Pixies @ Hammerstein Ballroom 2009 (night 1) - pics, setlist
photos by Tim Griffin
the “Chien Andalou” film started at 9, band started 9:07, done by 10:30. if you’re driving in, note that some streets near venue seem closed for upcoming Macy’s Thanksgiving Parade” [Anonymous]
The Pixies played their first of four NYC shows in a row on Monday night at an extremely packed Hammerstein Ballroom (11/23). The mostly-predictable setlist started out with four Doolittle b-sides followed all of Doolittle which was followed by two encores that ended with two of their biggest hits back to back (Where is My Mind into Gigantic).
“the mood was really friendly (Kim kept cracking jokes like “we’re halfway through side one” and Frank cracked up at the “God is 7″ line) but the big surprise was they had more of Joey Santiago’s guitar sound than the slick studio versions, so it was revelatory to hear how raw and loud these songs could get.” [Anonymous]
The screens on the back of the stage provided visuals, and most of the movement – you don’t go to see the Pixies for a crazy stage show. You go because you love the songs that they wrote (and because you can afford it), and the band do a pretty decent job at it. Like in 2004 at the same venue when they first reunited, I definitely felt a disconnect from the performers, but that’s also because of the large venue size.
Black Gold opened the show (instead of Bad Lieutenant). Tuesday night Jay Reatard gets that honor. On Wednesday (at the early show) it’s Rain Machine. No opener at the late and final show that same night.
Pixies will also appear on the Jimmy Fallon show on Tuesday night (11/24).
The Hammerstein setlist and the rest of the pictures, below….
Pixies @ Hammerstein Ballroom in NYC – 11/23/2009
“Dancing The Manta Ray”
“Weird At My School”
“Bailey’s Walk”
“Manta Ray”
“Debaser”
“Tame”
“Wave of Mutilation”
“I Bleed”
“Here Comes Your Man”
“Dead”
“Monkey Gone to Heaven”
“Mr. Grieves”
“Crackity Jones”
“La La Love You”
“No. 13 Baby”
“There Goes My Gun”
“Hey”
“Silver”
“Gouge Away”
encore1:
“Slow Wave of Mutilation (UK Surf)”
“Into the White”
encore 2
“Isla De Encanta”
some of “Vamos”
“Nimrod’s Son”
“Where is My Mind”
“Gigantic”
