Pixies Concerts Setlist

Formed in 1986 in Boston, USA, The Pixies, or only Pixies, is an alternative rock, that surged on the rock boom of the 1990s, mixing ideas from punk rock and surf rock influences. The band included Black Francis on vocals and guitar, Joey Santiago on lead guitar, Kim Deal on bass and vocals, and David Lovering on drums. After a breakup in the 90s, they reunited in 2004. Kim Shattuck briefly filled in for Kim Deal in 2013 before Paz Lenchantin joined as a permanent bassist in 2016.

During a concert with Throwing Muses, Pixies caught the attention of Gary Smith, manager of Fort Apache Studios, who believed they'd become famous. With funding from Francis' father, they recorded a 17-track demo known as the Purple Tape. Promoter Ken Goes became their manager and passed the demo to Ivo Watts-Russell of 4AD. Initially hesitant, Watts-Russell eventually signed them on the recommendation of his girlfriend.

Pixies released their first full album, "Surfer Rosa," produced by Steve Albini, which gained acclaim in Europe and later went gold in the U.S.. They toured Europe with Throwing Muses and headlined in the Netherlands. Later the band produced their second album, "Doolittle," which had hits like "Here Comes Your Man."

During the rise of the band, tensions between Deal and Francis reached a breaking point, with incidents like Francis throwing a guitar at Deal during a concert in Stuttgart. Deal almost got fired when she refused to play in Frankfurt. Santiago described Deal as "headstrong" and wanting to include her own songs, but she eventually accepted Francis's control. After the Frankfurt incident, communication between them stopped. The band struggled during the post-Doolittle "Fuck or Fight" tour in the US, leading to more fighting. Exhausted, they skipped the end-of-tour party in New York City and announced a hiatus shortly after.

In early 1993, Francis announced on BBC Radio 5 that the Pixies were done, but he didn't inform the other band members. He didn't give a reason at the time. Later, he called Santiago and sent a fax to Deal and Lovering to let them know.

The Pixies reunited for their first concert in 2004, at the Fine Line Music Cafe in Minneapolis, USA. They went on a warm-up tour across the U.S. and Canada, with each date recorded and released as limited-edition CDs. They also performed at the Coachella Music Festival. Throughout 2004, they toured extensively in Europe and the UK, earning the Act-of-the-Year award at the 2004 Boston Music Awards. The reunion tour generated over $14 million in ticket sales.

In 2024, the Pixies announced that Lenchantin had left the band "to focus on her own projects."