here, but there’s no doubt that this moment has been earned, and for long-time fans (of whom there are many in the audience) and newcomers alike, it’s a special, even emotional moment, to see Frank, Joey Santiago, David Lovering, and Emma Richardson take to the stage.
One of the best things about the Pixies second act is that the band have remained a powerful creative force, with each of the five albums they have released since reuniting burnishing the band’s impressive legacy. As such, when the band decided to celebrate their 40th anniversary show at the Royal Albert Hall by opening with four tracks from 2024’s The Night The Zombies Came (“because that’s how we feel” notes Frank Black), it is entirely in character, reminding us that tonight is not just about celebrating what was, but also what is.
And what a celebration it is. The second night of a two-night residency, The Pixies are not interested in blazing screens or pyrotechnics. Rather they rely on their innate ability to whip up a crowd with great songwriting, turn-on-a-dime dynamics, and memorable turns of phrase that, taken together, have the mosh pit bouncing and the entire Albert Hall (packed to the rafters) singing along.
And the opening numbers really are a joy, reminding us just how easily the songs from The Night The Zombies Came slot in alongside the well-worn classics. Thus, we get a scratchy Motoroller, the deeply melodic acoustic strum of Primrose, a whimsical Mercy Me and, wrapping up the new tracks, the dusty beauty of The Vegas Suite – the latter a particular highlight, not just of the new tracks, but of the night. If the primary aim of this opening gambit was to get fans to listen to this latest record on repeat, then mission accomplished – at least in my case.
Then, following a lovely In Heaven (led by Emma), we get one last new track in the form of Death Horizon (from 2019’s Beneath The Eyrie) before the band unleash that indelible anthem, Here Comes Your Man, essentially opening up a wide-ranging trawl through the first five albums.
From here, the hits come thick and fast with the audience barely having time to register one classic number before another comes barrelling towards them. There are few surprises (although the awesomely dark I Bleed is a particularly highlight), although the band do whip out covers of The Jesus and Mary Chain (Head On) and Neil Young (Winterlong) in between raucous cuts such as Isla de Encanta, Subbacultcha, Ana and, just for fun, two versions of Wave Of Mutilation.
As might be expected, the evening flies past, and it comes as a surprise to many when Emma leads the band into one final charged number, a glorious Into The White, which sees the house lights come up and the audience unceremoniously dismissed into the night.
And that’s it. No encores, no rockstar bullshit. Just an epic performance of some of the most brilliantly original alternative rock music the world has ever known. A very special night, a genuine celebration, and an absolute joy from start to finish, The Pixies came, saw, and conquered in London.
