Got to quickly spruik The Pixies Doolittle tour thats going around at the moment - sold out in Sydney anyway so if you have a chance to catch them somwhere: snap it up with no delay! Even if you're not a fan, they are worth seeing. What I hadn't realised was that they were a major influence on Nirvana (and therefore Grunge?) but specifically were the inspiration for "Smells Like Teen Spirit":
Kurt Cobain: "I was trying to write the ultimate pop song. I was basically trying to rip off The Pixies."
It was one of the best-lit gigs I've ever seen I think, not sure why exactly but the stage-production was better than most I can remember. Not sure if thats a tribute to The Horden Pavillion (a venue I'm quite fond of) or the roadies on this particular tour.
Another stand out was the fact that for $30 you could pre-order - or pick up after the show - the live CD recording of the night's performance. The size of the CD burner they were using for this must have been humongus as the speed these things were coming out was impressive. No great delay in picking these things up, and to the extent I heard the disc I bought, it was of a fine quality (although I have been since informed that the recording goes a bit wobbly during "Here Comes Your Man" - so its lucky I've got the above!)
But all that aside, its another case of a re-formed bad on superb musical form and genuinely enjoying themselves. But the fact that this tour is specifically to celebrate the 20th Anniversary of the release of their Doolittle album - which they play most of in sequence - gives the night a kind of warm fuzzy feeling. And Kim Deal still sounds just as cute!