Words by DJ Morty Coyle, photos by A Rood Photography June 21st 2025
So much has been said about the legendary, early-alternative, Boston band, Pixies’ characteristic “quiet-loud” dynamics and the legacy of bands that utilized that formula to even greater successes. Saturday’s second of two sold-out shows at Hollywood’s Palladium showcased that musical ethos and proved why the Pixies’ fervent fanbase may have appreciated those inspired artists, but never swayed from the source. And that legacy clearly continued as there appeared to be many multigenerational Pixies-loving families giddily huddled together in their respective rebellious garb.
The last time the band played L.A. was at The Hollywood Bowl in 2023, so the comparative intimacy of these shows was enough to make everyone in attendance feel special.
The first night was advertised as the band playing a “Bossanova” and “Trompe le Mond” set (their third and fourth albums, respectively) and they played both albums in their entirety before playing a few extras as an encore. Saturday’s show was billed as a “Classic Pixies Set”, but what would that mean?
Lead singer, songwriter, and guitarist Charles Thompson, who leads the Pixies under the moniker of Black Francis (and his solo career as Frank Black), was fresh off his highly anticipated and well-received early 2025 theater tour, showcasing his second solo album, 1994’s “Teenager of the Year.”
Following the appreciated shimmering twang of openers Kurt Vile & the Violaters and the recorded strains of recently-departed Brian Wilson’s Beach Boys instrumental, “Pet Sounds”, Thompson took the stage alongside his fellow founding members, lead guitarist Joey Santiago and drummer David Lovering, and newest member, bassist/vocalist Emma Richardson (their third after original bassist/vocalist Kim Deal left the band in 2013) who joined last year for 2024’s “The Night the Zombies Came,” the band’s ninth album.
Under the glowing mood-light of the huge hanging Pixies’ “P” logo they unleashed the two-pronged attack of openers “Gouge Away” and “Wave of Mutilation” from their most successful album, 1989’s “Doolittle.” Then they reached back to their 1987 debut to rip through “Isla de Encanta” before 1991’s “Planet of Sound” kicked the crowd into such high spirits that follow-ups “Chicken” and “Motoroller,” from the newest album, were embraced like those previous classics.
After serving up crunchy atmospheric textures and his trademarked sinewy single-string melodies, Joey’s first of many highlights came during his solo on “Vamos (Pilgrim).” After doffing his cap to the crowd, he used the brim against his fretboard to hammer out chordal reveries. He then unplugged his cord and played the live end through his pedals, unfolding deliberately random noises to the audience’s delight.
A few songs later the crowd roared in collective excitement to the first of the band’s actual mainstream “hits”, the jangly “Here Comes Your Man.”
Two songs later came the first true singalong of the evening with “Hey.”
“Bone Machine” and “Debaser” continued the thrills as did the rhythm section.
Lovering brought his tirelessly, unwavering energy behind the kit to every rhythmic twist and dynamic shift that have always defined the band while Richardson’s steadfast, driving, and loping bass lines locked in throughout the night. High praise can not be spared on Thompson’s remarkable singing all night. He produced stunning leaps, from growling bass and baritone to throat-scraping screams to lilting falsetto, with all showcased on “Caribou”, the first track from their 1987 debut E.P.
As the set neared its end, bassist and supporting vocalist Richardson was tasked with delivering the dreamy mantra of Peter Ivers’ and (also recently departed) David Lynch’s “In Heaven (Lady in the Radiator song)” which was wordlessly followed immediately by “Where is My Mind?”, with the crowd assisting Richardson on the haunting “Ooohs.” After 27 songs (and set closer, the Richardson-sung “Into the White”) the band joined for the group bow before seeming to make the snap decision to add an encore of “Tame” from 1989’s “Doolittle.”
And THAT’S what a “Classic Pixies Set” is!
Setlist:
Gouge Away
Wave of Mutilation
Isla de Encanta
Planet of Sound
Chicken
Motoroller
Vamos
Death Horizon
Here Comes Your Man
Motorway to Roswell
Hey
Mr. Grieves
Bone Machine
Debaser
Cactus
Caribou
The Happening
The Vegas Suite
Primrose
Snakes
Mercy Me
Monkey Gone to Heaven
In Heaven (Lady in the Radiator Song)
(Peter Ivers & David Lynch cover) (Sung by Emma Richardson)
Where Is My Mind?
Nimrod’s Son
Blown Away
Into the White
(Sung by Emma Richardson)
Tame
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