|
The Pixies
One of my greatest regrets about my time at college is that I was too lazy to go and see the Pixies when they came through my town.
While one of the greatest rock bands of all time were blowing away the crowd at Bristol Studio I was probably enjoying half price
snakebite and black in a sticky student bar. Listening to the maginifent Doolittle
on my dictionary-sized walkman after their acrimonious split in 1993 I never failed to kick myself over the true price of that no doubt
refreshing beverage.
Last year however, I was able to put that right. The Pixies were back and they were coming to Japan. One always feels a certain amount of
trepidation when "legends" return. Will they be any good? Will my image of the Pixies I missed be ruined by the - more mature and rotund - Pixies
I see. But after what is reported to be the fastest selling
tour in history, not only were the Pixies back after 13 years the bootlegged evidence from their series warm up gigs in the US and Canada was that they
still sounded awesome and were not to be missed.
Their set on the opening night of last year's Fuji Rock was the performance of the festival. With barely a pause they delivered a breathtaking barrage of
the greatest collection of songs that should've been hits I've ever heard in a live show. The ghost of snakebite past should have now been consigned to
the past, but there was still one thing niggling at me. Yes, I had seen the Pixies, but now more than ever, how I wished I'd seen them before they were
legends in a small club rather than alongside 15,000 other people.
Well, they are legends, and although Frank Black may lose some weight, his hair (nor mine) isn't going to grow back. Next month, however, we do have a
great opportunity to see this band right here in Hiroshima in a tiny venue. Remember this is the band that Kurt Cobain told Rolling Stone inspired hime
to write Smell's Like Teen Spirit, the band that headlined not one, but two major UK rock festivals - Leeds and Reading - in the same weekend and packed
out London's Alexander Palace twice this summer. This band is HUGE, and we get to see them at Club Quattro. And I get to finally put the memory of that
cursed snakebite to rest.
The Pixies play at Club Quattro Sunday, December 4.
Click here for more details.
Photo taken from here.
Paul Walsh
November 2005
|
Similar Articles
