4 Ways The Pixies Are Rockin’ Their Reunion

I’ve been following the adventures of the Pixies these last few weeks and I have to say they have thoroughly impressed me in many ways. I’ll be the first to admit that I wasn’t in to them during their “heyday” in the early nineties. But that hasn’t stopped me from having mad respect for how they deliver the goods for their fans via the live music experience over the last few years. Read on to see what I mean.

Exhibit A: Pixies Play Longest Set Ever for Chilean Miner Rescue

Earlier this month, the Pixies played their longest set ever with “33 songs for 33 Miners,” a tribute to the miners who were successfully rescued and that was also a deft protest to the local Chilean government.

This stereogum story does a fine job of recapping the events and the YouTube video above will provide the visuals.

I especailly love the way the fans helped out in the comments on the Stereogum post by translating Black Francis’s speech. And there doesn’t seem to be any cultural misunderstandings like MGMT recently faced.

Here’s the fan’s translation of Black Francis’s intro:

“Greetings! (crow cheers)
“My name is Mucho!” (crow cheers)
“Your mines are not up to code!” (crowd cheers)
“Your president is going to milk this for all the PR he can!” (crow cheers)
“I volunteered to assist with the rescue, but I cannot fit down the shaft!”
“Ka Pow!”

Exhibit B: LoudquietLoud

If you haven’t seen the Pixies concert DVD Loudquietloud – A Film About the Pixies, I highly suggest taking time to watch it. It has some terrifically insightful and emotional scenes that show the band struggling to get along while they solider on to play live during their triumphant 2004 reunion tour.

Exhibit C: Free Doolittle 20th Anniversary Live Concert Download

To celebrate the 20th anniversary of Doolittle, the Pixies are giving away live tracks to fans who sign up for their newsletter. The live tracks are recordings from their current tour and shows from the band’s touring history. This is a fine treat for any Pixie fan, new, young or old(er). You can download the 4 tracks on the Pixie site.

Exhibit D: The Pixies and Gigography

While you’re cruising around their site, you’ll also want to check out a very cool fan-centric element about their tour archive called the gigography. The interactive tour history catalog allows fans to tag and upload various forms of social and new media — tweets, youtube videos, photos — from the shows fans have attended on the current tour and shows throughout the Pixies entire touring history.

I’m looking forward to taking a deeper dive into “the gigography” because it’s spurred some thoughts related to our exploration in to concert genealogy.

Got a Pixies Concert Story?
Tell your story and share your favorite Pixies concert experiences in the comments below. And check out more exclusive Live Fix fan interviews here.