Concert Review: Pixies Rock The Pinnacle Along Their World Tour
By: Dylan Basden
Since the Pixies last appearance in Nashville in summer of 2024, a coheadline heater with Modest Mouse, the band has been relentless. 2025 has already been a big year for Pixies, with the group having spent much of the year touring North America and Europe supporting their 2024 album, The Night the Zombies Came, and releasing their new live album, Bossanova x Trompe Le Monde. Since their inception nearly forty years ago, Pixies have been icons of alternative music. Made up of Black Francis (vocals, guitar), Joey Santiago (lead guitar), Emma Richardson (vocals, bass), and David Lovering (drums), the band has remained nearly identical to when they first got together in 1986.
Kicking the night off with a cover of David Lynch and Peter Ivers’ “In Heaven (Lady in the Radiator Song),” Pixies dive right into what makes them special—their ability to make music distinctive and unlike anything else you’ve heard. Lead by Richardson on vocals, she also takes the spotlight with a raw bass solo. The newest member of the ensemble, joining just last year, Richardson makes her presence known throughout the night.
Kicking things into high gear early, “Here Comes Your Man,” arguably the bands most recognizable single, dazzles with its jangly surf-rock-tinged percussion, light and airy guitar, and groovy bass line. For a band as abstract and as left-of-center as Pixies, it is incredible to have a song be such an earworm, especially in the live setting. Francis’ raw, unpolished vocals on the verses juxtapose Richardson’s smooth, clean singing on the bridge and chorus, a dynamic found on many a Pixies song. It truly captivated the audience, with an understandably large portion of the crowd singing along without skipping a beat, with the tail end of the chorus absolutely erupting alongside it’s swelling drums.
Legends in the alternative rock world, influencing bands and musicians from across the dozens of subgenres they touch, Pixies are anything but ordinary. “Vamos,” a Spanish language tune, sees this taken to the maximum. With Francis on vocals, we see Santiago dive into some of the most creative guitar work you’ll see as he takes off his hat and uses the brim as a slide, pecking away at the strings in such a way that any lesser guitarist would draw boos from the crowd. It was equally as jarring when Santiago unplugged his guitar, only to use the newly freed quarter inch cable as its own instrument, plucking at the end of the cable and layering on effects from his pedal board to jaw dropping success. It truly was unlike anything I’ve ever seen at a show and, having been to well over 400 now, that is a feat.
Setlist
In Heaven (Lady in the Radiator Song) [David Lynch/Peter Ivers cover]
Death Horizon
Here Comes Your Man
Vamos
Chicken
Motorway to Roswell
The Vegas Suite
Kings of the Prairie
Snakes
Mercy Me
Gouge Away
Debaser
Mr. Grieves
Wave of Mutilation
Caribou
The Happening
Velouria
Monkey Gone to Heaven
Wave of Mutilation (UK Surf)
Where Is My Mind?
Into the White
Pixies are absolutely a must-see for any music fan. There is just so much history draping around this band, their influence has been felt across decades. Seeing a band nearly forty years into their career continue to not only put on a five-star-worthy performance, but continue to innovate and push the needle in music is wonderful to see. There is a reason Pixies became as legendary as they have and there is an equally big reason to why they have managed to stick around and continue selling tickets. This show should be at the top of your bucket list.
With the year quickly coming to a close, there aren’t many dates left on the books for Pixies. The band will set off soon to tour the Pacific through November. For once a band can say they did a world tour with their full chest. You can find tickets to all of Pixies’ upcoming dates here. https://www.pixiesmusic.com/tour
Nov 2 – Osaka, Japan – Gorilla Hall
Nov 4 – Tokyo, Japan – Ex Theater Roppongi
Nov 5 – Tokyo, Japan – Ex Theater Roppongi
Nov 8 – Perth, Australia – Fremantle Prison
Nov 9 – Perth, Australia – Fremantle Prison
Nov 13 – Sydney, Australia – Horden Pavilion
Nov 14 – Sydney, Australia – Horden Pavilion
Nov 16 – Brisbane, Australia – The Fortitude Music Hall
Nov 17 – Brisbane, Australia – The Fortitude Music Hall
Nov 19 – Melbourne, Australia – Festival Hall
Nov 20 – Melbourne, Australia – Festival Hall
Nov 23 – Auckland, New Zealand – Auckland Town Hall
Nov 24 – Auckland, New Zealand – Auckland Town Hall
Nov 26 – Wellington, New Zealand – St. James Theatre
Nov 27 – Wellington, New Zealand – St. James Theatre [SOLD OUT]
Nov 30 – Honolulu, Hawaii – The Republik [SOLD OUT]
Dec 1 – Honolulu, Hawaii – The Republik [SOLD OUT]
View the full gallery here.