Recommendations of the Editorial team
29 songs, more than with the other “The Night The Zombies Came” concerts, including nine from the Evergreen album “Doolittle”, all for 60 euros. This concert evening of the pixies could have run much worse. It is even very good over long distances.
The only sold-out Germany gig-and one of the band’s biggest Berlin shows
The appearance of the Tempodrom in Berlin is the only sold out of the three gigs of Germany. And it is your third largest booking in the capital. The third largest after the comeback concert in the Wuhlheide 2004 (unfortunately not sold out, not even with brave support support due to the Franz Ferdinand and Ash), which was already graded at the time, and in the Zitadelle Spandau 2016. That the pixies play such a long set (whereby most of their songs are so short) is also a sign for it, too, how well you are doing here.
Emma Richardson opens and decides the concert
The new bassist Emma Richardson (more than a year after entering the band still a bit uncertain) belong to the beginning and end of the concert. Now, instead of early Kim Deal, she sings the Lynch cover “in Heaven (Lady in the Radiator Song”) and the end of the entry into the hereafter, “Into the White”. Song two is immediately a Pixies hit, the feeling arises as if the pavement starts her evening with “cut your hair” or the Rolling Stones with “(i can’t get no) satisfaction”: “Here come your man”. The song opens with the famous “Hard-Day’s Night Chord”, which can also be an announcement for the fact that work is now more about work (the intro from the tape was even “Young and Joyful Bandit” from work).
Classic vs. “The Night the Zombies Came”
The pixies are considered inventors of the “Loud Quiet-Dynamics”, which strictly called Quiet-Loud-Quiet. It is all the more astonishing how gently there are many nuances. At least Black Francis, one of the two Pixies guitarists, plays the first eight songs on an acoustic guitar. It gets quiet in the hall when the new songs are tuned. Uncomfortably quiet. After the dramatic “Motorway to Roswell” inspired by Bob Lazar and the Klas TV interview, songs such as “Chicken” and “The Vegas Suite” come, and there is immediately grave rest in the speed.
The new songs of “The Night the Zombies Came” are not failed, only they are, apart from the Gothic-Wiegenlied “Jane”, a tribute to The Jesus and Mary Chain, no pixies pixies songs. But classic moody Frank-Black Pixies songs of the later band phase. It is admirable how stoically Black Francis advertises this material. Tonight there are eight “zombies” pieces.
When Joey meets, it will be magical – if not, it gets sad
The quality of Pixies concerts has been dependent on one of the four pixies for several years: Joey. Lead guitarist Joey Santiago is one of the best guitarists in the world. And it bothers him zero that he is not mentioned in the rolling stone list of the 250 best guitarists of all time. He laughed at my face, talking to me, and that was great. But if he misses his missions and he often has to pay attention to missions due to his economical game, then it gets sad. “Havalina”, that heavenly ode to the Pekari pig in the Arizona desert (yes, the song really) was misleading: the morricone slide, the delay, reverb … many players and also often next to the trail.
Live better than on the “Record Store Day” plate
The pixies play a lot, much better this evening than on their current album, which was published for the Record Store, which documents their “Bossanova” /”Trompe Le Monde” tour from last year. A live plate that is born with fabulous negligence that a tape of its size should not afford. Black Francis confuses stanzas, Joey the (listed) missions, Richardson fails with the “Aaahs” in “The Navajo-Know”. The band is not enthusiastic about the “Trompe Le Monde” album, which unofficially operates the first solo album of the Black Francis. This is also reflected in the live versions on the album.
Finale with force: “Cecilia Ann”, “Tamen”, “Debaser”
Tribulation, wasteland, motivation, which, as mentioned, is still less common in the pace drom today. A very intense last quarter of an hour. “Cecilia Ann” follows “Time” (for which the pixies would be published today, would be canceled), and follows “Debaser”.
No small talk, just music: Black Francis holds back
Black Francis does not make an announcement, the text of “Mr. Grieves” speaks for him: “Hope Everything is all right” he sings – all cheer. “I Said I Hope Everything is all right?” – Jubilee. “Do you have another Opinion?” Of course not. No other opinion. The pixies have brought all hits and we accepted the new songs.