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 All Over the World -- Pixies Live!
 my review of the 10/22 Phoenix show
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GarlicSoul
- FB Fan -

36 Posts

Posted - 10/24/2004 :  16:32:08  Show Profile  Visit GarlicSoul's Homepage  Reply with Quote


Let me begin by admitting that I was having a bad day. I was frustrated emotionally, physically, and financially...so I actually decided to sell off my tickets to another Pixies fan at work. I was in a bad mood and didnt really feel like allowing it to taint this concert.

The transaction fell through, though...and I was stuck with these tickets and forced to go to the show, in spite of myself. This only annoyed me more.

So the first handful of songs are unable to shake me out of my malaise. At first, I wonder if my mindset is affecting the way I'm experiencing this, which is inevitable, of course...but I also decide that some of my problems are probably valid, as well.

1) The sound mix doesnt sound right.

2) I'm not really getting anything out of how these songs are being played. They sound pretty much how I would expect them to sound (not surprising, since the Pixies records dont rely on all of those cheap studio gimmicks and deceit that so many other bands need), but I like to see songs in a different light, when I hear them live. It doesnt have to be as dramatic as a re-worked arrangement. Maybe even something like an increased intensity (like FB would usually seem to have, during solo and Catholic shows). Even the Lady In The Radiator song doesnt really catch me off guard (except for the fact that it appeared so early in the setlist, which was kind of a cool place for it). Gouge Away comes up and all I can think about is how incredible it was when Frank and the Catholics played it to open up a Nita's Hideaway show some years ago- it gave me chills. This version was good, just not as riveting as that Catholics version.


but then they played Here Comes Your Man, which has never impressed me in its live incarnations on bootlegs, etc (although I have always adored the album version). This version was EXCELLENT, though! It sounded so fresh and perfect to me... and it also seemed like the soundman was ironing out the kinks in the soundboard.

From here on out the show just got better and better. Cactus was great and they were also picking up intensity with every song, playing with the kind of urgency that you would've expected of some early club show, as a struggling young band, which is how you scretly want to be experiencing this, since its something that you've long since missed out on (if you're me, at least).

Nimrod's Son broke off early and turned into Mr. Grieves. Although, I still want to hear the rest of Nimrod's Son, I am thrilled by this Mr. Grieves. The sound mix has been fixed and everything sounds perfect, from a technical standpoint. The Pixies seem to have gotten into a real groove by now, too. Then they finish off Mr. Grieves, by picking up Nimrod's Son, right where they left off. It was split into two, to book-end Mr. Grieves. I loved it.

Another thing: The budget and recording process of those early pixies albums was always fine to me, until I heard some of those same songs on the Death To The Pixies compilation, where they were re-mastered. The dynamics of those re-mastered tracks are so powerful that it makes it hard to listen to the original albums after that. No matter how much you turn up the volume, you still cant make them sound as powerful as the remixes. I wish to be able to hear the entire Pixies catalog, like that. So it was such a satisfying experience to hear songs like Mr. Grieves, Dead, and Cactus at this show...they sound like I always knew they should sound!

Then they start Vamos and I get all excited, because it's one of the songs that I was really hoping to get. It doesnt disappoint, in any way. I was in complete bliss watching Santiago's guitar exploitations here...and I kept cracking up, remembering how close I came to unloading these tickets, just a few hours earlier. I cant believe that I was that close to going the rest of my life without experiencing this song, first hand! All the things that had to go wrong for me to end up forcing myself to go to this show...I am lucky to be here!! ha.

They also started the opening music for Something Against You and it was INTENSE! I was getting all carried away, but then they stopped before the lyrics kick in and played some other song. Damn, what a tease! I am sure that was going to be fierce. They did play an incredible Planet Of Sound and some others, before going back to Something Against You and proving that it was every bit as furious and powerful as their teaser insinuated. Another one of those "book-end" type of song seperations. Except this time, they had two songs split in half like that and these "book-ends" were actually overlapping each other, creating this great sonic tapestry where songs were weaving in and out of each other! Excellent.


shawnte
www.shawnteorion.4t.com

Skatealex1
* Dog in the Sand *

1670 Posts

Posted - 10/24/2004 :  18:36:28  Show Profile  Reply with Quote
we learn from this that know matter what mood you're in go see the pixies

The Truth Is Out There
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anazgnos
= Cult of Ray =

USA
383 Posts

Posted - 10/25/2004 :  00:26:15  Show Profile  Reply with Quote
that is fucking great. The 'bookending' was relatively straightforward last night in Irvine, but I remember thinking how cool would it be if they did that with more than two songs? All evidence is that the Pixies are just on a completetly surreal level of tour-tightness right now. I saw them in the Glass House in May, for Chrissakes, and last night in biggest most evil corporate venue imaginable, with half the crowd obviously only interested in the (awful) opening band - and yet I'm 100% convinced it was the better show.
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GarlicSoul
- FB Fan -

36 Posts

Posted - 10/29/2004 :  00:47:01  Show Profile  Visit GarlicSoul's Homepage  Reply with Quote
I wonder if the "book-ends" are experimented with, from show to show? I thought it would be cool to hear an entire show done, in that way.

Btw, Frank also mentioned, after Here Comes Your Man, that the song got him out of a ticket once. In Truth Or Consequences, New Mexico....but he didnt explain it any further.
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morgan
- FB Fan -

USA
51 Posts

Posted - 10/29/2004 :  14:11:40  Show Profile  Visit morgan's Homepage  Reply with Quote
I was at this show... I agree, I think it took a while for the crowd to get going.

http://stores.musictoday.com/store/dept.asp?dept%5Fid=3625&band%5Fid=792&sfid=2
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billgoodman
>> Denizen of the Citizens Band <<

Netherlands
6214 Posts

Posted - 10/30/2004 :  09:19:29  Show Profile  Click to see billgoodman's MSN Messenger address  Reply with Quote
I can make that with microsoft word,
still a great thing to have in your collection

"I joined the cult of Jon Tiven/Bye!"
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GarlicSoul
- FB Fan -

36 Posts

Posted - 11/01/2004 :  06:53:08  Show Profile  Visit GarlicSoul's Homepage  Reply with Quote

Hey!

To the person, whose post no longer appears here:

were you the one who sent me a few CDs, about a year ago??

shawnte
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GarlicSoul
- FB Fan -

36 Posts

Posted - 02/14/2005 :  00:22:27  Show Profile  Visit GarlicSoul's Homepage  Reply with Quote
So has anyone purchased any of those show MP3s from that site that Morgan linked?? I'd like to get that show, but want to make sure people havent been having problems with that site.

any info appreciated,
shawnte
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