Last night, the Pixies performed an intimate show at Eora/Sydney’s Liberty Hall, offering fans a rare close-up experience with the iconic band. Playing to just 1,200 lucky fans, the event sold out within days, offering an occasion miles removed from the sprawling stadium crowds they’re currently drawing as Pearl Jam’s support act.
Black Francis greeted the audience with a wry grin, “We don’t really have a lot of dance moves… all we have is some songs.” A modest claim for a band whose music has shaped alternative rock for decades. Francis added, “Let’s take care of some business first,” cueing the unmistakable opening riff of ‘Where Is My Mind?’ to the roar of the crowd. As the audience echoed the iconic “ooooh ooooh” tune, the energy in the room was immeasurable, even from the photo pit where I was stationed to capture the first four songs.
Their set included early gems like ‘Nimrod’s Son’ and ‘The Holiday Song’ alongside the ever-recognizable ‘Here Comes Your Man’, each performed with a raw vitality that felt both familiar and thrillingly new. What struck me most was how live renditions of these tracks diverged just enough from their studio versions to feel like rediscovering a beloved classic. There’s a special magic in hearing songs you thought you knew by heart take on new life right before your eyes.
This tour is also an opportunity for the Pixies to showcase their recently released tenth album, ‘The Night the Zombies Came’. Released to critical acclaim last month, it finds the band in a creative renaissance, exploring darker themes with the same adventurous spirit that defined them in the late ’80s. Tracks like ‘The Vegas Suite’ and ‘Chicken’ remind listeners why the Pixies remain an enduring force—always evolving yet unmistakably themselves.
While their set may have only been a snapshot of their sprawling catalogue, the intimacy of Liberty Hall amplified every note, every lyric. For a band whose sound fills arenas, seeing them in a space this small felt almost surreal—a true treat for those lucky enough to attend.
Thirty-five years since ‘Doolittle’ set the world on fire, the Pixies are still proving why they’re one of the most influential acts in alternative music. They remain a band worth rediscovering, time and again.
The Pixies will continue supporting Pearl Jam for the remaining shows at ENGIE Stadium in Eora/Sydney, performing tonight and again on Saturday. Excitingly, the band has also announced a return to Australia and New Zealand in November next year. This tour will feature a two-night residency at each venue, with one set dedicated to ‘Bossanova’ and ‘Trompe Le Monde‘, and the other showcasing a collection of classic Pixies tracks.
Image Credit: Jessamy Hutton
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