Live Review: Pixies, The Murlocs

Opening with the title track off their latest Young Blindness album, The Murlocs are trippy (the keys, especially) in a way that calls to mind The Doors one minute and then that Bend Me, Shape Me song by The American Breed the next. Ambrose Kenny-Smith's harmonica playing slays and Cal Shortal's guitar playing is inspired (our faces nearly melt off during one key change). Kenny-Smith sometimes sounds like he's sucked back some helium before singing and chorus melodies are often mirrored by guitar lines. There's a lot of head-nodding going on in the crowd who clearly dig this band's steez. We'll never understand people who don't arrive in time to catch the opener. The Murlocs are awesome!

The stage is totally backlit with loads of smoke for Pixies. What looks like scaffolding, positioned in a half circle, encloses the band in the front portion of the stage. They open with U-Mass and there's lots of bald heads jumping up and down in GA. We're treated to a The Jesus & Mary Chain cover (Head On), song three. There's audible crowd excitement when the jingly Here Comes Your Man riff struts in and what a charming, cheeky little song this is!

La La Love You as sung by drummer David Lovering continues on this theme and his arm-flourish bow at song's conclusion delights. The haunting "ooh-ooh"s that open Where Is My Mind? make us miss Kim Deal for the first time tonight and this perfect song is perfectly replicated live.

Lighting design incorporates very minimal use of colour. A purple wash is introduced around Subbacultcha: "I was all dressed in black/She was all dressed up in black," describes Pixies stage clothes. Singer Black Francis wears black shades as well and their colour palette is striking, offset by a couple of red flourishes courtesy of Lovering's drum kit and Paz Lenchantin's bass. Tenement Song receives the blue wash treatment and for Gouge Away ("Stay all day/If you want to") illumination is green.

Guitarist Joey Santiago demonstrates some killer distortion, half-heartedly beckoning our applause. Those rumbling drums that open Wave Of Mutilation! A coupla crowd-surfers punctuate Pixies classic Monkey Gone To Heaven, which scores a deafening crowd singalong. "They're coming to get me!" The guitar sirens that close out cacophonous track Um Chagga Lagga devastate and the mosh goes troppo. A chick crowd-surfs during Velouria and impressively stays up for ages, almost upright in a sitting position.

There's been zero banter throughout. Silence infiltrates the arena and we all hold our collective breath. Is Francis gonna speak? "Hey!" he hollers, which doesn't count, because he then continues into this song's lyrics, "Been trying to meet you". The main set closer's saucy swagger, accentuated by Lenchantin's sneaky bass line, proves irresistible. The crowd applause is ear-shattering and prolonged. Pixies meet front and centre for group bows. We think it's all over, but then the band return to their instrument stations for the Lenchantin-led Into The White with its raucous riffs. We feel as if we've been transported to an alternate universe for the duration of their set. It's pure perfection, sonically. But kinda strange not hearing any of them speak, whether or not that's their 'thing'.