Pixies conjure old magic at Mesa Amphitheater

September 21, 2004

In 1997, the then-defunct Pixies released a posthumous double-CD appropriately

entitled “Death to The Pixies.” Seven years later, the group showed definite

signs of life, playing to a thankful sold-out crowd Monday at the Mesa Amphitheatre.

After a tumultuous breakup in 1993, a Pixies reunion was merely an indie rock

fan’s idle daydream. That all changed late last year, when group leader Charles

Thompson (“Black Francis” in his Pixie-days, cleverly inverted to “Frank Black”

during his solo career) announced that the band was back together. Although some

have questioned the motivations behind the reunion (hint: it’s green and you buy

stuff with it), fans have flocked to the resulting tour dates in droves.

Monday’s show was no exception, with Valley fans getting their first chance to

see the highly influential band in more than a decade, and apparently, absence indeed

made the heart grow founder.

“It was well worth the money,” said Mick Lucas of Mesa, 32.

The Pixies entered about 8 p.m., to a sparsely decorated stage that

perfectly reflected the unglamorous image the band always cultivated. Lead singer and

guitarist Thompson, who has taken on a strikingly Homer Simpson-esque appearance in

recent years, was high-spirited but noticeably taciturn, offering almost no

banter or interaction with the crowd. Bassist and backup vocalist Kim Deal

looked hale and hearty, bouncing back after a much-publicized bout with drug

addiction during her days fronting mid-’90s outfit The Breeders.

“Is She Weird,” from their 1990 album “Bossanova” began the show and ignited the

already eager crowd. The band proceeded to plow through 31 songs in under two

hours, barely taking a rest in between.

The Pixies showed no signs of rust, perhaps helped by touring virtually non-stop

since April, delivering album-faithful versions of nearly every song. Their

first major return show was a headlining gig at May’s Coachella festival in

Indio, Calif.

“I saw them at Coachella, and this was way better,” said Lucas. “They played

everything they could.”

The bulk of the set was comprised of songs from 1989’s “Doolittle” release,

considered by many to be their creative zenith. Most of the band’s major hits (a

bit of a misnomer given their relative obscurity during their existence),

such as “Monkey Gone To Heaven” and “Wave Of Mutilation,” were performed. These

tracks were mixed in with obscurities such as their cover of Neil Young’s

“Winterlong” and several songs from their 1987 debut EP, “Come on Pilgrim.”

The latter two LPs of the Pixies’ brief (only four full-length albums) recording

career, “Bossanova” and “Trompe Le Monde” were mostly ignored, save for standout

tracks like the uncharacteristically heartfelt “Velouria.” Also skipped was

their first single since the reformation, “Bam Thwok,” the Deal-penned song

composed and ultimately rejected for the “Shrek 2” soundtrack.

One of the few deviations from the original versions was a creative, extended

guitar solo on “Vamos,” led by lead guitarist Joey Santiago. This ended the set

proper, but not even the band tried to fool anyone, as they never

physically left the stage before the inevitable encore.

The brief, two-song reprise began with the Deal-led “In Heaven.” Thompson taking

a backseat during the song could be interpreted as a sign of newfound goodwill,

as creative rifts between the two were a major cause of the Pixies’ original

separation. The show ended, predictably enough, with an enthusiastically

received rendition of “Where Is My Mind?” – possibly their most mainstream hit,

and popularized in recent years through its use as the closing theme in the film

“Fight Club.”

The expansive and inclusive roster of songs appealed to many of the die-hard

Pixies fans in attendance.

“Two columns of songs on a set list is always a good sign,” said 26 year-old

Chad Frerker of Mesa.

Concertgoers at the packed outdoor venue were a roughly even mix of old-school

fans from the band's heyday and younger folks who likely gained appreciation of the

group through the subsequent plethora of bands, most notably Nirvana, that name-checked the Pixies as a major inspiration.

“I liked them in high school when they weren’t together, so it’s great to see

them live,” said Maureen McCabe, 20, of Mesa.

Despite being inactive for 11 years, the Pixies fans showed admirable amounts of

energy, often engaging in crowd surfing whether or not it was appropriate to the

tempo of the tune. A raucous fan even jumped on stage during “Here Comes Your

Man,” but soon thought better of it as he was quickly nabbed by security.

Up-and-coming punk rockers The Distillers were in the somewhat unenviable

position of opening the show. They played a powerful, 30-minute set, featuring hits such as “Drain The Blood,” to an appreciative, but obviously anxious, crowd. Lead singer (and Rancid vocalist Tim Armstrong's ex-wife) Brody Dalle showcased her scratchy shrieks, in stark contrast to headliner Deal’s more nuanced vocal cadences.

Pixies set list:

Is She Weird?

Subbacultcha

Dead

Something Against You

Tame

Cactus

River Euphrates

Monkey Gone To Heaven

No. 13 Baby

Mr. Grieves

Ed Is Dead

Planet of Sound

Caribou

Velouria

Gouge Away

Crackity Jones

Isla De Encanta

Broken Face

Wave of Mutilation

Debaser

UMass

I Bleed

Hey

Gigantic

Winterlong

Here Comes Your Man

Nimrod’s Son

Holiday Song

Vamos

Encore:

In Heaven

Where Is My Mind?